The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-19

t,,rolfna within the last few years,
tur Of the real transformation, a
thorough awakening of the people in
U,Ee County and the rapid advance
naut Of the educational ideas and ia
r%iities in the rural life around the
.,pital city of North Carolina, but lit
tie knowledge has been impaired TO
he people of the State.
Wake County has experienced a de-
.yd.d transformation Internationally.
the change has been gradual for the
n,St ten years: but, nevertheless, 1t
has come. Today the educational
work in the big county not only at
,rtcts the attention of all leading ed
gcators in the State, but has received
notice nationally. To-day the educa-
tional facilities of Wake county are
more far-reaching and effective in the
rural life Of the people than perhaps
I'M any other county in the state.
from a mere Indifference Of the peo-
rio ten years ago the school house IN
The county has becoIne the center OF
community life and the heart OF the
people has endeared TO the educa-
tional work now being carried out by
Tho system used in the adVancemen
Il learning. !.
Tho Indifference of the people OF
Wake county as to the eduCational
conditions ten years may be Wen
shown by the character and size OF
the school house, the number OF
teachers, the attendance upon the
schools. the number of donations, or
IN, fact that there were but few gifts
for The betterment of school cOndi-
lions. At that time there were no
local tax elections for le~ngthenlnS
terms ana that it was a rare thing Tor
the people in any section of the
county to gather together to consider
educational problems.
Today it is far different with the
conditions in the county. The peo-
pie are alive as to the needs of edu-
cation n in every section OF the
county. from the district closest tC
Raleigh to the district in the most
remote section of the county, the PEG.
pie Sather at every call and when
ever there is a demand for better
mcnt of their school facilities and i'm
provement. the citizens of the count,
are eyor ready to rally TO the grea
cause OF education. The mere ques
ton Of a few hundred dollars doe
not discourage. Encouragement |
not known when it comes to cOnSide
school problems. The best schoo
house in Wake county ten years az,
has since been sold for less than $500
Today the best school in the count,
cannot be bought for $4,000. Tn
i0~t ~ Hat Coulu bC Aiobu " " $3.50
Der of the old houses was as low a
$40 70 S25 ten years ago. The tota
valuation of school property in tn
entire county ten years ago was give
ii $36.057. Today the total v%aiuatlo
Of school property is placed at s2S7,
ga. Two Of the buildings are wort
more than $40, 900.
80 Per Cent Increase.
Figures furnish plenty of proof
Wakes school progress. In lol
the enrolment of the white school
was 4,70Z. colored 3,S11. Last yea
The enrolment for white schoo'
reached $500. colored 5,2S4, shown
q total increase of both races of 3.34
pupils. or 50 per cent. During tn
past ten years special tax was vote
for sixty-fve schools. Five distric'
voted $S2.500 in bonds. During TT
past six years about fifty scho'
houses have been built and equlppe'
most of them ranging in cost fro
5000 to $4,000. The county boar
81 education usually pays one-ha
the cost Of the buildings, the 9TH
half being paid by the school di
trlctS. Frequently the committee DO
rows a part of this sum from II
State loan fund. This loan, with
! per cent interest. is to be paid
ten equal annual instruments.
y public school system is in q lar
measure an expression Of the life
the people. Before schools could
improved in Wake county, therefor
the people had to be reached al
stirred into action. In order to a
quaint the people OF their education
needs and to secure their active c
operation, educational gatherIn
nave been held all over the count
men and women have bene organic
tnto school betterment association
school farms have been devetope
and the various social forces in t
county have all been enlisted in t
great movement for better educate
II Junior orders. the Tarme
Unions. the Masons, the Woman
Club OF Raleigh. tile two daily nev
papers and the SEVERAL county wee