The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-05
JNO. r. SWEARINGEN
on STATE SCHOOLS
Makes Interesting and Instructive
Address to Trustees nt the
Court House.


Greenwood Journal
A plea for the seven-months school
| in South Carolina and a call upon til /.
people of Greenwood county to I'M
prove the condition Of schools i'm the
rural districts featured an interesting
| and instructive address made by Hon
John +. Swcaringen. state superinten-
dent OF education. at the court house
| Monday morning.
Mr.. Swareingen stated that he was
, proud Of the record that is being made
! by the county supcrintendnts of cd,,,
cation and the 6000 trustees in the
state. Laying a special compliment
to the latter who are working with
out stint and without money. lie
came to Greenwood 10 disclss tho
der that his office and the county might
get together.
The chief draw back in the d,:ca>
tional system of the state. said Mr..
Swcaringen is the short term school.
the term for white schools last year
heing only 10 days and the average
term three months short OF the best.
| He believes that every school should
| run seven months and that Is what the
| educational leaders are working for.
We are proud of our state. our COun-
ties and ouI homes" said Mr. Swear
ingen, but it should be our ambition
TO make our home. school as gUod as
any mans home school," The state IS
now giving its children fifth grade
| education. If the schools are made
seven months there will be Il per
cent increase in the time.
| To bring about the desired end To-
cal cooperation is needed. Tho prop
er interest is shown by the none: that
is put into schools. Over 100 schools
in the state are now paying mills in
addition to the constitutional tax. Mr.
Swenringen mentioned school in
Horny county as an illustration of
what can be done by proper commun-
ity ,pirit. A district in that county
where there are no manufacturing ell.
fterprises and not even a large mercan-
| tile establishments. the patrons
erected s4.0O9 school building and
secured the right to vote II mills In
order to have q seven -mcnths school
next year.
Mr.. SwenrinEen gave interesting
facts on the various schools in this
state. from the one-teacher TO the
county high school. and made a plcc
for the people of Greenwood county 10
| iolioW tie cAdvlplc oI OtNCT counties.
In Anderson there arc &c consolidate ed
schools and it is expected that ten
more will be added r. special tax elcc-
tiona. He urged that where 80 chill
dren may be sent to one school the
hOpcc to see at least six rural graded
schools in this county by next year.
A school with 80 pupils and two teacli-
4 ers gets 5000 state aid ana one will,
"a pupils and three teachers gets
4 s3G0 There are 240 schools Of this
j type in the state.
4 MI. Swearingen. stated that any dis
trict that desires a new building can
get $500 from the state and $3CO from
the county If the district raises 5000
He recommends lot Of not less taan
four acres. Where schools are con-
solidated the state and county will
give $50 additional
Practically every school district in
the county was represented in the an-
dience that heard Mr.. 'Swearingen
4 His address will no doubt increase in
terest in the school question in Green
wood.