The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-03-24
SHOULD LAY SCHOOL PLANS
NOW, SAYS SUPT. WILSON

EchOlasttc Year Begins July LIST and
New Taxes Must be Voted Before
that Date. Many Schools Enjoying
State Aid.
State aid for most of the rural
schools of Laurens county has been
received by the treasurer of the coun-
ty, stated superintendent OF Educa-
tion r.. 7, Wilson, yesterday. or the
sixty school districts in the county
each has qualified for state aid in one
way or the other with the exception
of six districts. Two of these districts
have no special tax and of course Will
not be aided by the State. The fun
damental basis for giving state aid is
to give 1t to those districts which first
help themselves by voting a special
tax. Several other districts were not
able to receive aid because the district
had only one crtificated teacher and
enough money from the general school
funds to run five motnhs.
Discussing Laurens county's appor-
tionment Of state aid, Mr.. Wilson said
that during the past year tho schools
qualified for and will receive from the
State approximately $15,OO0.0O. Seven
teen schools have qualified for term
extension and have each received 500.
So far twenty-five schools have quail
fled nnler the Rural Graded Act. four
under the Equalizing Law, four un-
der the High School Act, and five un-
der the Building Act, These schools
are being aided very materially by the
State. II 1t were not For this aid
many schools in the county would
have to close the session at once This
generous and just attitude of the State
ought to be an incentive to larger ef-
forts among the school districts of the
county. The recent legislature has
provided for more aid to worthy dis
tricts for the next session. The an
preparations are to be given as before
to those districts which are qualified
by means of special taxes.
The new school laws will be dis
cussed more fully at later date, but
there arc two phases Of the law that
ought to be well grounded in the
minds of trustees and patrons at the
present time. One OF these is that
teachers with first-gradc certificate
are given preference in certain of the
laws giving state aid. A district with
an eight mill tax cannot get what il is
entitled to unless each teacher in the
school has a first grade certificate.
Laurens county has failed to get sew
eral hundred dollars this year because
of this fact. The county would have
much better rating If each teacher
in the county held first grade ccr-
tificate.
The second important matter to be
Kept In mind by the different schools,
he sail, is the fact that the school year
ends June the 30th and a new school
year begins July the 1st. Progressive
steps, therefore, for another year
ought to be formulated and com
pleted before July the first Districts
contemplating voting additional taxes
must do SO before the above date If
the district is to get credit for it an
other year in the way of getting the
added tax and Of qualifying for state
aid. In fact trustees, according to the
scholastic year, ought to have things
in readiness for teaching, if possible,
by the first OF July. Teachers ought
TO be selected by that date. Waiting
later in the year is dangerous to the
community.