The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-10-31
FOR LONGER
SCHOOL TERMS
Good Reasons-Country Schools
Should Run as Long as
City Schools

in the rural districts. The people
have the authority under the law to
vote a school tax and it is the duty OF
the board OF Supervisors to make the
levy when the tax is voted. Forty
five counties in the state are now
levying school tax, which varies in
each county from one half to three
mills. 1t has always been complete
victory for the schools when the peo-
Pile are given an opportunity to ex-
press their will at the polls.
Mr.. j. Fl. Horn of this city was a
member of the board Of supervisors Of
Tallahatchie county when a special
tax of one mill was levied for the
schools and every succeeding board
has continued to make this levy for
the schools and the people make no
complaint, but are glad to pay this
small tax in order to have the school
term extended to six and seven
months, which makes the schools
more efficient and secures better SER
vice from the teachers. We were
talking to a prominent citizen and
large tax payer few days ago and
he said: my children are all educat-
ed and | am not patron OF the pub
lie schools. am not only willing but
anxious to be taxed in order that my
neighbors children may be educated
and prepared for the duties OF life.
Good schools strengthen the church,
increase the value OF the farm and
make happy homes.,'' -
A prominent citizen Of Atalat
county was in Grenada last week.
with a view OF buying farm in this
county, bat when he was tod that
Grenada county had only four months
public school, he left, saying he would
not locate in county, that did not
give'its children better school advan-
tages. The complaint has often been
made that our teachers were not COM
petent! Can we expect them 70 be
yery able when we give them employ
ment Gully four nohttls each year at =
veryslow salary?
Many of our best teachers are leav-
ing the county and teaching in the
delta and south Mississippi, where
the teru1is iongerand the salary bet
ter. while our children are being taught
by inferior teachers imported from
other counties. We nn command
comp.tent teachers IL we are able to
pay the pri ;e.
We need more male teachers, but
they cannot afford to enter a prOfes-
sion, which gives them employment
only four months during each year
! The county is being rOObed OF its
best blood, by people moving to tow0
| in rider to educate their children.
They live in town a few years, lose
their homes and farms, then return
to the country to begin life new
They should educate their children IL
the country where they may think
dream and live near natures heart
1t is cheaper to carry the school te
the child than it is TO carry the child
to the school The receipts for the
public schools of Grenada last yeal
amounted To slO992 25. The receipts
for all the public schools OF the county
l-sevanty eight in number-amountet
| to only $ll8O9 rs. The :ity OF Gren
ada has 8S8 children Of school age
while Grenada county has 4744, 50 II
follows that the country child has no
the same opportunity Ia life as La
J. his city cousin. But the citizens o
Grenada pay school tax Of fou
mills, why not tax the country people
two mills for schools? Is not th
country child as important to tht
sCate as thtsSe VINO live in the city?
II A levy of two mills will extend tia
term two months. 1t would give u
u $3.50 from the Tie Plant and ahou
Isl25O from the railr ads rnnnin
through the county. The corpora
tions and residents would pay nearl
one half the school tax, we demand
, For thirty eight years the people Q
Grenada county have paid a conrs
tax, but they never give the cOunLr
: children peny by local taxation.
II We beast Of our court house, jail
} roads and bridges, but close the doc
OF hope In the face nf the child. Go
bless the children of Grenada county
We love to hear their childish voice
\ and. to see them as they play. The
are the pride and the hope Of th