The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-03-12
PROP. w. k. TATE
WRITES OF VISIT
Recommends Systematic Survey of the
County, Leyying of More Special
Taxes and Consolidating OF Schools.

SSN'pS ~.
Tate, State Supervisor of Rural
Schools, who visited this county week
before last and attended the monthly
meeting of the County Teachers As
sociation. Though the letter is ad-
dressed to Mr.. Pitts, it is evidently
intended that it's contents be made
public so that the people of the coun-
ty may get the benefit of Mr.. Tate's
observations. 1t is as follows:
My dear Mr.. Pitts:
l am writing to express to you the
great pleasure / had in visiting GER
tain schools in your county and in
meeting with the large gathering of
teachers in Laurens on Friday night
and Saturday morning | congratu-
late you and Miss Gray most heartily
upon the universal educational inter
est which | found in Laurens county.
This speaks we'll for the progressive
ness Of your people and your own
earnest and well-directed efforts. The
of your County Teachers AS
sociation was the largest county meet
ing which ] have yet attended in South
Carolina. This is in part due to the
hospitality of the good people of Lau-
rens, who had invited the teachers to
be their guests for the occasion.
1t is my custom after trip of this
kind to make suggestions to the coun-
ty superintendent as to profitable lines
of work for his county. For you
have few recommendations to make.
certainly congratulate you on hav-
ing secured the services of such an
able assistant as Miss Gray She has
entered on her work with rare en-
thusiasm and common sense. The
lines of effort which you have already
planned, if carried out will in the
near future place Laurens in the very
front in the column of educational
progress for South Carolina. To this
end all the teachers, trustees, and
people of the county should cooperate
Each should have in mind not only
the welfare of his own school, but al
so the development of an efficient
county system which will include cv-
cry school.
| congratulate the pupils of the
county on the very admirable School
Journal which they have created.
read it with great interest. 1t offers
great possibilities. l trust that all
the boys and girls will take some
part in the County Fair and Field
Day. If successfully executed, the
programe which is planned will give
you a new idea OF your powers and
will be revelation to the entire coun-
ty
Allow me to make the following
recommendations:
1. / believe the time has come for
a systematic survey of Laurens Coun
ty with view to improving the shape
of the school districts. This does not
mean that the County Board OF Edu-
cation will arbitrarily make radical
changes now. However, there are
many school districts in poor shape?
If we attempt to improve these with
out plant, it may result in throwing
some other district in poor shape.
If the County Board of Education
would make survey and make a
plan for the county as nearly ideal as
possible, they would have a standard
to govern them in the location Of
school houses and in the changes
which are being made in district
lines. I should like to see such a
map on exhibit in the Office of the
County superintendent.
2. There are few districts in
LaurenS County which have not lev
led a special tax The chances are
that all of these districts need increas-
ed school support. / should like to
see Laurens take her place on the
roll of honor which now headed by
Dorchester by lcvying special tax
in every district in the county during
the current year.
g. Laurens County offers ideal con-
ditions for the establishment of con
solidated schools. In most parts OF
the county there is a large white pop
ulation and many children in school.
The conditions which prevail in the
sections now served by the Rabun,
oh H..
Schools can no doubt be duplicated