The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-04-18
DARLINGTON EXPERIMENT
Schools, Teachers and Pupils Read,
and Eager for Industrial Training

was the Tooie Act to provide for the
teaching of agriculture in the public
schools, said j. b. Swearingen. state
superintendent OF education, yester-
day.
Such law has been urged and
discussed for years. Mr.. Toole has
been an insistent advocate of the
policy, in and out Of the legislature.
The proposal was discussed through
out the gubernatorial campaign of
1914.
The establishment of county or
district agricultural schools in other
states has proved expensive. The
Toole plan is the outgrowth of the
experiment conducted in Darlington
county by state, county and district
school officers in cooperation with
Clemson College.
In the fall of 1914. Prof. j. NJ.
Napier took charge OF an agricul-
tural class in each of the five con-
solidated county schools. The prin-
clpals co-operated heartily by aiding
him in class room instruction and
field experimentation. The result
was pronounced successful by men
like d. r. Coker, Bright Williamson.
l.. w. Dick, V. f. Rector and d. l..
Lewis. In the fall Of 1915 two ad-
ditional experts were employed in
Darlington county, and fourteen
schools organized regular classes In
agriculture.
Terms of the Law
The Act Is based also on the Mich
olson rural graded school law of
1912, which has been so stimulating
In promoting rural graded school
progress. Three. four or five schools
must cooperate in the employment
OF an agricultural teacher. Each
school must have an enrolment OF
at least seyenty-five, three teachers.
three room building. an elght-mil
tax, and school farm of at least
two acres. The tax is required In
order to insure adequate support;
the school farm is necessary in or
der to provide a demonstration plot.
The group Of cooperating districts
supply $3.50 and the state contrib
ntes an equal amount. A salary Of
81 500 is thus made available for
the employment Of n trained teacher
OF agriculture. who may act as SUI
perintendent of the group of schools.
The law follows:
An Act to provide for teaching
agriculture in the public schools OF
the state.
Section 1. Be 1t enacted by the
General Assembly Of the State Of
South Carolina:
To promote the teaching of agrI-
culture in the public schools. there
is annually appropriated out of the
State treasury five thousand dollars
($5.000) to be expended as herein
after provided by the State Super-
intendent Of Education. in consolida-
ted schools during practical class
room and field work in agriculture.
Fund From State
Section 2. Whenever the boards
of trustees OF three or more school
districts shall raise from regular
funds, local taxes, private subscrip-
tions, or otherwise, and shall deposit
with the county treasurer not less
than seven hundred and fifty dol
lars (S750,) to be expended by the
county board OF education upon their
warrant. duly approved by the coun-
ty superintendent for the teaching
OF agriculture in their respective dis
tricts, such group OF districts shall
be entitled to seven hundred and fif-
ty dollars ($75O.) from the State.
All funds raised by the respective
boards OF trustees, or supplied by
the state. shall be used to pay the
salary OF trained teacher OF agri-
culture. who shall do class room in
struction field work on the school
farm, school garden or school or |
chard, or In any other line OF aeri- |
cultural teaching needed in the ter
rltory composing the districts. Such
trained agricultural teacher may
serve as superintendent or principal |
OF the group OF cooperating schools.
shall reside during the twelve months
or the year In the territory he serves. |
shall possess all the scholarship re-
quirements regularly demanded OF
other teachers. shalt hold valid