The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-11-26
DoRMITORY FOR GIRLS.

DORMITORY FOR GIRLS.
We invite you to read an editorial
which we print from the Anderson
Daily Mail on the proposed new dor
mitory at the university for girls.
Some of the women's clubs haze en-
dorsed the proposal and are asking
the legislature to appropriate at this
session $250,OOO for this purpose.
We agree most heartily with what
the Daily Mail has to say on the
subject. In the first place there is
no demand for such dormitory fer
the few girls who are attending the
university. In the second place this
is no opportune time to build dor
mitory unless it was absolutely nec-
essary.
Big demands are going to be made
on the legislature for education, and
money properly spent and properly
used for the education Of the youth
of the state is the best investment the
state can make.
With the big demand that is going
to be made on the appropriations by
the several acts of the legislature
providing help for the rural schools,
it IS hardly going to be the part OF
wisdom to build that girls dorml-
tory unless there was more real need
for it. And besides, it is getting time
for the state to do at least small
proportionate share for the education
{, Of the great mass of the children OF
the state who can never 60 to col
lege.
In recent years the legislature has
walked up to the importance OF bet
terine the condition of the rural
schools, and has passed some acts
looking to that end, and offering IN
ducement of help provided the school
districts would do something them
selves, and many of the districts
have met the conditions, and it IS
now UP to the legislature to furnish
the money promised. In this county
every school district has voted spe-
cial ts 20 comply with the condi-
tions laid down by the legislature to
secure state aid, and the teachers
have been employed and the school,
wear pitched on that basis, and If the
legislature should fail in the appro-
priation it would just demorahze the
whole school system. But there must
be, no thought that the legislature
will fail in the doing Of its part.
Under present conditions the dor
mitory for girls at the university
can very well wait. The Citadel is
asking for big sum for building
and that project has been started
and will have to go forward. Win
throp wants more money and the
university is asking for more money
in addition to the large sum for the
dormitory.
The main purpose of every one
now should be to do that which Will
tend to build up the rural communl'
ties of the state, and there is no bet
ter way than to encourage the better
ment of the rural schools of the state.
Many of the districts are poor in tax
able property, and even big tax
levy does not bring sufficient funds to
have a school worth while. There
must be aid from some source other
than the district itself. The state
has said if you will vote this tax we
will help you to have fine rural
community and fine rural school.
What this country needs just now
more than anything else is to build
up the rural districts so that the peo-
ple may be induced to remain on the
farm. This talk of overproductlon
has nothing to it. There are peoples
in the world starving for the lack OF
food and freezing for the lack OF
clothing. We can produce both, and
the thing to do is to get the market
and it can be had. Every dollar put
in the betterment of the rural schools
helps to build up the rural communl-
ty. The legislators should consider
this need first. And we believe they
will.
NnES TT pAY7