The Van Buren press., 1912-08-03
AIDED SCHOOLS
SHOW PROGRESS
System of Helping Institutions
Shows Good Results
From Plan.
A 48 PER CENT INCREASE
Rural Pupils Attend Schools and Do
Not Have to Pay Any
Tuition.
A 48 PER CENT INCREASE

Western Newsnaper Union News Service
Little Rock.-With the CONCLUSION
of the first year Of the operation o.
the law enacted by the last legislature
appropriating $4,000 annually to D'
used in aiding high schools OF th'
state. the officials of the state de
partment of education, are greauS
pleased with the results which nave
been secured as shown by STATISTICS
compiled from reports made by the
high schools.
The most striking results OF the
state-aid plan have been the great IN
crease in the number Of students en-
rolled in the high schools Of the state
and the large amount of money thal
/ has been given to the schools by prl'
yate individuals in order to enable
| hem to meet the requirements fixed
1y the state Board of Education. Ihe
latter figures show that the S5O,0VV
expended by the state has been re-
sponsible for bringing more than that
amount into treasures in private do
nations.
A gain of As per cent in the number
,f pupils enrolled in tire high schools
,f the state was shown during the
past year, as compared with the pre-
,eding year. In the 90 state high
schools, 6,63S pupils were enrolled
and in the 60 unaided high schools,
| 1884 pupils were enrolled a total OF
| 1922 for all the schools The total
number enrolled during the school
rear Of 1901 was 6,492, showing a
gain of 3,140 last year. The large in
crease in the enrolment at a small
per capita cost is especially gratify
ng to the officials Of the department
Of education.
There has been a large proportion
Of rural pupils in the high schaals ulr
1er the state-aid plan, and this is re-
garded by the educational leaders as
Of special importance. Under the
-ules adopted by the State Board Of
Education for stato-aid high schools,
all two, three and four year schools
must admit to the high school classes
all qualified pupils Of the county with
out payment for tuition. AS a result
Of this regulation large number OF
rural pupils have been enrolled in
the high schools Of the cities The
statistics show that there were 1872
pupils from outside rural districts en-.
rolled in state-aid high schools in
cities and towns Of more than 1000
population. There were also 1,255 pu-
pills enrolled in as state high schools
located in towns of less than 1000
population, making a total Of 1867
rural pupils attending these schools
at a cost Of less than SIC per year
each to the state
Another feature of the reports which
Is regarded as significant is the large
number of pupils in the high schools
that are studying agriculture. OF the
80 state-aid high schools, GS offer
courses in agriculture and nearly ali
Of the remaining 2j schools offer this
subject in grades below the high
school In the GS high schools offer
Ing this course there were 1882 pu.
pills studying agriculture last year out
Of total enrolment Of G,G3S, A
course In agriculture Is also offered
In Al unaided high schools, but there
are no available statistics showing
the number Of pupils studying the sub
iect, If the same ratio as existed In
the state-aid schools was maintained
in the unalded schools there were ZOO
pupils studying agriculture In the un.
aided high schools last year, making
total Of more than 1890 pupils TAX.
ing tho agricultural course out OF o..
622 pupils enrolled in all the high
schools Of the state
The Conway high school leads by a
considerable margin In the number OF
pupils studying agriculture. There
are 10 pupils taking the course in
that school, Atkins and Western
Grove are next In order with 55 each
while Augusta, Bcnlonyllo, Charles,
ton, ClOrksyIllc, Earle Pocahontas
and tnlontown all have 40 or more
pupils taking the course. YellyIlle,
Wynne, stamps Salem, Ozark. Nash
vile, Morrllton, Marshall, jasper,
Hartford, Haacn, Hamburg, Fordyco,
Camden, clinton, BowyyIlo, Benton,
Blgolow and Ashdowu are not for be-
Alnd
Tho granting Of state aid has had A
big effect in raising the standard o,
the high schools Of the state, as every
school which receives aid must moot
the requirements fixed by tho state
Board Of Education
Three year high schools are roduIr.
cd to equip laboratory for the teach
Ing Of ono science and four year and
normal training high schools must
equip laboratories for two ecIoncos
This requirement has brought about
the expenditure OF $4,000 for labora,
tory equipment IN tho high schools
during tho past yoar A provision
that all high schools must oxpcnd an
nually not los than S2b for hooks Of
reference 70 be- approved by the
state Board OF Education has caused
the expenditure OF ti,lSS for libraries
In the state high schools
Conway With the distribution o