The Jones County news. (Ellisville, Miss.) 1909-1924, 1913-08-07
HIGH SCHOOLS vs.. THE
COMMON SCHOOL.
Mr.. j. A. Hearn's Discussion
of Public Matters.

our County Government we do not mel
accent profit Ofcourse do not argue
that we should expect profits to ac-
crue, in dollars and cents, from our
Governmental affairs, but there are
departments that we can i'll afford to
operate at loss, in dollars and
cents. Possibly our Courts may be
self-sustaining, in dollars and cents
We doubt it. A Judge, Chancellor,
District Attorney, County Attorney,
Constabies and Jnries cost us consi-
derable. The fines the Mills of Just
ice collect from evil doors are our
only revenue from this source, for we
lose money on our prisoners. Do not
let any one understand me as finding
fault with Courts. We must have
them, while | think VI havetoo many.
But as financial proposition, it
would pay us to turn our prisoners
loose with the understanding that
they stay out of our county. In this
way, within five years we would be
practically free OF criminals and
save many dollars thereby. am
free to say that our taxes have in.
creased out of all proportion with
the visible public improvements.
Then what is the causef The natural
conclusion is that there are leaks If
we would suppose our county affairs
were these of some huge private con-
Germ, we knew these leaks would be
found. The why's and wherefores for
Increased running expenses would be
investigated No business man
would suffer seeing the profits OF his
business eat up in increased opera
ting expenses, without knowing the
reason why such was the case The |
officers and necessary Courts are or
should be our only necessary OPP
perating expense. Good schools, |
public schools for the masses first
of all others, including colleges next,
public roads, bridges. and other |
necessary improvements, constitute |
our profits. These are our undivided |
profits, our assets. In Modern Court |
Houses and juils we are easily mp |
with any county in the State. Even
in our opinion, having surplus OF
each one. We have an Agricultural |
High School, possibly the equal of |
any in the State. Our bridges are
among the best, and our roads are
fair, compared to the methods of
maintaining them. But sad as the
fact may be, what should be our
greatest asset, our greatest source of
profit, the public schools of our
county, are worse than dead. They
are bound to the bed of affection,
slowly starving to death. 1t is
awful Nothing wrong with it's
heart, or other vital organs, and.
with as good appetite as ever, yet
being kept uselessly, barely alive on
thin soup. Is it right that we should
provide the best of facilities for
few favored children at High
School, and let hundreds of children
to the producers and honest
taxpayers OF Jones county, be crowd
ed into shameful buildings, three
children TO one, under teacher as
to our Agricultural High
School, and that teacher poorly paid
for six months while these others
get eight months. Oh, but you may
say that the High School is open
alike to all. OF course it is open
alike to all who enjoy the same cir
but there is not ten
know that there is one child who can
attend this High School, as cheaply
as it is conducted there are ten or
twenty who can not. Now we wish
10 emphatically state that there is
not more devout believer in the ,
A gricultural High School than we. f,
But when come In contact daily I
With the scores of bright boys and /
girls OF our rural communities, who
have to toll in heat and cold. and ,
when | see their little unceilec
temples of learning in many insta noes
without sufficient desks and seats. {
and what they have made of rough
lumber, as high as sixty of these
crowed into one room under
4 poorly paid teacher, who In many /
Instances is only teaching as a means
10 attain something better, hence no
heart in their work, my heart can {
not help going out to them. Even {
when / visit the splendid buildings