The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-11-02
GOOD COMMUNITIES.
Abbeville Press and Banner.

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Which of the communities of Alb
beville county are most desirable for
the establishment of homes? If the
man from the outside were about to
move to this county, into which COM
munity would he go?
Well, thoughtful man will say
that he would like to live near Due
West, Donalds, Lowndesville or Alb
beville, if he sought to be near one
of the towns of the county. And If
he desired to settle in farming Sec
ton he would 60 to the Antreville
section, or to the Campbell section.
And why? Because in these COM
munities the people have voted taxes
sufficient, in a measure, to operate
good schools. They have built mod
ern school houses, and they seek to
employ good teachers and to run
their schools for period long
enough to guarantee good work.
They have caught the spirit of prog
ress.
Yes, taxes are high in these COM
munities. But the lands are higher
in them than anywhere else in. the
county. It is harder to get a home
in one of these communities than
elsewhere, because they are all TAX
en-. The houses are of better con-
struction and have more modern con-
veniences. The people do not mind
paving a little more taxes (and the
taxes do not amount to more than
in other districts) because they work
with more intelligence, in a better
satisfied spirit, and they really love
to do something to make the commu-
nifty in which they live worth while.
You do not hear the people from
these communities quarreling about
high taxes, it is the man from COM
munity without special tax for
schools who quarrels with the gov
ernment, quarrels about his taxes,
quarrels about the cost Of books for
his children and then quarrels with
his neighbors, if they show a disposi-
tion to do better by the community.
1t is ignorance and prejudice which
is keeping other communities in Alb
beville county from having good
schools in all the districts. We. say
it is ignorance because the people
who refuse to vote special taxes have
not gone into those communities
which have good schools and seen,
there the evidences of progress, hap
piness, refinement and culture which
the good schools are bringing with
them. Were they to go and see how
much more valuable a good school
renders the homes and the lands in
the community where it is erected,
we imagine That from selfshness, if
from nothing else, the people in the
unfortunate communities would bel
disposed to take step forward.
We are glad to see that so many
of the districts in the county do levy
special taxes for the support Of the
schools. When we remember that 1T
has been only a few years since the
practice of voting special taxes lnI
rural sections was commenced 1t Isl
gratifying to know that the people
are gradually, if slowly, awakening
to the benefits of good schools. The:
past summer a good many school
districts have voted enough taxes toi
receive state aid. May we not hope
that with another year. the people
will have awakened still further toI
their own interests, and to the well
fare of the public, to which we are
all so much indebted, if we would
only think, and that the work so hap
PLY begun may proceed in this coun-
ty. We are far and away behind
other counties, remember that, and
we must catch up before we are I'M
the running. We have won our own
place of being backward and un-i
profitable people in matters of edu-,
cation, and if we would get rid Of
our reputation, we must rid ourselves
Of it.