Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-07-25

EYES OF THE STATE ON BEN HILL
COUNTY-Bcn Hill County is in a good way OF
establishing herself as d model among the coun-
ties OF the State for progressive and courageous
rural school improvement. The Leader carried
the news of the recent local tax levies under big
headlines and it has reached far beyond the bord-
ers OF our county. The following editorial
appeared in the Savannah Morning News:
Self Taxation For Schools
Only one district in Ben Hill County has
failed to impose upon itself school tax of
five mills, and the defeat there was by a close
vote. few days ago elections held
in Roanoke, Cotton Mills, and Dorminey
High Districts, and the results in that order
were, 10 to 0, 20 to 0, "a to O. That is pretty
good record The additional money will be
used to increase teachers salaries and extend
the terms from six months to eight. Maybe
these school districts will not he able to see
at once the benefits that will come from I'M
proving their schools, but the benefits will
come, and they will come every year,
stantly growing and broadening through year
after year Nobody say how great they
finally will be nor how far they will spread.
1t is something worth talking about when
taxation in three school districts if business
conditions are as some folks think they are.
Ben Hill County people know that no time is
the right time to be stingy with their schools.
They are making "a good investment and evil
IDENTIFY think they will have plenty of money
to meet their taxes. These three elections are
good sign.
The Leader by the way, is the only Fitzgerald
newspaper which has thought rural school i'm
proVement worthy of the notice in IT'S news col
umns and the only one that has shown itself SER
ousy interested in rural school development of
any kind, For years the Leader has been advo-
eating better rural schools and more equal oppor-
tunity in life for country children
The Leader has felt some criticism for advo-
ating more liberal policy toward rural schools.
A few property owners have not come to realize
the real material value of good schools in improv-
ing property values as well as raising the stand
ard OF human values. A farm on a good road by
which "kid wagon makes regular trips to a
first class consolidated school will bring much
higher price than farm far from good school adj
vantages
More than seven hundred prospective new set
tiers are said to be in sight for Georgia as result
OF the Advertise Georgia movement These set
tiers are going to look first to educational advan-
tages for their children if they come to South
Georgia. All South Georgia is good farming
country. in bidding for new people, for new
wealth producers and tax payers, the strongest
card any county can play is system of really
good schools
The Leader believes that if it had nothing else
to ITS credit, its consistent and hearty support and
advocacy of good rural schools would Justify its
existence as public institution in Fitzgerald and
Ben Hill County. Much more is yet to be done
IN giving our country boys and girls their full
Drthrlght III the matter of education More
schools must be consolidated, more salaries rails
ed, and better apportionment of the state common
school fund secured by aggressive legislative ac-
ton
Ben Hills present superintendent of schools and
ms able and efficient board of education have ac-
complished a great deal with the ar-sighted CO.
operation of good boards of trustees in our sew
era school districts. But they know that their
work is still incomplete and more battles are tc
be fought and won before the county will have
done its full duty by its boys and girls.