Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-09-23
OPPOSED TO COMPULSORY EDU
CATION is GEORGIA.

are not in favor of compulsory educa-
sionaI legislation by any means. Many
regard the enactment of such a law as
e serious menace. rather than as 8
benefit, to the future of the state. Ire
arguments they make are not to b.
lightly waved aside, either, but are
such as to deserve serious considera.
ZION from the public generally.
Conditions in Georgia and other
Southern states are far different from
what trey are in Massachusetts,, Penn
syylyania and other Northern states
with compulsory educational laws
What may be a blessing in one state
under radically different conditions, is
not necessarily one in this state, where
the people face different problems OF
daily existence.
Hon. Thomas Hardeman, president
Of the Board of Education of Jefferson
county, is one of the men of promin-
ence who are opposed to Legislation
along tlis line. In carefully prepar-
cd article in the Augusta Chronicle EJ
expresses his views at length In h
argument against the proposed law ne
gives voice to the sentiments entes.
tanned by many Georgians who SIS
obstacles in the way of tie laws en-
forcement that are not apparent t,
the enthusiasts who are seeking Il
compel such legislation. These on
ponents of the measure object 10 sIe
enactment of any more laws that are
not to be enforced but lie dead letters
on the statue books. Mr. Hardeman
says:
If only a small per cent of VIZ Il
children should be added to our
schools by operation of this bill, ana
these children equally distributed
among all the schools, no one building
will become crowded and no one teach
or burdened by this small increased
attendance, and consequently, no call
for any additional expense in salary oil
teacher or buildings.
But what about the colored CHI
dren, The law that compels the white
child to go to school would compel the
colored child also, and rightly too.
suppose the friends of this bill contem-
plate its enforcement. Boards of e1u-
cation act under oath. There were ).
ia colored children in Jefferson coun-
" out of school last year. Had the
Littleton bill become the law there
would be more than 900 colored chill
dren forced into the school buildings
county. The present school buildings
could not accommodate them. New
buildings would have to be erected, OF
these we now have enlarged. Where
would the money come from to do this
building? But admit these thousand
and more children could be crowded
INTO our present school rooms, and a.
lowing one teacher for every so pupils
it would become necessary to empl oy
twenty additional teachers, as the pres
ent force of teachers already have as
many as they can manage Where
would the money come from to pay
these extra teachers? The Littletoa
bill makes no provision for it. Are
The people Of Jefferson county willing
for their representative in the legisla-
ture TO pass a local bill levying ar
advalorem tax to raise the money IL
pay these additional colored teachers
Either this, or the board of education
must cut the salary of every teacher
in the county, already too small, in
order TO pay additional teachers from
the public school fund appropriated to
this county. Are the teachers willing
to this? But another question might
arise just here. Would it be wise AMI
good policy 10 take one thousand more
hands from the farms in the rural dis
tricts and put them in tn schools three
months? My observation is that mos
of those out of school are boys AMI
girls about 10 years of age Let US take
an example: On my farm is Negro
woman without husband, but with
seven children. Three Of these al,
under six years and four between {
and Is. Three of these, of school age
go TO school, one to the field to MAKE
a living and bread for his family o.
eight. Compel this one boy TO go Il
| school and there will be no bread no.
crop for that family What is true O
this family is true of hundreds of fam
| lies in this county, and what is true @
| Jefferson county | assume to be tru.
IN many other cotton producing coun
| ties in this state But it is suggestel
the rural scEpols open in December 81
as to avoid the difficulty Admit il
it would then be in March before tht
three months could be completed
Christmas holidays intervening. Ever
farmer knows his plows must start il
January, and it is rush to be ready :,
plant corn in March. Is there bank
er or merchant or landlord who wouit
advance to this woman with the knoWl
! edge that her farm is not to start be
| fore time to plant and no previou'
preparation? Let those who have hai
| farming experience answer 1t is alsf
| suggested that the public schools raI
two months in summer, July and Aug
INST, and three months in winter, De
cember, January and February, th'
| two hottest and the three coldes
months in the year. That is to say
| disorganiZe all the schools to accom-
modate these colored and handful .
white children. And where coult
teachers be had that are worth having
who would consent to teach twt
months in the summer, dismiss tire;
months, and resume again in winter
PLEADING fOY. lien, oF n Il