The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-12

Inc ESTABLISHMENTS u al
system Of rural public high schools is
one Of the most important pieces Of
constructive educational work the
State has undertaken. Not because
the development Of these schools mas
been phenomenal or spectacular, Tor
II has been neither. nor because OF the
actual achievements TO the present
time. is this piece of work SO slgnl-
ficant, hut rather because 1t is max
ing possible a. new educational Magna
Charta for North Carolina. The be-
ginning was indeed modest enough
and apparently unambitious enough,
but the proportions of the task as
sumed and the almost unlimited pos
sibilities for social service give to the
public high school work a potential
significance hardly thought Of a few
years ago. But perhaps the o sig
niiicant thing about the whole public
high school movement has been the
changed conception as to the function
Of the secondary school and the
changed attitude of the public mind
regarding its support. But little
more than a DECADE ago we had not
even accepted the doctrine that it was
the duty OF function of the State to
encourage the development of sec
ondary schools by means of public
taxation, and apparently we were as
far from putting such doctrine into
practice as we were from accepting
the Chinese religion. But, education
ally speaking, the times change and
we change with them. Here was a
new duty, d new obligation, a new
opportunity, burned into our public
conscience by our pressing duca-
tional necessities, and the State rose
to the occasion and assumed the
task.
Beginning of the Work.
The Legislature OF 1907 provided
for the beginning of the public high
schools by making an annual appro-
priation of $4,000 Ito stimulate high
school instruction in the public
schools and teacher training" (The
words land teacher training were
added when two bills, the one pro-
viding for the establishment of the
public high ChoOl and the other, for
the establishment of the East Caro-
lima Teachers Training School, after
u COU1pTODllSe elWeo TIE dONOCdIcS
of the two measures were cOnSOll-
dated into one bill.) The annual ap-
preparation for the public high schools
has since been increased to ST. 600
For the current year there have al
ready been filed with the State De.
partment Of Public instruction ap
plications for about $125,000 from thi
fund to aid developing schools hos
needs are pressing and to establisl
new high school in counties and com
munities without public high schoo
facilities. We are at the point jus
now where progress must in a meas
ure halt until larger provision is made
But this is a matter that will TAX
rare of itself in good time.
In addition to this appropriate
NJ SIS, goo, there is an annual appro
priation of $4,000 for Farm-Lif
Schools and for instruction in agri
culture and domestic science in pub
lie high schools having approve
equipment and teaching force suff
cient TO give adequate and effectiv
instruction in these branches. Th
demands upon this fund have not "
been heavy. but they will increas
tremendously within The next fe
years. Several counties are gettin
ready TO add Farm-Life department
N their four-year high schools tn
year.
The Distribution of Appropriations
In the distribution or opportiol
ment of the public high school al
preparation no county can recei'
funds for more than four school
and no school can receive more thu
$500. The funds for each scho
rome from three sources, namely, &
community Ga district or combinati'
Df districts). the county and the Sta
Every school receiving State funds f
high school instruction is subject
Etate supervision. and il must ComI
with the public high school law as
attendance. length of term, umbe
teachers, etc. and with the rules "a
regulations of the State Board OF Ed
cation which, under the high scht
act. have the force of law. None
the State funds apportioned for hi
school instruction can be used
buildings, repairs or equipment. Tn
must all be provided by the cenml
lty and the county. Nor can any
his fund be used for the pawn,