Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-07-16
FINE STATE OF The
GEORGIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Rapid Improvement as to
Number and Work
Savannah Morning News)

That the public schools of Georgia
are growing in number and efficiency
is shown in the thirty-ninth annual
report of the department of educa-
ton, which has just been issued mi
book form for general circulation, al
ter being submitted to the governor
and the legislature. State School Com
missioner NJ. L. Britain claims, and
shows by the records, that there has
been substantial progress all along
the line and in every department.
There might have been more rapid
advancement with a barge available
fund and more suitable laws; still,
under the circumstances the schools
have done very we'll indeed.
The official report runs to Deem
Der. 1910. 1t shows clearly the trend
of events. As compared with the year
before, the 1910 school enrolment had
increased nearly 10000, and fea-
ture of the increase was that the larg-
er percentage had been of white chill
dren. A few years back the larger
percentage of increase was on the 9TH
er side. Last year 800 new school
houses were built, at a cost of more
han half a million dollars. Commits
sioner Britain is especially pleased
at the construction of new school
houses, which he says are being made
bigger and better than ever before,
(which shows that the need is for
larger and better schools rather than
more of them. The value of the COM
mon school property in the state is
now nearl $1OOO0,0OO, which is an in
crease of about $1,OO0,OOO in a year.
This includes buildings and furnish
ings.
Local taxation for school purposes
has the 'warmest approval of Com
missioner Britain. In 1909 such tax
alton raised about $1,3O0,OOO to SUP
plement the general fund, and the
next year showed a half million dol
lars increase. At the end of 1910
there were twenty-four counties and
561 districts that were taxing them
selves especially for the benefit of the
public schools The number of the
schools had grown from 1889 in 1909,
with 1921 teachers, to 1916 schools
and 1885 teachers in 1910.
1t is gratifying to be assured upon
official authority that the pay of the
teachers is gradually increasing N
many sections, owing to the system 2f
local taxation. In 1909 the monthly
average for white male teachers IN
the local systems was $104.32, while
the next year it had been increased
to $11740. In the meantime the fig
ures for women teachers were $47T6
and $49.34 Why there should be
| this disparity in the pay of men and
women who do practically the same
work is an open question. 1t seems
that the woman who renders equal
service with man ought to have
equal pay. A man may be able to dis
cipline a boy better than a woman
but in the final analysis it will be
found that the woman is the charact-
er builder. She gets nearer to the
heart and soul of the child than {
man can do, and her influence is al.
ways for gentleness and goodness.
Commissioner Britain complains d
the delay in the pay Of teachers sal
aries after they have been earned
We have spoken Of that on many occa.
sions, urging prompt payments. Com
missioner Britain says, too, that the
teachers do not receive sufficient com
pensatiOn and that with better pay the
schools would have better teachers
That also, is so obviously true that
no comment is necessary The only
Question is that of the money to pay
the expenses. Where is it to come
from? Local taxation will furnish 4
part of it, but not all