Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1927-04-07

bond issues voted and thirteen new
school buildings erected
Of these new buildings, ten are
brick buildings, two are frame build
ings, all built according to approved
standards and we'll equipped with
good modern school furniture and
other necessary equipment. One
frame building, built without bond
issue, is not up to the standard of the
others; but is an improvement on the
building that it replaces.
Since the original consultations
all of the other smaller schools, eX-
cept one two-teacher school, have
been absorbed into the original con-
solicitations so that now there are only
thirteen white schools in Decatur
county, outside of cambridge, which
is an Independent system.
1t is very probable that two or
more of the present schools will be
absorbed into the larger schools in
the not distant future; and this will
bring the number of schools lower
and improve their efficiency.
Twelve of the thirteen schools
which now so ably represent Decatur
County's Public School System are
thoroughly modern in plan and equip.
ment. Thoroughly approved build
ing plans, electric lights, running wa
ter, sanitary toilets and most of the
larger buildings have steam heat. In
fact they are all we'll equipped for
standard school work. These build
ings were purposely built sufficiently
large to take care of those schools
which were near enough to be absorb
ed, and for future growth.
The school buildings are beautiful
ly and conveniently located on large
grounds of from four to twenty
acres.
Two of the senior high schools are
already accredited and the other
three are applying to be accredited
this year. These high schools are in
easy reach of all the children in the
county either by convenience OF loca-
ton or by the excellent system of
truck transportation. There are 10
trucks transporting $50 children to
the public schools.
The terms of all schools in the
county are eight or nine months and
they are we'll organized. The enroll
ment for the year 1992627 in all
branches was 1868 of which 361 were
in the high school departments. The
high school department of the coun-
ty system has been steadily growing.
! Every encouragement is offered to in
duce attendance in the high schools.
There is no tuition charge in any
branches; besides truck transporta-
ton and individual transportation is
furnished where necessary. The fig
ures of high school development do
not show, by comparison with 1920
figures, the real progress, and what
has actually been accomplished. Fol
i the high school work now is up ia
the standard requirements, whereas
| the term high school meant very little
prior to 1921, as the schools were sc
small and poorly equipped, and more
often handled by thoroughly incapa'
BILE and inefficient teachers. Yet the
enrolment in high schools in 1862
was 361 against 231 in 1922.
A uniform high school course OF
study, for both the cambridge and
county systems, has been adopted and
, tbs is a great convenience and saw
, ing for both systems.
The county board Of education
realizing the necessity for good teach
ers has gradually raised the quail
fcation requirements until in 1925
the present requirement was made
that all teachers must be college OF
standard normal graduates or the
equivalent in education.
The Decatur county school system
of 1927 represents value of $780,
500 against value of approximately
SIS, 100000 for 1921.
Governor Walker in his inaugural
address, June 9th, 1925, said OF
Decatur county schools:
"The county of Decatur, the coun-
ty farthest but one from the state