Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-03-05
ADDRESS OF PROF
AKERS AT CEDAR FALLS
Fellow Workers,

Fellow Workers,
Though ! realize that what We
have done is but naught compar'
ed to you, | am glad Of this op.
portunity to tell you what Hall.
fax County, North Carolina, has
done since July, 1915, in the con.
solidation and Improvement of
her schools. There are 6SO
square miles in this county
which lies on the dividing line te-
tween the Piedmont and alluvial
sections. One. half of the county
is hilly, the other, the eastern, is
flat intersected by numerous
swamps. These swamps cut the
county into many long narrow
communities more or less isolat-
ed. This condition, however, is
being overcome by the good
roads movement now so much ap-
preciated by our citizenship who
last May voted $500, 100000 in
Bonds to cooperate with the
State and Nation in building and
maintaining roads.
At the beginning of the school
year 19l5.1916 there were 2,3O7
rural white children in Halifax
County between the ages of 6
and q years, who should attend
school in 81 one-room schools, 6
two-room schools and 2 three
room schools. During this year
we enrolled $3.50 of these white
children and 47% of them were
in school every day. Admitting
that 300 of the whole census
had finished the county school
system, were in school some
where or for some reason or
other we had no right to expect
them in school, there was 22.5%
of the whole census outof school.
More than 31fc of the enrolment
was out of school. No business
concern running at a loss of 3l%
can last long. No system of
schools running 69% efficient can
do for its patronage what 1t
should. There was a distinct
and definite problem presenting
itself urgently for solution. How
should it be solved? How should
this condition be met? The good
people of Halifax County are
like the good people of other
communities. They love their
children as dearly as any people
love theirs. They will do as
much for theirchildren as others.
Leadership is what is needed.
AS soon as the citizen realizes
that his child is not getting an
equal opportunity with others,
he will set about to correct the
defect. 0! well, once and a
while a man who does not be-
lieye in public schools, but they
are rare.
That this problem might be
brought as close to the people as
possible, this general policy was
at the beginning of the
year; That there should be held
a two days teachers conference
before the opening of schools,
and a series of group teachers
meetings to be held at designated
centers during the school year.
This method of holding teachers
meetings prevails to this day
with the exception only that the
two days conference is extended
to three days. One day of this
is conducted as a
countrywide conference. to which
we invite the Committeeman,
about &C, the Comfy Board of
Education, 3, the editors of the
County Newspapers and others
interested in education. AT
these countrywide meetings the
editors discuss How | Can Best
Use My Paper for the Improve
ment of the County Schools"
the Committeeman What Quail
fications and Duties Have we a
Right to Expectof our teachers?"
ard the teachers reply to the
Committeeman with much zeal
and interest on What aid and
Assistance | have a Right to Ex-