The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-01-13

hted by it and every one or t.ose friends
or opponents are friends Of some Of
you, and you viii be helping their
children by this, and not helping
Blease. And you will be doing your
plain duty in looking out for the
future of your State-because these
little children who will be helped will
be the men Of tomorrow Therefore,
l appeal to you, and beg and impIore
you, one more time, to give to the
people Of this State this one-mill tax
for the weak schools in the country,
to be used by the State board of
education as that board deems best,
and guarantee you that it will go to
the weak schools; | guarantee you
that it will go where it is most need
ed; and l guarantee you that the
benefits Of it will be far greater than
You can pass.
In this connection, call your at
tention to the report Of the State
superintendent of education: The
proceeds Of tle l mill tax for 1913"
he says, will approximate S290,000.
The reassessment of property in 1914
will probably raise the total valuation
to $300,000,000. The retention of the
levy, therefore, will mean 100000 for
the public schools The maintenance
of State-aided high schools now in
operation demands $60,0OO The con-
tinuance Of State aid for Iengthening
the school term in weak districts will
require 100000. Rural graded schools,
employing two and three teachers,
are applying for 100000. The restora-
ton Of the State building fund would
reqnire $4,000 Public school libra
ries, together with The Rural School
improvement association, now receive
$4,000"
Your Act of last year provides for
$4,000 for high schools, $4,000 for
extension of public schools, $4,000, for
consolidated graded schools, and So
900 for rural libraries, retaining so
per cent. in the county as a county
board fund
would not say one word, gentle
men, against any or all of these educa-
tional activities, but what l have
begged and pleaded for is that you
set aside this extra one-mil tax so
that it may le used by the State
board of education in helping the
little one-teacher schools; the little
schools with less than twelve pupils;
the little schools that run less than
sixty days; the little schools that need
help in order that tae little cnildgen
may get the bare rudiments Of an
education, There were 148 white
schools in this State last year that had
less than Il pupils; there were 3i5
that had a regular attendance of less
than 12 There were 134 white
schools than ran less than 60 days;
188 that ran 90 to 79 days, 1t is for
help for the schools taat are not able
to help themselves t2atI am pleading.
l have given you the facts and have
besought and urged you, showing you
the necessity for it. l have done what
I could. l can do no more Tle matter
is now with you.
Country Schools in Want.
In this connection, l beg to call
your attention to report filed by the
rural school supervisor with the
State board of education, on April 4,
1913, in which he says:
'The short term of many country
schools and the irregular attendance
of many pupils make it impossible
for them to finish in one year the
work mapped out for the grades IN
the State course Of study" Again:
"Three-fourths of our country schools
employ only one teacher. This teacher
has each day from 20 to 40 recita-
TONS"
Gentlemen, 1 have called attention
to this matter before. How in the
name of common sense do you expect
these little country children to get an
education? I have advocated and
still advocate more comfortable
schoolhouses, conveniently located;
larger salaries for the teachers, in
order that we may secure the best,
and enough teachers to supply the
demand of the number Of pupils. If
you will give these necessities to your
country schools, 6ne boy or girl who
is never able to go anywhere else can
be prepared for the ordinary battles
of life,
Supplemental Reading.
would respectfully recommend
that you pass an Act to provide
supplemental reading for the free
public schools; that is, that when
ever the trustees OF any public school
shall set aside certain sum for the
purchase of supplementary reading
material for the use of the school,
that the county board of education be
required to provide from the general
county school fund a like sum. =
People Not Ready for "COmpulSiOn.'
1 desire to call to your attention an
article written by one Of the best and
one of the most prominent women in
our State, she having held high posi-
tions in the different organizations in
South Carolina. This article appear
ed over the signature, "a Coworker,"
in one of our daily newspapers. A
study of the figures showing the in
crease in the white children attend