Mexico weekly ledger., 1916-01-27
COUNTY SCHOOL NOTES
BY W. n JOHNSON.
County School Supt

Sickness is seriously interfering
with the school work, and lately the
weather also. A few Of the teachers
have lost tims because Of grip. while
nearly half Of the pupils seem to BE-
sick. -Four or more schools have been
closed on account of diphtheria. But
l have heard Of no deaths yet. It does
not seem right to me that in one dis
trict with a tax Of 40 cents on the ore
hundred dollars valuation a well equip
ped school taught by a first class
teacher may be had, while in another
a levy Of 65 ~cents--all the law will
aIlow-will not permit Of more than
FIVE or six months school, with but lit
tie equipment and q very low salary
for the teacher. But there are several
such cases in this county.
Miss Lois Northcutt is working hard
to get Boyd School on the approved
list. AS soon as the weather VIII per-
init, they expect TO build some new
outbuildings and that will entitle
them to their certificate Of approval.
Last year the house was painted inside
and out, and a nev heater installed.
This year a case Of maps and some
library books have been added. Miss
Northcutt has also secured from Miss
Wales, secretary Of the Travelling Lib
rary Commission, jefferson City, Nc.
the loan Of a number of books, that
will be very helpful in her school
work. It seems to me that more
should take advantage of this great
opportunity to secure the use of 25
or more books at a very slight sy-
pense.
Farber has a fine school this year.
L. E. Morris has worked faithfully and
accomplished worthy results. He has
the high school and hopes to make a
daily average attendance of is. He
deserves success. Miss Beulah Syler
has a well disciplined attentive
mostly boys-out Of about % present,
only three were girls. Miss Kirkpar-
rick has the primary room a very
interesting group Of little folks, upon
whose lives she makes such an I'M
preston that they become her life
time friends. The board has repaired,
repapered, painted, and cleaned up
the rooms, and halls quite thoroughly.
All the stoves have been jacketed. A
new library case, filled with new books,
has been placed in the high school.
The lumber room has been cleaned
out and painted and made into a pleas
ant, well equipped laboratory. 1t
looks like they will surely be accredit-
ed this year. At least they have all
done what they could.
Miss Ruth Rouse had but eight Of
her thirty-six present last Friday be-
cause Of sickness and the extreme
cold. The board has added a number
of new desks, just the right size for
the little folks. Isn't that nice? Is
there a seat in your school room that
your six year old can be comfortable
in? How would you like to sit all day
long on the table or plano? With her
box supper money, Miss Rouse has
bought an organ and a fine large sand
table. Besides these improvements,
they have new outbuildings, a solid
foundation, and the house has been
painted in and out.
Miss Marie Henderson, closes her
six months school at Elier the 21st.
She has but half of her fourteen in
school. With the proceeds of a box
supper, she bought a water jar with a
bubbler drinking f~iuntain attached,
which does away with the common
drinking cups and the dangers con
nected Herewith. She also got a fine
chair. Books, too, have been added to
a good sized library. Together with
the many improvements of last year,
Eller can be right proud of her
school.
Miss Lucille Kunkel has four en-
rolled at Union. But since two have
gone visiting she has but two left-two
grades, one in each, two in each when
her attendance is perfect. To run
this school six months will cost $500,
or SITS per pupil. To run the Mexico
schools costs less than $50 per pupil
for nine months, How long can we
afford to spend SO much and get so
little for our money? What could not
any rural community have at an ex-
pense of SIS or even at $50 per pupil
per year? How? By consolida-
ton
Last Saturday, in spite Of the very
unfavorable weather, we held a very
interesting meeting at the Fox school
house. Miss White and a number of
her pupils were there with plenty Of
good dinner for all. MI. VIM and his
good wife, who live near, brought over
some hot coffee and a big basket, and
added much to the pleasure Of the din
ner hour. Miss Nola Hanna and a
nlniI Miss Rerrey. came from Gem