The log cabin Democrat., 1921-09-30
BARE DIRE PERIL
 OF LOCAL SCHOOL STA7E SITUATION GRAVE Common Schools Collapse Under Load, Harrison Says-Torreyson in
 Effective Plea.

audience at the First Methodist church last night.
 Conway, proud of her accomplish ments in the way of civic improve ment, has failed to provide even seats for the children in the public school. The city's educational program and equipment is after the style of the middle ages and has degenerated to point where school is being merely kept and not taught. Arkansas en- tire system of public school education has virtually collapsed and is in grave peril. City schools in the state which are sure of remaining open for six or eight months are the exception and not the rule. Faulkner county, the home of three colleges, is sixty-sev- enth on the states educational column and pays only $6.50 per capita to the public schools, slightly more than one half the per capita for the state as whole. Tax payers, selecting re- ligion and education as two items on their financial budget for economy, have strangled common school educa- tlon to where co-ordinated work by every citizen is required to put the schools back to their feet
 James J. Harrison of Little Rock, director of the forward education movement, was the first speaker. He told of Arkansas lowly place as for ty-sixth on the nations educational score board, and the first three ob- jectives of the movement: The plac- ing of $100 professional library for rural teachers in every county of the. state, the organization and supervision of opportunity schools for 100000 adult llliterates, and a survey of the public school system from the State Normal down to the one room school house. Membership fees of $1 annual ly given by citizens of the state will go for these three purposes. Teach CTS of the state are financing the other work of the movement.
 Night schools for adult illiterates will be taught gratis by the teachers, many of whom have volunteered their services, and the only expense will be that of supervision. Federal ex- perts will assist the state commission in making the survey, the purpose of which is to show defects of the sys- tenn and where the remedy is to be applied. The value of the libraries is beyond dispute.
 "In watching this parade of school children, l wanted to see another par ade: l wanted to see the obiectors to the sales and luxury tax marching right behind them" Pres. B. w. Tor reyson said in his aptly worded and effective address. "These children represent all that Conway has. If the Pied Piper should lead them away never to return, the whole town would go crazy and it would be a disaster to which the loss of all the buildings in the city by earthquake is not to be compared
 Conway's growth, made evident in the increase of school enrolment by l47 pupils, should cause the addition of at least three members to the teach ing force, MT. Torreyson said. He dWelt at some length on the crowded condition at the public school. One banner carried in the parade made known the fact that 317 pupils had been assigned one room. Many pupils have no desks, and they carried this striking poster: q want seat" The speaker wishes for some of the ob- Jectors to the tax plan the dubious pleasure of remaining all day in class room without seat or place to work. "Giye them all the seats they want" Mir. Torreyson said. Some of them ought to have two seats. And give them a music teacher so they will have something besides the multiplication table to absorb their time all day long,"
 Conway has reared temples to this and to that and has done one thing or another, but has failed to provide seats for it's children going to school
 Supt. R. E. Womack at the request of Rev. C. Nj. Reyes, chairman of the meeting, further detailed conditions at the Conway public school "A good citizen called at the school the other day. Mr. Womack said, "and was shown a room which had GA desks At the time, two pupils were occupying the teachers chair trying to prepare their next recitation. He did not notice the crowded condition, There is room for three more desks in the corner,' was his comment.
 Our kitchen is in a basement room, badly lighted and poorly situ- ated. We have four drinking foun- tains each for boys and giIls and they have about 15 minutes in which to drink I serve notice on Conway now that another $100,0O0 building is im- peratively required and work ought t0 bn cFor+aI al Ioaet b,t ,,o>t cp,iro or