The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-26
EDUCATION AND TAXES.
STATEWIDE SCHOOL COMPUL.
sorry LAW URGED BY
GOVERNOR.
Chief Executive Calls for Dormitory
mt Winthrop and One ut University
Would Vote Bonds to Put State
on Cash Basis-fiighway Building
Important.

Columbia. Jan. 24.-A message wa
received from the governor in tn,
house last night. supplementing tn,
annual message at the opening o.
the general assembly. the main topic.
being education and taxes.
Among many other things t.
strengthen the educational system o.
the State. the chief executive urget
the passage OF State wide compul
sorry education law i'm substitution 70,
the local option plan. Medical inspec.
ton is also again urged. In the pro-
posed State compulsory school law II
Is suggested that only districts Pc
titioning for exemption be allowed tc
remain free from operation of the
measure ~ months. Concerning the
compulsory attendance the message
says:
I'm my first inaugural address in
1915 l urged the enactment Of a local
option compulsory attendance law.
Such statute was passed and it has
been accepted with good results i'm
209 school districts. embracing cities
towns. manufacturing centers and ru-
raj communities. Under its operation
there have been few prosecutions.
Many other communities are pre-
pared for the application of such n
law. and 1 have reached the conclu-
sion that we should now enlarge the
scope OF this law SO as to place the
entire State under its provisions. per-
mitting exemption from the operation
of the law only TO those districts pc
titioning for the suspension of the law
for one year
In order 10 make the new law ef-
fetcive. there should be a trust off,
Ger. who should be given discretion to
grant exemptions where facilities are
inadequate. where children are COM
PEELED to support themselves or their
parents, or where children are ply
scally unable to do school work. II
should also require the attendance of
pupils throughout the full term.
III again urge the passage Of the
bin. which is now on your calendar
providing for medical inspection in
the schools"
Additional clerical help is asked for
the office OF the State superintendent
OF education and a salary for/this of
fcial, commemorate with the impor-
tance of the work.
A State board Of examiners for
teachers. TO establish "unifcation in
certification OF teachers" is urgently
recommended and also the creation
OF teachers registration and en-
ployment bureau. to he conducted by
the State department. of education.
The bureau lis so designed as to work
TO the Interests of trustees and teach
ers. 1t would save to the teachers
commissions which they now have 10
pay the teachers employment agen-
cies."
Construction of a woman's building
at the University of South Carolina is
urged. There are now SO young wo-
men attending the institution.
IL Is also emphasized that a new
dormitory must he erected at Win
throp College. IL the work OF that
school is not to continue To he bandi-
capped More than 600 young women
are turned away annually. because of
inadequate accommodations. Con-
cerning the situation at Winthrop. the
governor says:
with a full realization of the i'm :
portance of educating our women. I
draw your attention to the need at
Winthrop College OF another dormi-
tory. Members Of the board of trus-
tees are unanimous in their appeal to
the general assembly for this greatly
needed addition to the accommodation
for the young women. More than GOO
girls are turned away each year be-
cause OF lack of housing facilities.
We are providing as literally as
, the States resources will permit for
our young men i'm the institutions of
higher learing. but at present Win
throp College can only accommodate
bOut 4 600 oirle ond IN no tbis 40