The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-01-25

: appropriation. The laws are good.
The demand that they be pat into eff
feet is based upon interest in the
common veal. For every dollar sup
piled from the state treasury to the
schools, the local patrons are supply
ing three.
"These state subsidies, which fur
nish great impetus. are regulated by
thirteen acts of the General Assembly
relating to high schools, over-crowd-
ing in elementary grades Of seconda-
ry schools, to the guarantee Of a
seven months term, to rural graded
schools, to buildings, to vocational
training, to term extension, to school
attendance, 10 the teaching CT agci-
culture, industry and home econon,-
les, to the certifcation and examina-
ton of teachers, to libraries, to local
school Improvement worl; and to the
placement Of teachers. Each statute
! is based or the principle OF self-help;
that is, before state aid is granted,
/ The district must levy local tax.
! 'eTo illustrate how favorably these
laws are reacted to, I cite you to the
I fact that four-ffths Of the high
schools Of the state have voted levies
Of ten mills or more. In order to car
ry out the states part Of the contract
under this high school law, at least
4 $780, 900 will be needed in 1921. Il
any of my hearers are astounded at
that figure, / beg that they bear IN
! mind that the number Of boys and
girls now being trained in high schools
Of this state, namely, $4,000. But that
isn't all of the picture. Before South
| Carolina reaches the general level Of
the nation in secondary schools, at
least 10000 pupils must be enrolled
in high schools, sometimes called,
and very properly, the colleges OF
the people" And let Us reflect that
some sixty per cent Of those who go
to high school, pursue their studies
no further. We must train them we'll
| in these secondary schools, or forever
| lose our chance. And then let US re-
fleet again that less than seven per
cent, barely half the average for the
United States, of our total white en-
rollnent enters high school. So we
mus train the great majority as we'll
as we may in the elementary schools
or forever lose the chance to give
them fair start and fair opportani-
! ty to achieve a successful life.
An Agricultural State
"South Carolina is distinctly an ag-
ricultural state. Our people and our
Interests are predominantly rural,
and our educational problem is es-
IsentiaNy rural. For years We stEug-
gled along without any semblance OF
a standard in rural education but in
recent years the General Assembly
has wisely emphasized and aided ru-
1 raj school development. The oct guar
anteeing seven months, term and
providing an adequate teaching corps
in country districts is a landmark IN
the history of rural education. Along
with this, the act to encourage con
solidated and graded schools; better
known as the graded school act, has
for the first time brought moderately
] efficient schools to cur country dis
;: tricts.l Neither of these laws, how
ever, has reached the ideal. Ehe
school term is fixed al seven months
for the ere reason that We must
go up by degrees. The average term
/ now in rural schools is only SIX and
three-tenths months. To be content
with anything less than seven months
/ is to deny to helpless hopeless child
/ hood its birthright' ard opportunity.
"In 1920 an appropriation OF s. Go,-
600 was made under the law guaran-
teeing a seven months, term. This was
djshursed to AIS districts on the ba-
sis Of forty-seven cents on The dol
lar To carry out this law in the cur
! rent year, s625,0G0 will be neeaed.
Failure to maintain the standard set
by this law will inevitably. mean re-
PROGRESSION ard reaction.
"Ealf the boys and girls Of the
state are benefciaries Of the equa!iz-
ing law and the rural graded school
law. The appropriation asked under
these two statutes totals s97o,oo''
a figure larger than the combined TO-
tails for the public schools in 1920.
The prosperity of lest year made a
progressive and forward looking pro
gram easy. The depression OF toe
present time viii compel economy and