The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-02-26
NEW SCHOOL LAWS
FULLY EXPLAINED
STATE SUPERINTENDENT MAR
TIN REVIEWS LEGISLATION.
High School Act is the Best-Repre-
senting as it Does the Fruition
of the Efforts of the Teach
ers and Friends Of
Education.

Education.
The State, 21st.
The state superintendent Of cduca-
ton, Hon. 0. b. Martin, was asked
yesterday in regard to what cduca-
tional measures were enacted at the
recent session Of the general assem-
bly,. He said, "There were several
matters Of great Importance but the
most tar-reaching one, as I see it, is
the high school law introduced by
Senator Raysor Of Orangeburg in the
senate and by Hon. j. Wright Nash
Of Spartanburg in the house of rep
resentativcs. TO my mind, this is the
most important piece Of educational
legislation which has been enacted in
many years.
"Ths act provides that it shall be
lawful for any county, or for any
township or aggregation of town.
ships, or for any aggregation of
school districts, or any incorporated
town or city within the state with a
population of not more than 1000 at
tile last preceding United States cen
sus, to establish a high school, Un-
der this provision, it is quite likely
that in some eases we may have county
high schools, in other townships high
schools, and other joint high schools
covering an aggregation Of townships
or districts.
ga large town or city may not re-
ceive aid under this act rs Il town or
city, but il seems to me that it may
do so as a part Of the county or as
part of the township. This act al
lows as much as two mills Of addi-
tional taxation for high school pur-
poses, and it also allows high school
district to float bonds for the erec-
ton of high school buildings. There
is Il provision that the state shall not
and any school more than so per cent
Of the amount raised annually by tax
alton, subscription orotherwise. There
is also a provision that no school
shall receive aid unless it has at least
25 children and two teachers in The
high school department; that is,
above the seventh grade, as the act
defines it,
"No one school shall receive more
than $1,000 annually, and no county
shall receive more than per cent. of
The $4,000 appropriated. Every
child in the county where high
school is located is to receive free
high school tuition.
"rhe duty of putting this act into
operation devolves upon the state
board Of education. If the said state
board Of education can succeed in
working out the high school problem
under this act, ii will certainly render
great service to the state and the
high school act will probably be re-
Sardcd as a very important piece Of
epoch making legislation. Prof. Hand
Of the University of South Carolina
and | expect to go TO Chicago next
week to the meeting Of the depart
ment of superintendent Of the Ma
lonal Education association. While
there. we expect to confer with the
school officers from all parts Of the
United States in regard to high
schools. We also expect to visit some
Of the public high schools in that
section Of the country. The state
board Of education will likely meet
durin" the latter part of March to
formulate the regulations provided
for under the high school act.
"Another important educational
act is the one to provide for the IS
suing Of bonds in the public school
districts of South Carolina, introduce
ed by representative Lawson of
Darlington. 1t is merely general
bonding act containing all Of the best
features of the numerous local bond
ing acts which are introduced every
year. Hereafter it will be possible
for any district, under certain rcstric-
tions, to float bonds for the purpose
of building and equipping school
houses without the necessity Of get
ting a special act through the legisla-
ture. In addition to being an advan-