The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-19
FOR SOUTH
AND ITS RESULTS
HOW THE VARIED PROBLEMS
THAT CONFRONT 1T HAVE BEEN
NET AND OVERCOME.
SCHOOLS AND HEALTH
MEN WHO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
PRESSING REFORMS TELL
GREAT CONFERENCE OF
THEIR EXPERIENCES.

THEIR ENPEHfENIEs'
/ Effort 70 rthe South and for South
| ern schools and what is being accom-
pIished in the way of meeting and
overcoming problems constituted the
/ essence of the program of the con-
/ ference for education in the South last
might which, for convenience sake,
was divided into three parts-ruTal
school work, high school work ana
/ health work in the South. The ad-
dresses were replete with inspiration
arising from results already achieved
| and with hope of what will he done
/ on the morrow.
There was an especial triumphant
| note in the address of the Hon. !.
| r. Swearingen. the bling State super
| intendent Of public instruction Of
| South Carolina, who though lacking
| in physical vision. has visualized 70
the inner eye the idea underlying the
| great work which lies before him. His
subject was the need Of effective
| schools for the farming population
and how these schools can be de-
veloped He said that the most char
acteristic American institution is the
! public school, which is so greatly
/ needed by the country people. In
/ South Carolina he said that eighty
/ FIVE per cent of the children live in
I the country, and that the State is
supporting two systems for two races,
! IT takes money, he said TO operate
! the schools and the people have
done well to put money into edu-
cation. More money is being given
/ to the people for education than for
anything else. and they are turning
| out men and women who are able to
solve the problems of life, for them
! selves. The district tax voted by
/ Hn b.y ,ff4 h, Il 4
/ be the most effective means for deriv-
I ing revenue and in the office If the
county superintendent lies the most
effective instrument 10 carry on the
work When the high schools and
the normal schools turn their atten-
ton to the rural schools and cooper
ate with them the problem Of educat-
( ing the country population viii be
solved.
I Enlarging schools
". X. Tate. State uperintendent Of
1 rural schools told Of how South Caro-
/ lima is working out the rural school
/ problem. He said that it required
! State aid 10 stimulate local effort. for
/ the total expenditure occasioned by
! the need of the rural schools has
/ gone from $1,340, 900 to $2800 600;
There are two sources of Fevenue--the
( county tax and the district tax, and
T they now have a one-mill State tax
! The country is getting away from the
/ one-teaCher, one-room school through
! State aid of $500 for a two-teaeher
/ school and $500 for a three teacher
! school. For every dollar put up by
/ the district the State and county each
give fifty cents, and by this means
/ they have added $3.50 600 70 the yalue
I of the school buildings. The salaries
I of the superintendent have been in
1 creased. and their terms of Office have
/ been extended from two 10 four years.
J How Kentucky has struggled and
J what the outcome has been was well
/ told by T. ], Coates, State supervisor
/ Of schools of that State, who said
/ that some years ago If anyone had
asked a KentuCkian which was the
/ leading State in the Union in the mat
ter of education he would have boast
+ fully replied, Kentucky. Investigation
! showed, however that in AteraCy Ken
/ lucky stood forty-seCond from the
/ top, and did not have far to TALL TO
go to the bottom. The women found
/ il out he said, and they soon spread
/ the sad news all over the State, and
/ then Kentucky woke up But the sit
uation was desperate People were
! leaving the country ard even leaving
the State, and in the country and
mountain districts the people not only
did not have any education but did
not know even what it was.
/ kcaltLeu tht1F NtfSt.
! 1t took a long time to teach them
But the legislature turned its slow
wheels in the right direction. and
voted an appropriation Of $500, GOO
( for school purposes at one clip And
! then missionaries went out into the
/ field. and they builded up schools
where none had been before and slow
| " brought the people to realiza
! ton of their need. Soon $4,000 chill
dren were added to the school-going
| population. and the work was begun,
Vocational training was placed in the
1 curriculum. but the training of the
! intelligence and of the heart was not
forgotten. The whole attitude of the
1 people towards education was
| changed, and those who had a bit of
school learning were taught that 1t
was not servile To labor with the
hands Mr. Coates was just warming
to his subject when the fateful time
/ bell rang and he had TO retire
n. w Walker, professor of sec
ondary education in the University Of
North Carolina, told of the high
school progress in that State. First
F. of all, the best teachers are being
placed in the high schools, and rs
| per cent of them had had college
/ training. High schools have been es-
! tablished in every county. built by
I the cooperation of State county and
community. They are now offering
| secondary education to 100000 boys
/ and girls.
Country High Schools.
James s. Thomas, professor of Sec
ondary education in the University OF
| Alabama. told of what has been done
in that State. Alabama is giving State
aid to every county which provides
itself with high school building. The
State gives $4,000 TO every 5000
building, which must be erected on a
lot containing five acres, deed in fee
simple to which goes to the State.
Alabama now has 80 high schools.
tifty-two of which are in the coun-
try, and there is now nearly 5000, 900
worth of high school buildings in
| course of construction,
Story of the Hookworm.
For the first time in their lives.
perhaps, many of the audience heard
last night the full story of the dread
4 hookworm disease. and of the RoCke-
Teller fund for its eradication. as
Il told hy Wiektiffp Rnsp aduiuistra =