The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-03-23

cal Lac DlStIACAS.
The following amendment was add-
ed at the end of section Ais Of the
| public school law, providing for the
esta blishment of special tax districts:
Upon q petition of one-half of the
| qualified voters residing in n special
tax district established under this sec
ton. endorsed and approved by the
county board of education, the bOaro
Of county commissioners shall OIue1
another election in said district fol
submitting the question Of reVOklne
said tax and abolishing said district
to be held under the provisions pre-
scribed in this section for holding 9th
er elections: Provided, that no cleo
ton for revoking a special tax IN any
s~pecial-tax district shall be ordered
and held in aid district within less
han two years from the date Of the
election at which the tax was voted
and the district established, nor at any
time within less than two years after
the date Of the last election on said
question in said district; n if at suct
election Il majority Of the qualified
Against Special Tax" said tax shall
be deemed revoked and shall not be
levied and said district shall be discon-
tinued: Provided further, that the
provisions for ordering a new election
to revoke a special tax in any special
tax district shall not apply to cleo
tions III such districts for increasing
or restoring the ~Special-tax levy III
such districts. which elections may be
ordered and held at any time in ac-
cordancc with the provisions Of this
section for establishing new special
tax districts
This amendment simply provides the
machinery for q new election In Spe-
cial tax districts to repeal the tax UNI
- - -. 80 .s.yl I E
where relief is really necded and at
the same time provide uscn safeguards
as are necessary to prevent too FIRE
quent elections and to guarantee rea-
sonable pcrmancncy and stability to
these special tax districts. 1t also
places the matter in the hands Of the
local authorities, who are better in
formed as to the conditions and can
therefore. usually act more wisely in
such matters than the General Assem-
hIv.
). ~Amcndincnt OF Compulsory Attend
ancc Law.
The compulsory attendance act Of
1907 was amended SO as to allow COM
puiSOry to be ordered b.
the county BOARD OF education under
the provisions OF the act upon petition
OF the majority of the parents OF the
children of school age, without TAG de-
q - Ny 1IiS VI VI Clt
election. The county car of educa-
ton, however, is not required to or
der compulsory attendance upon such
petition unless it deems it wise TO do
50. The board could decline to order
il, or could. il it prefers, order an
election. This petition clause will also
make the compulsory attendance law
practice! and available In the east as
we'll as the west, without complication
With the race problem. The county
board of education an. upon petition,
d it for q white school district if
it deems it wise. and decline to order
it for n colored school district if it
deems it unWiSc. As will readily tt
seen, this phase Of the matter can he
much more wisely dealt with by petit
ton than by election. The amend
tnent also authorizes the county board
OF education to q compulsory at
tendance, OF their oWn motion. with
out petition or election. in districts in
which the small enrolment and daily
attendance furnish prima facie eyi-
dcnce Ct the need OF it, and further
indicates that such Indifference To edu-
cation and lack Of interest Ia ii EXIST
ii those districts 1s 70 render il un-
likely that it could be secured by petit
ton or election. Those are tie very
worse, and III which it would be hard
to get by petition or election.
The section OF the compulsory at
tendance act of 1907 cXempting eleven
counties from its operation is repeal
thereby making the act applicable
to every county of the State. Tt is
hoped and believed that satisfactory.
conservative progress IN compulsory
attendance will be made under this
improved law during the next two
years.
There was an unusually large nurn-I
bcr Of acts Incorporating special tax
and providing for special tax
for better schools and for
issues for building better houses.
There was Il liberal increase in all the
annual appropriations for al the high
or educational institutions.
The General Assembly Of 1900 nade
an excellent educational record and
another decided advance step in
Educational proCrcsS. In TIE ednca-