Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-13

| be no question that the country schools
| have been too much neglected. There
can be no question that they have re-
| ceived too little in comparison with the
| big appropriations lavished upon our
| higher institutions. would not do
aught to injure one Of our state insti-
tutions, but the people OF South Caro-
lima today are demanding, and justly
demanding, in no uncertain terms, thai
the children Of the country districts
and Of the mill villages shall receive
their just share of the states appropri-
ations for educational purposes. We
should support our hieNer institutions
but we should steer clear Of extrava-
gance, and we should provide adequate
facilities to give every white child in
South Carolina common school edu-
cation, in comfortable schoolhouses.
under the training Of good teachers
! who are paid sufficient salaries to do
the work. The people do not need and
, ton; what they need and what they
! want and what they demand, and what
they are going to have, Is adequate
school facilities.
one-MiII Tax For Free Public Schools.
I respectfully recommend that you
pass an Act levying an extra tax of one
| mill for the use Of the free public
schools of this state-not an abortion
! such as you passed last session, but a
| real act that will do the people some
good, along the line Of my recommen-
dation to you at your last session,
| which recommendation Is fresh in your
memories, or which you can easily re-
fresh your memories upon by reference
| to my message in your journal OF 1913.
II fr,nn
| the necessity Of this one-mill tax, and
of your making 1t permanent. The
| country people want it; they are de-
manding 1t, and they most assuredly
should have 1t. Your last Act amount
ed to nothing except practically use
| less tax upon the people. Look at the
schools which received the money. How
many country schools received 1t? How
! many town schools got large amounts
Of it-and today you are hearing IT
said that the special tax will be taken
off in districts which are able to pay,
and this money used instead.
NV purpose, gentlemen, was to help
the weak country schools, where there
is no special tax. and where the people
are not able to pay any-the weak
country schools where there are no hlgh
schools and where the children nave
little or no chance to get any educa-
ton except what they may be able to
secure in their home country schools.
| And again appeal to you along this
line.
Some, I understand, have said they
would not vote for 1t because 1t would
be helping Blease It will be no help to
me- gentlemen. / am too old to go to
any school now-not too old to learn.
| / haven't any children to receive the
benefit Of this money, nor have L
brother or sister whose children would
receive any benefit from 1t. But have
thousands Of friends in South Carolina
who have children who will be beneht-
ed by 1t, and / have many political op-
ponents in South Carolina whose chill
dren will be benefited by 1t, and every
one Of those friends or opponents are
| friends of some of you, and you will 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 lit
tie children who will be helped will be
= the men Of tomorrow. Therefore, ap-
| peal to you, and beg and implore 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 1t will go to the weak schools; l
guarantee you that it will go where it
| is most needed; and I guarantee you
that the benefits Of it will be far great
er than any compulsory education bill
that you can pass.
In this connection, call your atten-
ton to the report Of the state superin-
tendent Of education: The proceeds OF
the one-mill tax for 1913," he says,
will approximate s290,0OO. The reas-
sessment of property in 1914 Will PROD
| ably raise the total valuation to $3OO,-
100000. The retention Of the levy,
therefore will mean 100000 for the
public schools. The maintenance or
state aided high schools now in opera
ton demands 100000. The continuance
Of state aid for lengthening the school
| term in weak districts will require $6O,-
600. Rural graded schools, employing
! two and three teachers, are applying
for 100000. The restoration Of the state
building fund would require $4,000.
! Public school Libraries. together with
! the Rural School Improvement associa-
/! ton, now receive $4,000.
| Your Act Of last year provides for
100000 for high schools, 100000 for ex-
tension Of public schools, $4,000 for
! consolidated graded schools, and $5,-
600 for rural libraries, retaining so per
cent in the county as a county board
fund.
! I would not say one word, gentlemen
against any or all of these educational
activities. but what have begged and
pleaded for is that you set aside TINS
extra one-mill tax so that 1t may be
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 the little chill
dren 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 375 that
had a regular attendance Of less than
-. There were 134 white schools that
ran less than 60 days; 1873 that ran 6O
to 70 days It is for help for the schools
that are not able to help themselves
that I am pleading. have given you
| the facts and have besought and urg-
ed you, showing you the necessity tor
it. I have done what l could. l can
do no more. The matter Is now with
| you.
Country Schools in Want.
In this connection beg to call your
attention to report fled 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 twenty to forty Rotations
Gentlemen, have called attention to
this matter before. How in the name
| Of common sense do you expect these
little country children to get an educa-
ton? / have advocated and still advo-
cate 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 necessi-
ties to your country schools, the boy or
girl who is never able to go anywhere
else can be prepared for the ordinary
battles Of life.
Supplemental Reading.
/ tI,ot