The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-12-01
NEEDS OF THE SCHOOLS

NEEDS OF THE SCHOOLS
Some may say that the first need
IS more money. That more money Is
needed is very evident, but that Is not
the greatest need Just at the present
time. The great need is more educa-
ton for the money we are now
spending
The first great need that / see IL
order to lay the foundation for
worth while system Of schools in
Newberry county is to have the
school districts surveyed so that we
might know just where the district
lines are, and at the same time know
where the man highways aTe. and the
important centres. and then we could
go about rearranging the districts in
an intelligent sort of way ana
show the people the advantage
of rearranging the districts, SO
that we coalt consolidate some of the
schools and do away with so many o.
the one teacher schools, and give the
children better schools and at less
cost per capita. In other words, get
more and better education for our
dollars. Last year and the year be-
fore l presented this matter to the
delegation in the legisla-
ture and asked them to authorize the
survey and provide the means, but
they did not The cost was the trou-
bic. 1t would have been the 'cest
money that could have been spent for
the good of the children. And that is
what we are paying school tax for,
as l see it. To benefit the children.
We have built and are building some
houses that should rot be built, as it
appears to me, but We can not wait,
that is, the children can not walt,
they are moving on and will not conc
this way again, and we have to do
and | am satisfied If we
had the map about which have talk
ed that I could have convinced the
people the wisdom and the economy
and the advantage Of changing loca-
tions and consolidating schools so as
to have saved much more money than
the cost of the survey. even in the
last two years, but all I can do is the
best l can and make suggestions and
recommendations. I have studie" the
school situation in Newberry county,
and l am fully persuaded that ! know
conditions as we'll as any one in the
county. Of course when you make
suggestions and recommendations Tor
changes that Will benefit all the chill
dren, you are obliged to meet the an
tagonism of some people, because we
are all more or less selfish and can
see only our own nose, and for my
peace of mind, the easier road would
have been the one of least resistance,
and Just sit and let things rock along,
Tut l can not Go that, | am just not
built that way. and even in the face
of what / know will be opposition l
continue to say what think is best
for all the children of any commun-
:sy, and then if the people will not do
that l go along and do the best can
for them. Some day the people will
see the wisdom OF the survey about
which / have been talking, and Will
wodner why it was not done long ago.
We are now transporting children
from four school districts to other
and longer term schools with more
teachers, and the children themselves
soon see and realize the additional op-
portunity that was given the children
Ct these schools of more teachers and
longer terms, and they are beginning
to wonder why their parents were
content to let them be denied these
additional advantages. But we are
making progress, and the public con-
science is being aroused. And the
children will be the benefciaries, but
how about those who have passed on?
E. H. A.