The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-07-30
SAYS ELIZABETH CITY
SCHOOLS NEED $5oO,ooo
u S. Commissioner of Education Says Present
Public School Plant is Crime Against
Childhood

0OO in immediate improvements
Of its public school system, &C
cording to DR.. P. P. Claxton, u.
Commissioner of Education.
DR. Claxton and two of his assis-
tants we're in Elizabeth City Sat-
rrdav and Sunday looking over
the public school system. DR..
Claxton voluntarily came in per-
son to Elizabeth City to look
things over as soon as he was ad-
yiSed that Elizabeth City would
invest $500 in a survey of its
public school system. The fact
that the town will spend that
suln to definitely ascertain just
what its educational require
ments are convinced the Com
missioner that Elizabeth City is
Z worth while town and he came
to Elizabeth City to look things
over for himself. He brought
with him his Assistant, DR.. VIM.
T. Bawden and the Bureaus
specialist in social and industrial
conditions. Mrs. Alice Barrows
Fernandez. These three eminent
educational authorities found
nothing flattering to say about
Elizabeth City's school equip
ment.
Iar. CIaxton and his staff condemned
the very High School Building in which
tla city has been inclined to manifest
>o.ar pride He said the High School
b..usug was designed by an architect
WHO had absolutely no grasp of school
architecture and that Il full third OF
liz. money invested in that building had
o,ru wasted. He found the building de-
t~irnt in light heat and ventilation.
Hundreds OF children are running their
,r.sight poring over their text books at
desks far from any window or other nat
,,,... 1fgI.t. Where artificial light is sup
s,,.cl IN som. rooms. the lights are plain,
.,.r-y-. t-,-,.e led electric lights. ruin
nu~ T.. r.o ,,-r- of the children. In one
basement roo.a scores of small children
v,cye subjected to the dangers of rheu-
nati~,n and other ills.
Under the compulsory education law
Of North Carolina parents are COMPEL
I'd to send their children to such school
rooms DR.. CIaxton told members OF
the Board of Education here that if he
lived in Elizabeth City he would go to
the State courts for relief and force the
building of adequate school rooms.
Dr.. Claxton's Ideas
While DR.. Claxton does not attempt
10 anticipate what the Forthcoming
school survey will call for, he is very
positive in his generalization of the city's
needs He believes the city should ac-
0uire the Geo. NJ Scott property ad
joining the site of the present High
School Building and erect thereon
modern high school building.
Enough ground should be purchased
TO provide abundant play ground facili- |
ties
The present High School Building
should be remodeled and enlarged for
the lower grades.
All buildings should be provided with
ample labratory and work room space
as to provide vocational education and
manual training for all the pupils.
adequate buildings for the colored
school should be erected, one in the
southern part Of the city and one
the southern part of the city and one |
III the northern part of the city, and
these should have ample play grounds.
And instead of keeping the children
slut up in certain rooms to pore over
text books six hours a day, DR.. Clax-
ION would lengthen the school day and
Maugurate what is known as the work |
>tudg play system of public school edu
cation, The time of the children would
D" divided accordingly, every child be- !
lhs 50 many hours day in the work |
ro"In> or laboratories and so many hours ,
1"r play. both work and play being un-
der competent instructors.
1fy the work study-play system the !
number Of class rooms required is con-
SId"rably curtailed
DR.. CIaxton thinks the city should
spend not a cent more than it is alb
S"IlteIy necessary to spend on
building improvements, but he thinks
present requirements will fall not short !
~ SiNO.OOO. He thinks $500,OOO would |
be more like it.
Education and Religion
I'r. ClaxtOn spoke at First Methodist /
',-t'iHh Sunday morning and there
STRESSED the educational needs of the
VII! as he had found them. Among other
things he said:
There is immediate need in Eliza
.'i'. City for more and better school
"'' ''ISS, and the people will be asked
80 F't" bonds for the erection of these
"''ngS. When they come to do this
','| should remember that by doing it
'"eE are only permitting their children
:" horrow from their future selves in
'F"rr that they may have better oppor-