The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-23

hight Of flliteracy. adult or other
wise. which is seriously limiting the
efficiency OF the mill population.
?. How TO instruct the adult popu-
lation so as to increase their efficiency
and SO enable them TO become more
than mere hands" in the mills
!. How to assist tho mill women
to become better house keepers and the
men To become better supporters of
thetr homes and upholders of COM
munity life.
Prevailing Type Of MIN School
Some southern mill schools are
maintained as regular puhtc schools,
drawing state and local aid through
public taxation and are regularly
SUPERVISED by etate and local officials
Other schools Of this, class aTe Sup
ported In parr"frorr public funds ard
in part by the min corporation. Many
of the mill schools are owned and
maintained wholly by the mill au-
thorities. and thus lie entirely beyond
the jurisdiction of public school OFF,
Gals Some Of the schools are poorly
organized and inefficient, while others
OF this class are among the very best
in their respective states. For their
efficiency the privately owned mill
schools must depend wholly on the
public spirit of the corporation which
maintains them and on the ability and
clear vision OF the local manager in
charge of the mill. often the school
buildings are poorly CONSTRUCTED and
i'll adapted to school needs. Uncerti-
ffcated teachers are occasionally er~
ployed. compulsory attendance is
badly enforced and i'm many other re-
spects the schools fail 10 give the mill
community that vital form Of educa-
ton so necessary to lift the mill opera
tive above the hard conditions under
which he lives.
Public Becoming Awake.
DR., FoEht points out that the pub
lie is now generally aware that it has
n mill problem and state authority
IS beginning to take action to remedy
the old evils In South Carolina, for
example. q state supervisor OF mill
schools has been appointed by law to
have charge of this particular group
of schools. Similarly, Winthrop Nor
NAL and Industrial college at Rock
lil, has begun to reach out To assist
the mill villages in rratical welfare
work. which reaches from the schoc,
right to the operatives homes, and
Clemson Agricultural college is doing
an equally good work in tea aching
thrift through home gardens, horti-
culture and the like.
Thoughtful mill owners are as quick
to see the advantages of good schools
and practical welfare work as any
body. The best among the mill
schools are organized to teach the
village children in the rudiments of
learning and also to assist the parents
IN various ways to make the most of
the new life in the mill village. A
good Illustration of this kind of ac-
uvity, et its best. can be studied at
saxon Mills, in the outskirts of Spar
tanhurg, s. c. The mill corporation
has erected and equipped the school
bulld1ng-Catron HalI--which is ope-
rated in part only ON public funds.
Here the children from the mill homes
may acquire an elementary education.
no better and no worse than is pro-
cured in village communities else
where. The scho 81 is not particular
iy well adapted to prepare and in
struct the children of people with
limited traditions and of narrow
vision for responsible citizenship and
increased industrial efficiency. In
this respect all the mill schools are
weak. The school does. however.
give the younger children the ele-
nentary school subjects and removes
from them tho blot. OF tai&aracy which
anssnaxked stsaadx spasents ant x1atx