The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-05-23
THE KIDS CAN
WAIT A WHILE
Mr.. Mclean Is For Eight
Months School Term After
The Present Generation
Has Grown Up

Watts Morrison Simmons-ku
kluX choice for the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination
threw a monkey wrench into
the educational machinery OF
North Carolina in 4 speech at
Ellington Monday in which he
placed himself Squarcly on
record as opposed to an eight
months school term in North
Carolina at this time.
Mr.. Mclean Is quoted 10y the
News \ Observer nS hnvin. said
"NIy enemies say um for the eight
months school term. in favor of
putting il into effect right NOW.
That il not only not true. hut II iS
II malicious falSchood. spread know
ingly aud with intent To do my
candidacy harm. ! know, ~ every
other intelligent man knows, that
we are not In shape at the present
time Ia assume the tax burden Of
un eight months school term. What
| said WAS that ] was in favor Of
un equal educational opportunity
for the boys and girls Of the co,nI.
try with those Of the cities, and that
in the years To come, II may yet
hr many years ahead. our ultimat"
goal should L" Ia attain TINT end
Mr.. MclNNn'S speech came as Il
distinct shock 10 the one hundred
county sup"rint"ndcntS of schools
in North Carolina who favor an
eight months school term. aud TO
that citiIcII>' committee Of one hun
lrrd which organized In Raleigh
om May Ia work for an eight
eight months school term. This
committee. composed Of representa-
tiv" educators and business men
from every section of the State.
not only believed that We should
have an eight months school term.
hut that we should have II non
nnd that the State Is financially
able to meet the Increased burden
uf cost. II must come n u shock
tu Sunr Of that committee to have
Candidate Mclean stand up NOW
and say that they are not intclli
gent men. Among the citizens
present AZ that meeting In Raleigh.
pledged To- the earliest possible real.
iZa'ion Of mn eight months term.
wcr" \. T.. Allen. State Supcrintcn-
dent al Public Instructions: chnS.
II. Ireland. &. II. BrOadhurSt ana
T.. u. .Irifcrir>, of Greensboro: I.
W. Andrews Of Salisbury: W. A.
Graham. uf. Wilmington; DR.. Chr
rmcr Poe aud Miss Elizabeth Kelly
uf Raleigh, =" maine only II few.
tud To 'hrSc men aud thousands who
think like them. Mr.. Mclean says:
Every intelligent man knows that
we ARE not in shape at the present
time to assume the tax burden of
nm eight month SSchOOl." Maybe
the members Of the Citizens Com.
mittcc for an Fight Months School
Term feel pretty small after that
Of course. Mr.. Mclean isn't IN
the position of his opponent J. W.
Bailey who has u tax reform pro
gram and who Is telling the folks
how they can gct more revenue.
Mr.. Mclean iS committed Ia II
policy of leaving things nS they are.
and in that position he knows. nS
every intelligent man must know,
that North Carolina H. not In shape
at the present time to assume the
tax burden of an eight months term.
He knows that ID can't bc done now
aud he knows that II couldn't bc
done under his administration.
Mr.. McI"un'S latest uttcramcc
has uStoundcd even his friends. Re
fore he got actively into the cam
lnign hc WAS one of the strongest
advocates Of IN eight months school
term in North Carolina. He came
down her" Ia Elizabeth city on
February nth Of this year and
made u great speech nt the dcdira-
tiOm Of the Elizabeth city High
School. in which he declared that
the most pressing need of the state
to-day Is better education of our
farm dwcllcrs. lie left everybody
under the impression that here was
u man who. if elected Governor,
would bend his energies Immediate
" Ia n program of equal education
al opportunities for every boy and
girl in North Carolina. Nobody
who heard him had any idcu that
he was talking about something that
may yet hc many years ahrnd."
aS he now says. II was just us IL
hc had come along aud said II am
for prohibition law enforcement" :"
and then come ont six months later
and say, 81 am for prohibition law
enforcement after my term of COVER
nor is over"
It's "a pity that Mr.. Mclean hasn't
about four more weeks In which to
make speeches; give him long
enough time to talk and Josiah
Bailey wouldn't have TO talk at all.