The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-01-21

hira. Of All. a Six-Months School
Term for All Country Boys and
Girls With Compulsory Attend
ance Feature-Next a Better Sys-
tenn of Taxation and the TOrrens
System, Then Public Health Pro-
Sress, Good Roads Legislation.
Etc. Etc.
(By CLARENCE POE. Editor Pro-
greSSive Earmer.)
You ask me to write on the legisla.-
ton our North Carolina farmers want
this year. Perhaps L should begin
Iy saying that our farmers these last
few years have found their voice The
Farmers union has brought them a
sense of class consciousness and has
educated them to their needs.
Consequently they are more Interested
in this Legislature and more watchful
OF the measures needed for their
progress than ever before. They are
not asking class legislation III their
favor; they are only asking for iegis-
1lation that will give them equal rights
with other classes. There is little dis
senson as to what these more i'm
portant reforms are. In the State
Farmers union there was not only
almost absolute unanimity but en-
thusiasm at white heat for all the
more important measures l shall
mention.
IA Six-MOuths' School Term for
All Our Country Schools.
The one issue which Overshadows
all other issues is that of providing
six-months' school term for all our
country boys and girls. The whole
State has recently been startled by
the official government publication OF
the fact that North Carolina is now
furnishing its country boys and girls
a shorter school term, is giving them
a poorer chance in life, than any other
State in the American Union with
the single exception Of New Mexico
And even New Mexico is far ahead OF
us in other forms Of public SchOO
efficiency; spends a great deal more
per child than we spend, is far ahead
OF us in average attendance, and pays
its teachers much better.
More efficient public schools are the
supreme need of our country districts
Our town schools are fairly we'll sup
ported and our State colleges bu
our country schools, having no lobby
lists to plead for them before legisla
tive committees. and no powerful ant
wealthy alumni organized in each cit.
to demand appropriations for them
have been neglected, shamefully neg
lected, year after year.
The farmers are now demanding
that this condition shall be remedied
The State cannot go forward as
should while this condition exists. TIL
inefficiency Of our schools is like a bal
and chain holding us back in all Ou
efforts to push forward. Especially
all rural progress dependent upon bet
ter schools. If we are to hav
better farming methods, if we are t
have a more beautiful rural life,
the farmers are to have the intelli
gence and leadership necessary for tn
protection Of their own interests,
our country districts are to hold tn
most intelligent and progressive ele
ments in their population, we mus
have a six-months' rural school tern
The present policy not only fails
develop latent talent in the cOuntr,
but drives the most progressive popl
from the farms. From every neigh
borhood in North Carolina people hav
moved to town in the last twent
years in order to get better schot
facilities for their children.
No wonder the people are saying a
over the State. whatever else tn
Legislature does or does not do,
must not adjourn until it provides
six months school term for all OF
country boys and girls. 1t must M
adjourn until North Carolina is free
from the disgrace of doing less for he
country boys and girls than any otht
State in the American UniOn."." TT
money can be found if the legislator
are only whole heartedly determine
to find it. And the farmers of tn
State will never be able to understan
why money was found for increasin
the appropriations for the higher il