The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-07-05
ABOUT THE SCHOOLS.
A Thousand schooIhouses Built
Since c ampalgn Started.

An Educational Review and Outlook
Stated In an Address Issued by the
Campaign Committee.
A very interesting address has
peeh prepared by the educational
committee of South Caro-
una. showing what has been accom-
pllshed In this State since the cam
palgn started and what is vet to he
done. ~
This committee consists Of Gov. NJ.
f. Ansel, chairman; Supt. o. b. Mar.
tin, Pres. d. b. Johnson, LII. D.:
Pres. III. N. Snyder, LII. d., and Prof.
w. H.. Hand. The field work has
been done largely by Superintendent
Martin, assisted by Mr.. Hand, al
though the other members are dill.
gent, tireless and enthusiastic work
ers for education.
The address which they have is.
sued is as follows:
On April II, 1908, a conference
was held In the senate chamber OF
South Cardinals capitol, This con
ference vas composed Of IS earnest
men who have devoted much Of their
Tune II lives to educational endeav.
or. 1T was declared that better schools
In the rural districts are Of 'supreme
Importance to the commonwealth"
A committee was appointed to con
duct a campaign to arouse popular
interest In education, and certain
lines OF work were indicated. This
conference has been enlarged, and II
now asks the interest and
ton OF the people in order that the
work already begun may be pushed
WIN greater vigOr, and also that eff
fecttvc efforts may be made in new
fields.
The objects outlined in 1908 were:
more local taxation, better traininr
and payment Of teachers, eXpert SIM.
crvision, longer school terms. bette,
courses of study, consolidation OF
schools and the Improvement OF
sc~hoolhouses and grounds. While
there is much to he done, yet we hay;
some cause for qualification because
of what has been accomplished thu.
far.
At that time about $50 district.
levied local tax; o the number an
%proaches 500, which is ncarly one
third of the districts i'm the State.
me average annual salary of whit,
'NsSi'oio lHC cuScu from SLUD u
1888, a gain of $50. Our colleges
summer schools, reading circles ant
teachers associations have don,
much to make our teachers more eff
Client.
The average salary of county SUP
erintendents has increased fron
$574,40' to $6S4.40. Several count,
superintendent had their salarie
raised In recognition Of their earnest
ness and efficiency in their work.
The average length of the schoo
term has increased nearly a month
Consolidation OF schools has beer
tried with excellent results in man,
parts of the State.
Nearly one thousand schoolhouse,
have been built during the past four
years. Many of these houses ar,
very valuable. At least half q mil
lion dollars have been spent in thi
way. This does not take into accoun
the hundreds Of improvements which
have been made in repairs, equip
ment, lbraries, pictures and other cs
sentialS of better school houses.
1T is worthy Of note. also, tina
ment. Libarics, pictures and other es
tablished in rural schools during the
past four years. This means at leas
100000 well selected books in place.
where few opportunities existed be
fore. There has also been a librar,
movement in The cities and towns.
One OF the most helpful agencie.
70 I South Cardinals good Is The
School Improvement association. Thi.
is an organization, mainly Of women
which has as its object the beautify
ing of school houses and grounds
This is a noble work, and it is being
we'll done, There are more than ono
thousand members and the a~ssocia
ton is growing. Many schools arc
more attractive because Of the labor.
OF these devoted women, and vet
thelr work is but fairly begun.
rms committee rejoices i'm the i'm
pfoVcmcntS which u people have
made, and it also desires to make =
lew suggestions in regard to the con.
mutation and enlargement of this en-.
llrc Work. There are yet more THAI
q thousand school districts where n
local tax would meal better school
Facilities and more interest on the
part of the people. There arc many
districts in which it is impossible tc
maintain good schools with only The
constitutional 3-mill tax. Such dis.
trictS must be content with made
quate schools or supplement- the
school fund with individual s~ubscrip-
ton generally an unfair sharing of
expense.
Again, we ought to establish 500
libarieS Il year for the next few years.
one way TO make people intelligent is
to train them To read; the SurcSt way
to make a reading people is to train
them while young. Some entire coun-
ties have done very little in voting
local taxes or establishing school Ii
braries. Let us arouse these counties
for the sake Of the children there.
County High Schools.
We ought to establish at least one
good high school in each county in
n state within the next twelve
months, and before another four
years shall have passed. there should
be a high school within reach OF
every ambitious boy and girl in South
Carolina. Scores Of townships in the
state arc without Il single high school
within reach of the pupils there.
Those who go to colleges sadly need
better preparation than they are now
getting. 1t is poor economy to send
or a boy to do on SOmo college cam
puS the work he ought to do at home
in the high school. 1t cost from four
TO six times as much TO have this
work done away from home as to
have 1T done at home. We have a
great task also to adapt the courses
of study i'm the high schools to the
economic needs Of our people. Those
who do not go to college stand even
in greater need Of high school advan-
tages. They are to go out directly
into business life and to become cit
Of the state. II we expect them
compete successfully with their
brothers, we must offer
them better high school opportuni.