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

State system of high schools. Sec
ondary education had been left large
- tc private academies and the
stronger public schools in the larger
towns and cities. This movement mas
resulted in the establishment Of 1S4
| State-aided schools doing thorough
secondary work. 1t is enough to say
that the high scnool enrolment has
increased from 4,S12 in 1907 to 10. 481
in 1915.
Equal Opportunities to All.
Besides making appropriations for
term extension, rural graded schools,
buildings and high schools, the gen.
! eral assembly in 1914 established the
broad principle Of equalizing oppor-
tunities for all The children in all the
districts of the State. A special fund
for needy schools was provided to be
disbursed as circumstances and con-
ditions might require. This money
has been used mainly to guarantee
minimum term of seven months and
one teacher for every so children. This
standard is too low, but any success
full effort to remedy conditions must
not overlook such conditions as they
actually exist. The time ought to
| come, and it can not come too soon,
! when every school shall run eight
months, and no teacher snail be ex-
I pected to handle more than 40 pupils
This could be readily accomplished
upon an annual investment of $40 per
child. This has already been accom-
plished in the white schools of l6
counties. 1t will be accomplished in
other counties in a few more years.
The property Of the State has two
uses. 1t must feed, clothe and shell
ter the present generation, and it
must likewise be used to educate and
equip the next generation. Ignorance
is the greatest handicap that can rest
on any people, and the public school
is the only agency through which a
literate citizenship may be trained.
Teachers throughout the nation are
pressing foryard in a country wide
campaign for education. Its eight
points as outlined by the United States
commissioner Of education represent
forcibly the needs and possibilities OF
South Carolina.
The object OF the campaign for bet
ter rural schools is to bring full and
equal opportunity of education toI
every boy and girl in America.
Means to this end are:
/. A school term of not less than
100 days for each child.
2. A sufficient number Of teachers
adequately prepared for their work.
8. Consolidation of rural schools
with An average area of about 12i
miles for each school.
4. Teachers home and a demon
stration farm from to so acres, a part
of the school property.
5. An all-year session adapted to|
local conditions.
6. A county library with branch
libraries at the centres Of population,
with the schools used as distributing
centres.
I. Community organization with the
school as the intellectual, industrial,
educational and social centre.
8 A modern hign school education
for every boy and girl in America, in
the country as we'll as in the town.
Enrolment and Attendance, Z
During the past % years the enroll
ment of white boys has risen from 49,
$50 to 91,415; the enrolment of
white girls from 1902 to SS 901; and
the total white enrolment from 49,
; 372 to 1S0,316, an increase Of more
than 100 per cent. Corresponding fig
ures in attendance show that the
average for white boys has risen from
"a ,O93 to 61,022; for girls from 33,O92
10 62196; and for both sexes from
81, 7,1S5 to 123,11S a net gain of nearly
So per cent. Attendance has not kept
pace with enrolment, but the falling
off is largely due to the increased
length of the scnool term.
The enrolment for negroes in 1890
was: Boys 54,131, girls 57,757; both
sexes III 1888. The corresponding fig
ures for 1915 show negro enroll
ment of: Boys S7,4O3, girls 1O5, ,122;;
both sexes 1872 525. The net gain il
negro enrolment during the % years
, was 1887. This is in marked con-
.-oc+ p.i4I, tho pOrrnSnCndinU net gain