Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-04-17
ESTABLISHMENT OF HIGH SCHOOLS.
SUPERINTENDENT ISSUES IMPORTANT
PAMPHLET CONCERNING NEW LAW.

ooT CNoCNt soooCS
PAMPHLET CONCERNING NEW LAW.
Columbia, April 12.--The State Super
intendent of Education ~will'shortiy issue
a pamphlet in regard to the establish
ment of high schools under tho recent
act of the General Assembly. This
pamphlet will contain a copy of the
high school act itself, a copy of the
school bonding act and a letter from
Superintendent Martin in regerd to the
methods by which high schools may be
obtained under the act together with the
rules and regulations on this subject
adopted by the State Board of Education
at its meeting here last week. This will
give those DESTROYS of establishing high
schools all the possible information
necessary for beginning the work, aud it
is expected that there will be a number
Of applications Don filed for this pur-
pose, as there is evidently much interest
in the high school matter throughout the
State.
The letter of Mr.. Martin gives the in
formation in condensed form and is of
interest just at this time. 1t is as fol-
lowe:
To the People of South Carolina:
The enactment of the high school law
at the recent session of the Legislature
will mark an epoch in the history o
education in this State. 1t is a distinct
effort to complete the outlines of an
| al,,nottN1ol ,,oko-o Co-,slosollo so&o.
est has already been manifested through
out the State in the provisions of this
Act. There have also been m%isunder-
standings in regard to what suoh pro-
visions actually mean. This pamphlet is
issued with the hope that it may help
committees understand the law, and also
that it may aid in starting the operations
of the law in their midst.
There are four distinct operations
necessary before q high school can be
aided under this ACT, viz:
An election.
An application.
An inspection and
A confirmation.
Care should be taken, in the beginning,
to interest people in q territory large
enough to support a high school prop
erly. Section l, OF the Act, allows a
county, a township, or several townships,
an aggregation of school districts or an
incorporated town of less than 1000
population, to form a high school dis
trict. 1t will be seen at a glance that a
single high school cannot become a high
school district, unless it happens to be
an unincorporated town of less than one
thousand population. A town of that
size will probably be too weak to support
q high school, 80 a high school district
will nee sssarily be composed of two or
more common school districts. 1t is q
matter of cooperation to do this work
right.
This Office will furnish the county
superintendent with a petition form
which will aid communities in calling
elections. After an election is held and
the trustees appointed, the clerk of the
board should fill an application blank
which will also be furnished to the
county superintendent by this depart
ment. The county superintendent will
verify the application, keep a duplicate
in their office and forward q copy to the
secretary of the State High School Board
When the high school board receives the
application it. will send an inspector to
the proposed district. This inspector
will gladly give any aid and advice
which will enable such districts to quail
ify under the Act. When the high
school district qualities, the State High
School Board will make the appropria
tions indicated under the first part o.
Section ID, of the regulations. This does
not mean that the high school may no
receive more than the amounts specified
There will likely be q handsome balance
at the close of the fiscal year, which is t.
be distributed to the schools which hav,
built up a good attendance.
Inasmuch as this Act guarantees fire,
tuition to the boys and girls in the State
aided high schools, it is just that
school with a large enrolment, repro
senting considerable territory, should
receive substantial aid.
1t will mean much to the future O
South Carolina If the provisions of thi
Act are generally sought and generousl,
applied. The prospects are that sucl
will be the case. Let us all cooperate il
this laudable effort.
Sincerely,
o. b. Martin,
State Superintendent of Education.