The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-12-15
NEEDS OF SCHOOLS
IN SOUTH OUTLINED
DR.. Claxton, United States Commits
sioner, Talks.-More Money For
Betterment of Educational
Institutions Recon-
mended.

| mended.
| Columbia, Dec. 14.-Exhaustive
analyses of educational problems and
discussions of their solution featured
the ninth regional conference, includ-
ing North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida, held here yes
terday by P. p. Claxton, United Stat
es Commissioner of Education. While
the attendance was small there was
representative gathering from the
four States. The entire educational
structure, from the elementary COM
mon school to the university, was
dealt with, and the needs of the four
States were stressed particularly. The
conference was concluded tonight
with an address by Commissioner
Claxton and a talk by Governor Coop
/ er. DIR. Claxton will leave in the morn
ing for Charlotte, where he will have
conference with the citizens of that
town on educational matters.
Recommendation delved from the
discussions in the conference and
compiled by a committee Of. seven
members, were adopted tonight, af-
fecting the four States. They dec!ar-
ed that the four States are suffering
because of "undue and unjustifable
weakness of their educational systems
in organization, support and opera
tions; that the recent prosperity is
only partially reflected in the schools
and the investment must be increased
threefold before anything like an ade-
quate financial standard can be set
up.
That additional source! of revenue
must be set up, such rs inheritance
and income taxas. ..::ence tax on
natural resources arc luxury, sof-t
tf:nk end amusert.L tax, and also
that 100 per cent valuation of all
property should be made for assess
ment purposes.
Need Compulsory Laws.
"That compulsory attendance laws
should be strengthened and strictly
enforced; that higher standards of
scholarship and training for teachers
should maintain, including a mini
mum of four years in high school
and two in a college, with at least
three hours weekly for thirty-four
weeks given to the study of education
Likewise higher standard of certi-
fcation for teachers, with higher COM
pensation for those offering higher
qualifications" was recommended.
That "then inadeqhacy of rural
schools is a serious weakness which
can only be overcome by higher sal
aried supervision and class room in
struction," and "that equality of op-
portunity is the only measure of ser
vice of any school of the State, urban
or rural. That the immediate and far
reaching expansion of secondary
schools is a subject demanding the
attention of legislators"
That "as colleges and universities,
whether State, church or private, set
the ideals and train the leaders in any
democracy their standards should be
raised as soon as practicable, but
such should be preceded by the
strengthening of the high schools and
larger revenues for the institutions of
higher learning"
That "as the State departments of
education direct the work of the
schools, and as they are the only
agencies for compiling data and sta
tistics relative to school work, the
South is suffering because this work
cannot be done accurately and thor
oughly because Of lack of funds.
Conservation Of Health.
"That it is recommended to con-
serve the health of the children, that
there should be medical inspection
and courses Of physical education es-
tablished in the schools.
/ The report is signed by Governor
Cooper, as chairman; ]. E. Swearin-
gen, State Superintendent of Educa-
Il T.