The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-02-22

scnool districts has had two highly
| beneficial effects. The erection of a
| new district invariably results in a
! community consciousness, response
bility and pride leading to local self
| government as we'll as to a better
school. The tendency to multiply the
schools was strongly felt from 1876
to 1895, until, Commissioner w. wv
Bright, of Pickens county had the
courage and the foresight to insist up
on minimum of nine square miles
in a school district survey of his ter
ritory. This minimum was later writ
ten, into the constitution of 1895 and
mas proved exceedingly helpful in pre-
venting wasteful duplication in null
titude of weak, Inefficient schools
serving only few patrons in linn
tied area.
The division of townships into
school districts has been practically
finished, except in a few sparsely set
tied localities. Since patrons and tax
payers have learned their opportuni-
ties and their responsibilities toward
the school, they have begun to put eff
fciency above convenience and have
] advocated consolidation instead of
further division. Thoughtful school
men have recognized the absolute ne
cessity of an adequate territorial bas-
is with wealth and population suffi-
cien; to support a school. The most
serviceable area ranges from II to 10
square miles. 1t seems probable that
the number of school districts in the
State will not exceed $500.
The consolidation of districts in
order to maintain three-teacher
school for seven months is rapidly
gaining support in every county. The
one-teacher school with al its short
comings and limitations has already
been banished from Darlington coun-
ty. One of the largest rural schools
in the State has been secured at An
tioch through the combination OF
three districts, the installation OF six
wagons and the voting of local tax
of 10 mills for current expenses and
6 mills for bonds. Consultations have
been especially numerous among the
rural graded schools. In 1914-l5
these numbered 400. and the rate OF
growth insures more than 500 during
1876.
Local Taxation.
One of the most striking results OF
local school district government is tn1
development of local school taxation.
This movement originated at Winns-
boro in 1878. The special act of the
legislature creating the Winnsboro
district provided that it should be
four miles square, with its centre at
the court house, and that thetaxpay
ers of the district might levy by a ma
jority vote tax of 1 1-2 mills. The
benefits to the school were so great
that other towns and cities secured
similar acts in the next few years. The
general law of 1888 provided that
any district, rural or urban, might
levy a local tax not 10 exceed 2 mills.
On June 80, 1908, the number of spe-
cial tax districts in the State was $50.
Seven years later. June 30 1915, this
number mad increased to 1,464. Col
lections from local taxes in 1890
amounted TO $5S,119.03, and in 1915 to
1,1G9,15943. This marvellous growth
has supplied the funds for school i'm
provement. This is safe index to
the educational spirit of the people,
to the economic prosperity Of the
State, and to the assured future of the
schools.
In 1909 the State made local taxa
ton the basis of State aid. Begin
ming Will the most needy schools, this
requirement was imposed upon the
weakest districts. An appropriation
of $4,000 was secured only by ma
jority of one vote in the senate. Sen
ators G. K. Laney of Chesterfield and
T. l. Rogers OF Marlboro were the
pioneers in this movement. This ini-
tiaI success vas followed in 1910 by
the enactment of the Garris or term
extension law, appropriating 100000
to lengthen the school term in weak
districts unable to run five months,
and voting a school tax Of TWO mills.
In 1912 this principle was still fur
! ther extended by the law to encour-
age the consolidation of graded
In this