The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-24
EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN
| Ihe Promise of Success is Rriobt
Indeed.

| From The State, July 20.
The educational campaign TO be
conducted during the month of An
gust promises to be a great success.
Reports indicate that interest, is be-
ing aroused from one end of the State
TO the other. Meetings will be held
IN each of the counties and no doubt
hundreds of patrons, school trustees.
and teachers will be in attendance
over 125 Of the most prominent men
IN South Carolina have notified the
state Superintendent of Education.
Hon. j. e. Swearingen, that they will
be able to make addresses in the
different counties.
Great good is expected to come ont
or this campa gn and interest in ed
ucation is expected to be aroused as
it has never been before. It is the
purpose or the committee to present
the needs of education in this State
with respect to better school build
ings, more competent teachers. long
er school terms, consolidation of ru-
raj schools, more high schools, better
pay for teachers better courses of
study summer schools and especially
the desirability of an educational
commission.
Each county superintendent has
peen asked to suggest the peculiar
needs of his county and to invite three
representative citizens of his county
to assist in their presentation. IF is
especially desired to secure firm the
school trustees clear presentation
OF school needs and school problems
10 interest the 5000 school trustees
or the State well be one of the main
OBJECTS of the August campaign.
One of the matters to which much
attention will be given in the cam
paign is that Of the appointing of
an educational commission. Should
the commission be appointed if
would have in charge the work of GO
ing over and cOdifying the school
laws of the State and making such
recommendations as would place
them on more systematic basis.
Mr.. Swearingen says that a condi-
ton now existing in Greenville coun
ty could in all probability be reme-
died in the future should a commits
sion be appointed. The facts taken
from one of the Greenville papers
gives some idea of the State of affairs.
There is no money in the treasury for
the expenses Of the school manage
ment. for next year. This is quite
startling fact that will have to be
faced Immediately.
Taxes will not be collected before
about December or at least the money
from the taxes will not be available
until the first of December. And in
the meanwhile it is going TO puzzle
the authorities to find where to get
FUNDS TO meet the running expenses
OF the schools during the fall. For
the teachers must be paid and other
expenses betrayed.
Formerly there was provision that
the county treasurer could borrow
money for school expenses, the
amount borrowed not to exceed the
amount Of the levy of the taxes II.
1902, however, there was a provision
made that the treasurer could not
borrow exceeding $1,000, owing to the
fact that there was always in the
treasury a considerable amount of
oispensary funds which could be used
for the running of the schools. Now
however, there is no dispensary and
consequently no fund to fall back up-
on, and there is a problem which it
will take several wise heads to solve
County superintendent of Educa-
ton Davis intends to call a meeting
Il the delegation of the county with
in the next week or two and discuss
the matter. The schools must open
at the regular time and to pay the
running expenses there must be
lunds. here these funds are to come
from is question which must be
settled by wise men. However. If is
safe to say that these men will make
some provision for the present state
of affairs and that they will fix
things SO that the teachers 'may have
no fear of not being able to draw
tfVAr pay before the first of Decem-