The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-09-23

ScuOOl pOpulaIlOn. IL oOuL0 CdlO!I!id
there is no State tax apportioned
among all the schools but the distribu-
tion of the dispensary profits, and since
the abolition of the State dispensary,
the appropriation under the Garris act
have introduced this desirable ele-
ment into our financial system. The
appropriation under tne Garris act
should be continued and increased IN
til reasonable school term is assur-
ed to every district in the State.
The constitutional basis Of school
support in South Carolina is the three
mill tax. This is distributed among
the districts OF the county in which it
is raised according to enrolment. The
constitution leaves to the legislature
the definition of the term enrolment
and that body has defined it as, AN
attendance of at least ten school days
during the preceding scholastic year."
| The third element in school support
| is the special district levy which is
now becoming almost universal in
South Carolina. The special district
levy is dependent on the decison Of
the voters and property owners of the
community in which the school is To-
Gated. The money raised by this spe-
cial tax is spent under the direction
of the local representatives of those
who pay the tax and for the support
Of their local school. It is, in conse-
quence, one Of the most popular
forms Of taxation in South Carolina.
Under the laws of the State a school
district may vote as high as eight mills
special tax, and through a special act
of the legislature at least one district
n the State levies tax of 12 mills.
These three elements, State appro-
priation, county levy, and district levy,
Will, no doubt, continue to be the basis
of school support in this State. On
the theory that help should be given
only when people are willing to help
themselves the State aid under the
Garrls act has been conditioned on the
rctlng of a special tax By the district.
Fhis is principle founded on logic
and common sense.
1t seems to me, however, that the
distribution OF the constitutional coun-
ty three mill tax might be modified to
secure better results. Various modes
OF distribution are in effect in the Unit
ed States. Many of the States take 2 E
special census each year of all chill
dren of school age in the districts, and
appropriate the tax on this basis. This
plan has nothing to recommend it ex-
cept its simplicity. The funds which |
have been raised by general county
taxation should be distributed in a |
manner which will secure the best re-
suits in school attendance and school
efficiency. The district which makes
the best use Of its appropriation should
receive most consideration. There is
no reason why funds should be appro-
prfated to district Simply becaus6 =
has in it children who are not in
school. The legislature Of South Caro-
lima has to certain extent recogniz-
ed this principle, and has fixed ten
days attendance as necessary to en-
rollment. It seems to me that the
time has come to carry this principle
little farther, and to use the county
tax as an instrument to develop school
efficiency. The efficiency of a school
can not be estimated by the number
OF children who have attended it for
ten days. The object of the teacher
should be not to obtain mere enroll
ment, but to secure the maximum
school term, the maximum regularity
in attendance, and the maximum Pc
| riod of attendance from the children
OF the district The trustees and pat
rons should have a greater incentive to
regular school attendance and a long
er school term. The natural method of
securing this result would be to divide
the proceeds of the constitutional tax
on the basis of the total days attend
ance at school in the various districts.
The adoption of such basis would
give a pecuniary incentive to the
teachers, to the trustees, and to the
patrons not only to enroll their chill
dren in school, but to have them pre-
sent every day during the session and
! to continue the term for the longest
possible period. Since these elements
would depend largely upon the attrac-
tiveness of the school, the personal
! influence of the teacher, and the thor