The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-03-18
FoR EDUCATION.

of four mills in the tax levy for ele
mentary school purposes and a thre'
mill levy for High School purposes
That the Quarterly Court will adop
the unanimous report is almost Ger
tain, the distinguished personnel o.
that body forecasting such action.
In taking an advanced step toward
the education of the masses the com
mittee is in keeping with public senti
ment and the drift of the times. Edu.
cation. as it properly should be, is
the greatest duty that the public owes
to itself; the greatest duty that the
present owes to the future.
It is proposed, and with the increas-
ed levy there will no doubt be funds
available to carry out the plan, to
maintain in Maury county elementary
schools for eight months in the year.
In addition 10 this, the county will
maintain a we'll equipped high school,
with four year course, open to every
graduate from the elementary schools
Last year the elementary schools
were open for six and one-half
months. Had some of the back.woods
counties shown this much interest
in the cause OF education, they would
have deserved praise. For Maury
county to have done so would be In
excusable but for the fact that next I
year the county will do better. When |
1t is taken into consideration that |
this is the fifth county in the state
from the standpoint of wealth, and
the first from the standpoint of his
tory and tradition, there is ample
room for censure If the county does
not come up to expectations.
The elementary school is the only
school open to the poor boy. 1t is
the school from which the Johnsons
and Lincoln's and Clay's of the fu-
ture will graduate 1t is the school
llliteracy from the masses, and that
places opportunity in the path of the
youth with brains and ambition but
who is destitute of money or influ- :
snce.
No nation can rise higher than it's I
foundation, and the educational
foundation of every nation is It's ele- q
nentary schools Ninety-five per q
ent of the youth of the country never +
his statement is admitted. Taking =
nto consideration the large proper 7.
ion of the remaining five per cent O.
rho are the children of wealthy par n
nts. it is easy to discover that the
DOR boys chances re limited and the
uty of the public large.
For the ambitious boy or girl to be
to quit school on the COM =,
Ietion of the five grade course is in =,
self an injustice and deterrent to l.,
gitimate ambition. The High a.
chool, with four year course, is :,
le open road to the future. And it :,
ould be a crying shame for Maury n,
'unty to take a backward step by \;
Hing to maintain the excellent high =,
hool ALREADY established. l..
Last Fall, prior to the establish ~
ent of the High School, there were
irty pupils from the county enter 70,
in the city high school A tuition ~
tie of three dollars per month was -,
arged. Now there are ninety pupils e.,
I'm the county entered in the High 49,,
hool, and not one of these pays N,
e cents tuition. At conservative ~,
innate this number will in do
ease to one hundred and -,
by next Fall, when the do,
lool opens for its next term. .h;
That the High School is accomp- .he
hing great work only those who :
unfamiliar with conditions can N.
pute. One visit to the school would A,.,
vince the most skeptical; and It o;o.
uld be the part of wisdom for
Try magistrate to visit the school did
see for bimsellf what Is being
lie. This school at present costs ,ef,
county practically nothing. In hos
or to secure the state High School hv
d, amounting to about $1,000, the too,
lnty Court appropriated $4,000 for na,
II School purposes. But this wer
ney was not used. II was retired ,,d
q building fund. the city undertak- nro,
to employ an additional teacher Tn
to admit all county pupils free to .ho
High School In consideration OF :,
$1,000 received from the state. !, !.
3 was an excellent working agree 81
It, profitable to the county. But ace,
school has grown to such proper ,hro
Is that next year an additional
her will be needed. and within
or three years at the very out CC
!. the present building will be In at a