Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1922-02-16
DR.. BROOKS SAYS THAT GREAT
GROWTH MUST BE MET
WITH ECONOMY.
MONEY RESOURCES At lIM|!
Must Meet Situation With Reorgani.
zation Of System In Schools-out-
lines the Changes.

Raleigh.-Already touching the limit
Of its resources from taxation, future
growth of the school system in North
Carolina must be provided for through
reorganization of the schools that will
reduce the cost per pupil, and provide
for additional enrolment, declares
State Superintendent E. G. Brooks in
outlining the new policy of school ad-
ministration to become effective next
September.
Mofe pupils to the teacher an. few.
er supervisors of teachers is the most
drastic recommendation that Doctor
Brooks makes to the county and city
superintendents. He calls attention
emphatically to the fact that school
revenues have reached their maxi
mum. The schools must continue to
grow, he points out and to meet this
demand, more economical organization
must be consummated.
During the past year DR.. Brooks,
foreseeing the situation that confTonts
the school system Of the state, has
made a thorough study Of school or.
ganization throughout the country.
and his recommendation are based
on data that has been collected from
many sources.
The following preface was given to
the program as outlined by DR.. Brooks,
Iwish to discuss very seriously with
the city superintendents the necessity
Of a very careful study Of the relation
ship Of school organization to the cost
of operating a school system. The pub
lie does not know how to organize q
school system. It must take the rec
concentrations Of the superintendent
but the public is entitled to know that
skillful superintendent can so grade
the pupils, group the classes, and or
ganize the teachers as to operate the
entire school system at a considerably
less cost per capita per pupil than
other superintendents can who are lesf
skillful, and this can be done without
reducing the effectiveness of class
room instruction.
A poor superintendent is exceeding
" costly even II he is paid very low
salary for his services. He may cos
the people many thousands Of dollars
and they may never know that thu
money could have been saved, and toe
without a loss Of classroom efficiency
We have been moving rapidly within
the past three years. More progress
has been made than within givel
decade in our history. But the time
has come now to take an inventory, t
become interpretive and to plan TO
as wise an expenditure OF public fund
as it is possible to work out. This Il
why am calling your attention to tn
whole question of school organization
and its relation to school revenue.
,, The public has had a tendency t
criticise the salaries paid to superir
tendents. The trouble is not due t
the high salary paid but to the lack
/, wisdom on the part Of some board
Of trustees in selecting the right ma
to whom to pay the higher salaries
Therefore, it is necessary for us
prepare a statement showing the pc
capita cost of instruction and supervi'
ion in the cities and in the countie
. that the public may know what 1t cost
to educate the children OF given con
munity. This is one guide in measu
: ing the business and professional Q
- ficiency Of a superintendent.