The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-06-16
This Is Not Starvation.


The Savannah Press asks Are Georgia
schools starving?" and adds: The Atlanta
Constitution insists that Georgia is last OF
the southern states in the amount spent per
inhabitant for education Georgia spends
about $3.50 a year, Florida 1882, North Car
DINA SSl7, etc Now Editor Jack Cohen, OF
the Atlanta Journal, recently made an ad-
dress before the Chamber of Commerce OF
Atlanta. in which he stated that the pay
ments OF the state of Georgia for the support
of educational institutions, $5,379000, ex-
ceeded the total maintenance fund and the
biennial building fund OF North Carolina by
more than 100000, and was approximately
s.. 900 900 more than the school maintenance
appropriation of either North Carolina or
Virginia. By Mr.. Cohen's compilation OF fig
urcs Georgia is doing more to educate her
people than North Carolina or Virginia"
The annual report OF the state superin-
tendent OF schools for 1924 shows that the
people of Georgia spent for education last
year SO, $50, 1874; and it was all raised by
taxation, too The 1925 report, according
to information obtained at the office OF Mr..
Ballard, will show expenditures in Georgia of
.$22 264, 607.37 for education the past twelve
months.
Nor is that all Facts from the latest edu-
cational survey of the United States Board OF
Education, the only reliable survey there is,
is equally interesting and enghtening.
According to this survey Georgia has the
longest average length of school term OF any
of the southern states except three.
Georgia has more boys and girls in its high
schools than any other southern state except
Texas, and Texas has population OF four
and one-fourth million people.
Georgia has larger percentage of its en-
rollment in the high schools than has any
state in the south except Alabama and Louis
lana, and in one of these states, at least, they
count the junior high schools.
Georgia has more boys and girls in its col
leges, university and normal schools than
any other southern state except Texas.
The value of the college and university
plants in Georgia is greater than in any south
ern state except Virginia, South Carolina and
Texas.
We pay more teachers in Georgia than any
other southern state except North Carolina
and Texas.
1t is a fact, too, that no state in the south
has finer or better school buildings in more
counties and communities than are presented
by Georgia today, according to the state de-
partment of education
Georgia is not, by any means, at the foot
of the ladder in illiteracy Our average rate
OF illiteracy is 1873 per cent Our negro ilit
eracy is POI per cent, but our white ilIiteracy
is only 81 per cent Below US in white ilit-
eracy are Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina,
Kentucky Tennessee, North Carolina, Louis
lana and New Mexico. Below US in average
illiteracy are Arizona, New Meaico, Ala
bama, Mississippi, South Carolina and LOWS
lana. The cause of the seemingly large per
centage of illiteracy in Georgia is dus to the
fact that the state has the largest negro pop
ulation. We have reduced negro iaiteraCy
from 95 to % per sent and white ilIiteracy
from 40 TO 5 per cent
Since 1870 Massachusetts has increased its
school enrolment twiee; the United States. as
a whole, three times but Georgia has inUreas-
ed its enrolment 1877 times.
Notwithstanding propagandists who have
various axes to grind and delight to make
invidous comparisons to the detriment of
their own state, Georgia stands III the, Ore
front Of progressive canmonwe a&ths. 1t not
only contributes more toward the education
of its sons and daughters than does North |
Carolina, the particular shining eazrnple in the't
eyes of these critics as 10 what state should
be, but Georgia has more good roads shan.
North Carolina, produces more agricultural
wealth and outstrips her. in many other, re-
spacts.
Georgia has, been libeEes more and done al
greater injustice than any other state. There
are those who, seemingly delight to- paint her
in the backest possible. cnlor in an effort to
arouse the people to do something they would
have done
The fact is. Georgia has, MAXI wonderfully
educational pngress-as we'll as progress
aloug other Enes-am 1T is tixe for Geor-I
gians, especially. Georgians WHO love- theiai
state and are loyal to its hest interests, to quit
comparing it 50 unfayora6ly with othesa- stattss
Georgia is all right.
Tunes Have Changed.
Some wears ago the aris sDcracy OF any