The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-12-07
NEED STATE SCHOOL TAX
Supt Swearingen Analyses Reports
From Counties and Points Out
Defects in Present System.

Defects in Present System.
Columbia The annual report OF the
a county superintendents of education
FOR the scholastic year 1856 have
been carefully checked in the Office Of
the state superintendent. One Of the
most interesting tables compiled for
the information of the legislature
shows the per capita expenditure par
pupil on the basis Of enrolment III
the "A counties.
"a careful study of the figures" Su.
perintendent Swearingen said few
days ago, reveals one Of the pressing
public school needs OF the state. name
ly, state school tax to guarantee
minimum school facilities in every dis.
trict The constitution OF 1896 makes
the county the unit Of school taxation.
The state department OF education
has insistently urged the necessity OF
basing the public school system on
state support rather than on county
support A white pupil in Horny is
allowed $7.65 q year while the same
child in Sumter is allowed $48.50 or.
sourse. these extremes vary from year
to year But in Horny the white popu-
lation is large and the wealth small,
, whereas In Sumter the white popula
tion is small and the wealth consider
able.
'The three mill constitutional tax
is collected on every dollar OF prop.
erty in the state. This makes people
believe that the three.mill tax is a
state tax. In fact, the three e-mill con.
! stitutional tax is only county tax
since every cent collected in the coun-
ty is retained and expended in tho
same county.
"The figures for the year show that
in Sumter and Richland the per capi.
ia outlay was more than $40 per child.
The result is largely due to extensive
building improvements during the
year. In Jasper and Darlington the
per capita expenditure was between
$50 and $40. largely due to the same
cause. In Darlington. however con.
solidation, transportation, seven
months term. and the teaching Of ag.
riculture must be counted in this cost.
The per capita Of S3463 in this coun.
ty is largely supplied by the strong
school spirit impelling the people OF
every district to vote an adequate local
tax. Darlington is a rich. prosperous
and homogeneous county: but these
figures show that It's public schools
are costing between 81 and 50 a montl,
for every child enrolled Under sucl,
conditions the taxpayers have right
to demand efficient schools.
"In ten counties. Beaufort. Calhoun
Charleston. Lee, Barnwell. Florence
: Fairfield. Dillon. Orangeburg an,
$ Bamberg the cost per pupil was be
tween $40 and $50.
"It is interesting to note that tn
; leading cotton county OF Marlbor,
stands 18th with an expenditure O
$19.7S per white pupil. In the grouy
expending between $40 and 500 stant
81 counties. Lancaster ranking 41s
with an outlay Of $10.52 per white
child.
Three counties, Colleton, Oconee
and Horny spend less than SO q
child. Students Of educational condi
lions III the state can not fail to Oh
serve the low expenditure In counties
with majority white population in
contrast with tn high expenditure ir
counties with majority negro popu
latfon.
The average for the state was
Sl7O2 against $16.22 year ago The
counties Of the state are divided into
TWO equal groups with respect to this
state averag ge -22 counties stand above
and % below this median line. The
first groun begins with Sumter and
ends with Berkeley. The second grour
begins with Edgeneld and ends with
Horny. But in the second group &C
per cent OF the white pupils are en-
rolled"