The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-11-29
WHAT GOOD ROADS Do
Increase School Attendance, Improve
Social Conditions, and Enlarge Bus,
mess Transactions.

Social Conditions, and Enlarge Bus.
mess Transactions.
A Is per cent increase in the pro-
portion of the available children at
tending schools took place following
the construction Of good roads in 8
counties studied by the Office Of
of the department it is shown in a
recent publication of the office, De-
partment Bulletin No., 393. The i'm
provement in roads was followed also
in several Of the counties, the report
shows, by consolidation of number
of the little one-room schools into
graded schools, which give the pupils
better educational advantages; by a
development of various industries:
and by social improvements due to
easier intercourse. These improve
ments are related closely to increases
in land values and decreases in haul
construction of improved roads. The
studies were made in Spotsylvania,
Dinwiddie, Lee, and Wise Counties,
Va; Franklin County, N. Y; Dallas
County, Ala; Lauderdale County
Miss; and Manatee County, Fla.
In Spotsylvania County, Va, the
average daily school attendance in
creased from 81 per cent of the en-
rollment before the roads were i'm
proved to II per cent after. Several
small schools were consolidated. Be-
tween 1909, the year preceding the
building of good roads, and 1913, the
year following their completion, the
shipment of forest products, the prin-
cipal products Of the county, increas-
ed more than 78 per cent. The in
| i,, fhn
tyy business in the county was II
per cent and in dairying 110 per cent.
| In Dinwiddie County, Va, the aver
age daily attendance for children for
13 schools on the improved roads was
63.4 per cent of the enrolment, in
| 1928, while the average attendance
| for all other schools in the county
was Sc per cent. Several school con-
solidations have been effected, larger
school buildings have been construct
cd, and pupils have been transported
to school at the expense of the edu-
cational system since the road i'm
provements were made. Truck gar
dening and, dairying, which were pro-
fitable only within 8 miles of the
principal market town of the coun-
ty before the road Improvement, are
now carried on profitably within T.
mile radius.
In Lee County, Va, a considerable
industry has been built up following
the road improvements in the ship
ment of tan bark, extract wood, and
pulp wood, products which could not
be hauled over the unimproved roads.
The improved highway system has at
tracted buyers Of farm products who
travel from farm to farm and furnish
a new cash market for the farmers
There has been 25 per cent increase
in buggies sold by county vehicle
factory.
=, In Wise County, Va, social condi-
tlons have been bettered since the
good roads were constructed many
farmers along the improved highways
having built new homes or improved
old ones, adding sanitary conven-
fences. School attendance has in
creased materially, but since compul-
sorry attendance regulations went in
to effect about the time the improv-
ed roads were completed, the infu-
ence of the two factors could not be
determined separately. Several school
consultations have been made.
Automobile registrations in Frank
lin County, N. Y, increased from 371
before the road Improvement in 1912
to 1853 after road Improvement in
| lol4, ana TWO automobile bus lines
connecting distant towns in the coun-
ty were established as soon as the
improved roads were opened.
There has been a notable stimula-
ton of dairying and general diversi-
| fication on the farms of Dallas Coun-
| ty, Ala, since the improvement of
| the roads Of that county.
In Manatee County, Fla, which
| produces chiefly fruits and yepcta-
bles, these products could not be
hauled over the sandy roads before
the Improvement was made, except at
prohibitive cost. In the one year,
| 1912-13, following the completion Of
the good roads, the area in vegeta-
blcs increased about 1 500 acres. The
products of the county, the study
shows, are now hauled to railway
points much more cheaply than for
mcrly.
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