Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-08-27
TEACH CHILDREN in THE SCHOOL
ROOM AND NOT in THE HOME
Mr.. Editor,
Leader-Enterprise,
Dear Sir:

taken a great interest in the public
schools of the county, | am prompt
ed to ask what is the matter with
the Schools of today. l have always
been booster of better schools my
self, backing up my idea of better
schools with my best efforts in that
that the children of the
rural sections might come together
in sufficient numbers to have the chill
dren graded into different classes,
and teacher to teach each grade.
Giving the children full opportunity
to advance in their studies and ac-
quire an education as fast as their
allotted time would permit.
The people of the Ashton school
district put their shoulders together
and their money together and COOP
Grated together and consolidated the
first school in south Georgia and pos
sibly in the state. This school and its
reputation of success was the talk of
the state school authorities. Children
were sent from other communities
to our school because of the grading
of the children and teachers to teach
each grade. We enjoyed this system
taught from the A. B. C. class to the
eighth grade, under four teachers.
To make long story short as posi-
Bile, | will say that during this period
of time we were conveying the chill
dren Of the district to school in wa
CONS. This was all being done with
the money appropriated by the state.
; After the schools were consolidated
the funds thhat went to teach school
were consolidated. And it proved to
be a sufficient amount to carry on a
suco essful school in which the COM
munity was well pleased and approx
ed of. A school of seven months in
the year. The people of the COM
munity were progressive and wished
for their children to have an equal
showing to that of the city children.
We figured out system of advanc-
ment, we consolidated another dis
trict, and voted a FIVE mills special
tax on the property of the district,
in this we were assured of a nine
months school term and teacher to
teach the higher grades, giving to the
children that had passed the ninth
grade chance to advance in edu-
cation. During the past five years the
County Board of Education has le-
Wed a five mills tax on the property
of the county as a general tax. This
goes to make up ten mills on the
property of the Ashton school dis
trict for school purposes. This within
itself brings in revenue, if all is
collected, Of something around four
thousand dollars annually, not saying
anything about the states funds
which goes or should go to this school
of two thousand dollars year (esti-
mated-not in possession of facts).
This would make in the neighborhood
of six thousand dollars to operate this
school.
During the past four years of the
last consolidation the trustees have
paid for the two extra months, the
operation of trucks for conveyance,
etc, out of the special five mills tax
the Board Of Education pays for sew
en- months teaching, this about takes
up the other five mills on the prop
erty of the county. Bear in mind that
we have not touched the appropria-
ton that comes from the state. Just
what amount this is, is not exactly
known, but Ashton school should re-
ceive this amount which originally
went to operate the four schools that
are now consolidated into the Ash
ton school.
1t is not only of my own free will
and accord thhat this communication
is penned, but because of complaints
of dissatisfied parties that come to
me thinking that l know the "whys
and the reasons" Four years have
passed and no effort to obtain a high
er grade teacher to teach the higher
grades. A man teacher of ability to
be principal and do the work should
be obtained. Patrons are raising
general complaint in the manner in
which their children are being taught
Patrons work hard all day trying to
make living for the family and mo-
ney to support the schools in paying
the teachers. He comes in to retire
and rest but finds his child with prob
lens from the school room to work
out and report next morning or he
will not advance in his Studies. This
is not fair to the child because it
does not give them an equal showing
because some children that possibly
would make mark in the world are
deprived of the advances in the school
room because of their parents inabil-
ity to teach them these problems at
home. 1t is all wrong and if l were
the Superintendent of schools the
teacher would teach the children in
the school room or they would not
teach at all. The parents sit up at
night to teach the children the things
that he is paying out his money to 9th
ers to do. Away with such a system.