Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-08-30
OCONEE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
Educational Progress and Prospects
In the Piedmont,

The annual report of Superintend- d.
ent Thos. A. Smith. of Oconec, has
Deen filed and checked in the Office
OF the State Superintendent of Edu-
cation. Last year Oocnee stood fifth
among the counties of the State in
us white enrolment This result
was due to the energetic activity of
the County Superintendent and the
Rural School Supervisor in their
campaign for the enrolment of
every boy and girl. On July /, 1915.
1our districts had accepted compul-
sory school attendance. Two dis
trlcts were added during the scho-
lastic year 1915-16, and in every in
stance the law has proved helnfrl
Out of nearly 1000 white children.
between the ages Of 6 and 21 years.
SUPERINTENDENT Smith estimates that
fewer than 800 failed to enroll.
Since the laws Of South Carolina pro-
vide for no school census, this estf-
mate Is the most reliable index TO
the situation. The County SuDerin-
tendent is familiar with conditions,
having made 281 school visits durin p
the year; and his guess Is based on
careful study and investigation.
Lack Of School Funds.
The public school fund Of the
county amounted to $67,593.11, a
loss of SS4S.83, compared with the
previous year. The causes OF this
loss indicate clearly one of the most
vital school problems of the State.
The county and district revenues
produced their customary increases.
The 3-mill constitutional tax raised
Sl3,b42.6l. gain of $567.61 over
the preceding year The poll tax
raised 'Sl4S more, and the dog tax
$500 less than heretofore. Special
district taxes voted by the people in
81 Of the "A districts raised $780,
622.35, gain Of $2,977.72 over
1914-15. State aid for the wear az.
gregated $1O,994.77, against s14,-
S35 last year. The net loss in state
aid amounted to $3,S40.23. There
was fine growth in rural graded
schools, 27 receiving $500, while
the term extension schools and high
schools maintained their status. The
railing off In State aid was due to
the reduced appropriation for con-
tingent needs In 1916. Much has
been done toward equalizing public
school facilities in the As counties
but the condition in Oconee can
never be adequately remedied with
out liberal State appropriations to
the public schools.
During the last IL months, Ia dis
tr1cts voted or increased their local
tax. Patrons of Oconee Creek erect
ed model two-room building. and
Immediately voted an eight-mill tax
Tor the support of an adeauate
school term. The per capita per
white pupil was $3.50 against $3.50
last year. The per capita for the
State in 1914-15 was $1622. The
per capita for negroes was $1.53,
against $l.5O last year. The per
capita expenditure for both races
was $7.27, against $3.50, a gain of
III cents during the year.
The total expenditure for all pur-
poses was $66,052.6S, leaving an ap-
parent balance Of $6,3O2.67. This
balance, however, must be reduced
by outstanding overdrafts aggreeat-
ing S4,762.24 in % districts. Some
OF these district debts will be paid
from the proceeds of increased
levies recently voted, but the law
forbfdding district deficits ought to
be enforced more strictly. A school
In debt Is looking backward instead
of forward.
Enrolment and Average Attendance.
In the town and G7 country
schools, 26 men and 1870 women are
employed to teach 6,G3S children
1852 boys and 3,276 girls. These
tlgures show that the white boys out
number the white girls by Sc. The
increase in the number Of pupils was
423-202 boys and 221 girls. The
average attendance for the county
was d,l 73-63 per cent; boys. 62
per cont, sn.s, 6i per cent Oco-
nee is emphaticu'ly an agricultural
county. since the Gown schools had
an erOllment Of 1892, while the
country schools had an enrolment
OF 1876.
unfortunately the one-teachor
schools still nredominatc; 40 schools
employing one teacher; 10, two
teachers; s. three teachers; and 7,
more than three teachers Since
every rural district now contains
only one white school, the develop
ment of the county's educational sys-
tenn will require district initiative
and adjustment wherever improve
ment Is to be secured. Salaries are
low. Men received on an average OF
$4S1.A3, and women, $254.33. This
low compensation necessitates the
employment Of many local teachers.
The State Board Of Education has
located one OF the high school train