The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1913-02-06
RECOMMENDATIONS
10 the General Assembly of 1913.

10 the General Assembly of 1913
The most pressing Fundamental
needs of the public schools are:
1. Longer terms for the country
schools.
2. Better attendance.
For the year ending June 30,
1912, the average length of the rural
white school term in North Carolina
was 97.63 DAYS. Sixty four coun-
ties had an average rural school
term of less than five months; thirty
five counties had an average rural
school termof more than five months,
and only five counties had an aver
age rural school term of more than
SIX months. According to an official
diagram recently published by the
United States Bureau of Education,
based on the statistics of 1910, for
North Carolina, the school term in
the towns and cities of the State for
the city boys and girls is up to the
average of the United States but
the average rural school term of
North Carolina for the country boys
and girls, according to these statis-
tics for 1910, was the lowest in the
American Union with the single ex-
oeption of New Mexico, and since
the above was put in type, we learn
that even New Mexico now has
longer school term than North Caro-.
lima. Though we have pulled up
cur average rural school term several
days since 1910, it would still seem
to be tragic and lIumiliating truth
that we still stand, if not at the bot
tenn, very close thereto in the aver
age length of our country schools,
aid that in the ma jority of the coun-
ties of the State the country boys
and girls have shorter school term,
and consequently poorer chance
to prepare themselves for the con-
stantly increasing competition with !
trained minds in all age OF universal
education and for the battle of life
that is growing fiercer and keener
every year than the country boys
and girls of any other portion of the
United States. About eighty two
per cent of the children of the State
are country boys and girls. The
average of intelligence and efficiency,
the power and the general prosperity
If the State must be determined by
he education and training of the
per cent DIV cling in the
country and villages, not of tn
eighteen per cent dwelling in the
titles ard towns. The progress pros,
,erity and safety of the minority
esiding in the towns and cities must
De, in the last analysis, determined
~ the strength, virtue, intelligence,
md efficiency of this large country
If equality of educational opportu, {
,ity is to be provided for all the |
children of all the people there must I
,e proportionate development of all S
'arts of complete educational sys- t
EN-. This we have been trying 10 S
10, If pe!chance some mistakes S
ave been made in the proportionate |
let US correct the mis-
axes by increasing where the need v
S greatest, not by destroying or +
one necessary part to t
,uild up another. Let it be under n
tood, however, that whatever else t
done and betore,an other appro- Ia
,riation is made fof the enlargement II,
II improvement of any other part of v
bis system an appropriation must
list be made for a six months term /
n every public school and enough +
t the revenues of the State must +
lrst be set aside for this purpose. I
At least ninety five per cent of n
he children of the State never see .
he inside or any higher institution. y
nd are dependent upon the ele- n,
nenta!y scbooisafor all the education j,
nd all the preparation for life and o
citizenship that they receive. Just
&c demands, the future progress :