The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-12-22
.LAURENS COUNTY
WON SECOND PRIZE
For improvements Schools
During the Year.
EDEN AND POPULAR
ALSO WON PRIZES

At the Recent Meeting Of the State
School Improvement Association
this County was Presented Fifty
Dollars as Second Prize in the I'm
provement Contest.
Laurens County has been awarded
Second Prize by the State School I'm
provement Association for the great
est Improvement along stated lines
among the South Carolina counties.
Dillon county won first place but was
SO pushed by Laurens, that decision
was arrived at only after a lengthy
discussion. Dillon was presented $1OO
and Laurens $50. In addition to this
county prize two schools in Laurens
Won individual prizes for the greatest
improvement along all lines. These
were second prizes and to each of
these two schools, Eden and Mt.
Oliye,-twe nty-ive dollars were given.
Rural schools to the number of
l64, In 35 counties, have reported to
the South Carolina School Improve
ment association achievements during
the year in the direction Of better
ment, many Of these accounts being
accompanied by photographs con-
trasting conditions before" and
after" The change from one
teacher school, housed in rough,
box car like building, to the graded
school in q modern, well equipped
building seems a marvellous record for
one year, yet more than 100 schools
showed such progress.
Prizes for the year were allotted by
the executive committee Of the asso-
citation. Members present we're: Miss
Elizabeth Dickson, acting president,
Columbia; Miss Mary Eva Hitc, Bates
burg; Miss Sadie Goggans, Columbia;
Miss vii Lou Gray, Laurcns; Miss
Mamie McLees, Dillon; Miss Madeline
SDigencr, ST. Matthews; Miss Ethel
Drchcr, Lexington; Miss Isadora Will
liams, Liberty; Mrs. Hugo S. Strick-
land, Walterboro.
First Prizes $50 Each.
First prizes of $50 each were award
cd to the following schools, each re-
porting satisfactory status in build
ings, equipment, taxation, compulsory
education, enrolment and attendance,
and each having besides an active
Seohol Improvement associations:
Bethca, Aiken; Buffalo, Cherokee;
Ruby, Chesterfield; Tabor, Colleton;
Dothan, Dillon; Bell, Dorchester;
Trinity, Florence; Travellers Rest,
Grcenvillc; Utopia, Greenwood; Three
Cs, kershaw; Oakhurst, Lancaster;
Oak Grove, Lexington; Eulonia, Ma
rion; st. Phillips, Ncwberry; East
Elizabeth, Orangeburg; Peters Creek,
Pckcns; Piedmont, Richland; Os-
wogo, sumter; Gault, Union, Cades,
Williamsburg
A second series Of. prizes was Of
fered to the counties for Improvement
along stated lines. In this contest the
points were SO very close in some
cases that the committee found 1t hard
to reach decision Dillon, Darlington,
Laurens and Kershaw had made
splendid records. Each county en-
ploys a supervising teacher who de-
votes her time to securing class room
efficiency In the rural schools. Each
coutny annually holds field day;
eah trbtinty showed thn cn1ohra tiOn
Of cleanup day in each school, thus
proving that the health Of the pupils
Is considered. Compulsory school
attendance has been secured by many
districts in each county, and in each
one special effort Is going on to secure
the adoption OF a compulsory law.
1t Is. significant that in each county
making high record of Improvement
nearly every district has an active
school Improvement association. Night
schools have been established to meet
the problem of illiteracy Agricultural
instruction In rural schools. domestic
science departments things
show the efforts Of the schools to edu-
cate all the children of all the people.
Prizes to Counties.
Dillon was awarded q cash prize OF
800, Laurens cash prize of $50,
Darlington and Kershaw $25 each.
Among tho most interesting appli-
cations were those for the local asso-
Citations, These tell OF the community