Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-10-27
PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A city furnishes no better standard
by which to measure its progress and
growth than its system of schools If
the schools show the effect of careful
management and expert supervision,
with modem buildings furnished with
the hest to he found in equipment, and
taught by professionally trained
teachers then can the city be ranked
high in the scale of commercial, So
cial, and intellectual attainment
Public education in Americas has
long received the most careful con-
sideratiOn. Our city has one of the
oldest systems in Georgia, being
founded by Act of Legislature Feb. 10,
1878. Under conservative management
the system has had steady but heal
thy growth. 1t has been peculiarly
free from the introductions of so
called "frills" and non-essentials into
the course of study, and from discord
in its management Upon the Board
of Education have the most promi-
nent and influential citizens served.
A tenure Of office of six years has
prevented a too frequent change in
its personnel.
A study Of the officers Of the Board
will clearly show how much wisdom
has been shown in their selection, and
how efficiency and faithfulness have
been rewarded In the forty years of
the Boards existence there have been
ten presidents: Messrs. Geo. f. Coop
err, A S. Cults, N. A. Smith, NJ Speer,
f. J. Eldridge, G, r. Miller, U. B.
Harold, G. w Glover Jno. A. Cobb,
and Lansing Burrows.
There have been. but five treasurers
of the poard: Messrs. M. Speer, E.
Gldridge, y. B. Harold, w. E. Brown,
and E. B. Everett.
Nh. L. B. Harold had the distinc-
ton OF serving as a member OF the
Board from the founding of the
schools in 1873 to the time of his
death in 1907, a period of thirty-four
years.
In the selection of superintendent
and teachers the greatest care has
been taken by the Board. There have
been but five superintendent Messrs
J Nicely, j. NJ Cannon, A. j. Bizien,
w. Harper. A. G. Miller and J. e.
Mathis.
hTere have been eleven principals
Of the High School Messrs. j. E.
Mathis, R V. Forester, G. j. Orr,
Jr., r. VI. Davis, N. c. Miller, A. G.
Miller. J. A Duncan, w. o. Cheney,
J. n Hancock and C. M Hale. But
two OF these principals, Messrs. J. e.
Mathis and A. G. Miller, were pro-
rloted to the superintendency Mr..
j. e. Mathis has the distinction of
serving the schools longer than any
of these officials, serving, with the
extepl on of two years from their
opening il 1914, and being superin-
tepdent at this time
Nearly a thousand young people
have graduated from the High School,
be ides hundreds who have received
IS training but were compelled by
circumstances to discontinue their
work before graduating.
ne schools are divided into three
divisions: Primary, comprising the
first three grades; Grammar, com
prising the next four grades through
the seventh grade; and the High
School, comprising the four grades
from the eighth grade through the
eleventh; thus making a course Of
eleven years The first seven years
of the pupils school life are taken VI
with the usual elementary studies
and at the end of that time he passes
into the High School
Upon entering the High School, ;
pupil has the choice of three courst