The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-02-07
COUNTRY SCHOOLS
ADVANCE RAPIDLY
Continued From Page One.)

'Soutihueu FROM rage one.
reduction in actual number OF
schools in the six year period OF 271.
Without the enactment of the rural
graded school law some of these,
larger schools would have resulted
from the natural school growth. but
1T is oniy stating the facts to say
that the great growth presented by
these figures has been the result of
the encouragement given the schools
OF the state by means of the state
appropriation to rural graded
schools
Length of school Term
I'm 1912 the average school ses-
sion in the state was 11S DAYS: i'm
1918 this average was 1875. In 1912
the average number OF pupils to the
school was So: in 1918 the same
average was so. The total enroll
ment OF the schools in 1912 was
156.2SO; and in 1918 it was 1874
6S7. In 1912 the total number Of
teachers was 4.363; in 1918 it was
$500 The per capita expenditure
by enrolment in 1912 was s3.O2;
and in 1918 it was $17.S4. The to-
tai school revenue in 1912 was So
9O4. 4.O3S.5S; and in 1918. s4.372.-
O7S59.
This tremendous growth in
school revenue and per capita ex-
Denditure is due again to the en-
actment of the rural graded school
law. as the especial tax figures will
indicate. In the total revenue on
1912 the amount OF the total special
district taxes was S7.628SO: IN
1918 the total amount of special
taxes was 9S.S1539. This was
in 1918 by far the largest item in
the total revenue OF the state. In
1917. l.O75 school districts out OF a
total Of 1915 school districts had
voted special tax for school sup
port; in 1918. 1863 out of a total
OF 1887 had voted special tax. In
me great majority Of these districts
the special taxes were voted to en-
able the school to comply with the
"cQui"ement of four mill tax in the
rural graded school law, and to Sc
cure the benefits. therefore, Of the
state appropriation. This larger
school revenue made possible some
improvement in the salary OF teach
ers. In 1912 the average salary for
men was $500 and for women
s299.7S; in 1913 the average salary
! for men was S721.49 and for women
S3SO12
The Improvement in physical
i conditions OF the schools during this
period has at least kept pace with
the Improvement in other lines. il.
/ indeed. the Improvement in physical
! condition has not been greater than
in other respects. The Improvement
in school houses and grounds has
been due in a measure to the enact
ment of school building law in
j 1910. Since the enactment of that
/ law at least 1.400 school buildings
have been erected in the state. and
nearly all OF these by state aid. 1t
! is no exaggeration to say. however,
| that at least two-thirds of the con-
: solidate6 high and rural graded
schools in the state have erected new
buildings since the enactment of
the rural graded school law in 1912
In most cases these new buildings
were erected in order to enable the
school to comply with the provisions
OF the law and the regulations OF
the state board of education as to
building and equipment.
The Improvement in country
schools under the operation of the
rural graded school law will con
tinue. At the past session OF the
legislature. in 1918, IL was largest
single item in the appropriation bill
for education. s1S7,50O. To carry
out the provisions Of the law, $225.-
600 will be needed for the year
1919 The benefits OF the law have
been such that the lawmakers have
year by years appropriated the
amount needed by these rural gra-
ded schools. and in all proba bility
the legislature at this present ses.