Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-12-22
SUMTER SCHOOLS
SET CONSOLIDATION
PACE, SURVEY SHOWS
Efficiency of Officials Is Lauded
In Report of State Officers,
Making Survey
1900 ARE NOW ENROLLED
Use of Trucks For Transpofta-
ton Found Highly Successful;
Demonstrate Progress


The survey in Sumter county was
made under somewhat adverse cir
cumstances. The weather was very
Indictment, on account of which sew
eral of the colored schools were
closed.
The school authorities of this
county are to be congratulated for
the great work they have done IN
the matter of consolidation. In this
respect Sumter county is one Of
the banner counties Of the state.
There are today in Sumter coun-
ty SO colored schools and only ten
white schools. All of the white
schools are taken care Of in the
following schools: Plains, Leslie,
Concord, Pleasant Grove, Thalean,
Thompson, Shiloh, Andersonville,
Huntington and New Era. In these
ten schools are to be found more
than fourteen hundreds children, re-
ceiving an education under condi-
tons that more than nearly ap-
proximate the opportunity of the
city child than in any other county
thus far surveyed Of the ten
schools mentioned above all repre-
sent consultations except Shiloh.
In all of them the improvement has
been most marked. The children
attending these schools are trans
ported in twenty trucks with a
mileage of about 700 miles at an
expense of about $50 per month per
truck. As a result of such traas-
portation it was found that the at
tendance upon the white schools is
not reduced on account of inclem-
ent weather. In one school where
transportation obtained we found a
larger attendance on a very in
clement day than the average at
tendance Of the same school show
ed. On the same day other schools
(colored) were closed on account
Of the bad weather. The number
Of days thus saved by the children
Of this country will more than off
set the $4,000 paid for transpor-
tation in the twenty trucks.
In the county there are SO col
ored schools. The majority of these
are held in chruches or lodges,
some of which are very dark and
u,,,fiit1od for school purposes. How
ever, sumter county today has in
course of construction Rosenwald
buildings upon which the colored
population should look with pride.
We feel sure that such is the
temper of the people OF Sumter
county and their spirit Of fairness
that eventually they'll see that the
other calored schools measure up in
fitness and attractivenss TO the five
colored schools that have been built
or are now in process Of construc-
ton.
Tests we're given in many OF the
schools of the county with the fol
lowing results; In the reading
tests given in the City of Ameri-
Gus to the fourth grade pupils the
median made was 8.S against
standard of n. In the seventh
grades of the same schools a med
ian of 1912 was made against a
standard of 1875. In the rural
schools fourth grade the median
obtained was 6.5 against a stand
ard of ~. In the seventh grades
of the same schools a median Of
12.1 was made against standard
Of 1875. Tests we're also given stoi
che ninth grade of the city schools
in silent reading, the median at.
tanned being 1872.
In arithmetic the tests resulted
as follows. City school, fourth
grades, 1872 median against stan
dard of 13.1; in the seventh grades
fContinued on Page FiVe.)