The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-03-11
FOR BETTER SCHOOLS

. The Press and Banner has gone on
. record heretofore as faVoring as
; good city schools for Abbeville as are
to be found in any other city in South
: Carolina-and little better. We
: still believe that there is nothing IN
which we might more wish to excel
than in the quality of the schools
which we have for the education OF
our children.
We find ourselves, therefore, in
thorough accord with the trustees OF
this school district when they de-
clare it to be their purpose to improve
the schools of the city.
The State High School Inspector
has declared that in order to have
better schools in this city, we must
have more buildings. We must either
enlarge the buildings which we have
or we must build other school build
ings. We do not know now which is
the more advisable, nor which may be
done with the less expense. We would
not stand on a small difference in ex-
pense. We are in favor of doing what
will best promote the interests OF the
schools.
"A bond issue of some fifty to seven
ty-fve thousand dollars will be neces-
sary in order to do the work requir-
ed of US by the State laws if we are
to participate in State aid. That looks
like good deal of money, but we
should be reminded that if we do not
spend that much, we may lose more
by being denied the share we have
heretofore received from the State
high school fund and other appropri-
ations aimed to aid schools of this
class.
Taxes are high it is true. We are
not in favor of paying high taxes for
everything which comes along. We
do not favor following fads in a good
many things. But the support of the
public schools does not belong to the
class of endeavors which may prop
erly be styled fads, Good schools in
o city are as important as the matter
of proper food and proper clothing
for the body. They are equally as
necessary in the march of civilization
as good water, fresh air, or any of
the other. things without which we
cannot get along.
And the running of the schools is
rot an expensive undertaking if we
consider results. We are spending,
we believe, less than twenty thousand
dollars in the support of the white
schools of the city. Perhaps the cost
of operating these schools, including
the up-keep of buildings, the coal and
other supplies bought, the teaching
force land every other thing, would
not amount to as much as twenty
five dollars per pupil for each of the
seven hundred pupils who are enroll
ed in the schools. Some few people
of large, means pay little more than
this perhaps, and some who have no
children pay anyway, but these reap
an indirect benefit far greater in
value than the small amount of taxes
which they pay. AS community we
pay for the education of the children
of the community twenty-five dollars
in the way of tuition (Which covers
all costs of operating the schools) as
against one hundred dollars, which
latter amount about represents the
average tuition charge in prepara-
tory schools. We keep our children a.:
home, we are enabled to look after
their welfare ourselves, we save large
amounts of money by being enabled
!. to keep them at home and thus avoid
the payment of board and other ex
penses which would follow. their 60
ing to a preparatory school. And we
have school not for the few pupils
who might attend a preparatory
school away from home but for these
and every other child of the COM
munity.
Yes, the taxes are high and may be
higher, in so far as the schools are
concerned. But if a man must have
a pair of shoes and may buy them in
Abbeville for five dollars, most peo-