Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-03-17
Allen Favors Proposal For Eigh3
Months Term Supported By
State Revenue

ticularly the rural schools, can b
held together under present econo
mic conditions was expressed in
letter written by DR.. A. T. Allen
state superintendent of public in
struction, to county and city sup.
erintendents in North Carolina
Copies Of the letter were received
here by school officials.
DR.. Allen explains the situation
existing in the General Assembly
in respect to schools and discusses
the relative merits of the two plans
proposed for operating schools in
North Carolina for the next two
years.
Two Plans Offered
In order to cope with the pre-
sent situation two we'll defined
plans have been proposed, the state
superintendent said.
One school OF thought would
make an appropriation of $10,20o,-
900 as the states total contribu-
ton to public school effort. The
other school of thought would es-
tabllsh an eight months school
term supported entirely out of
state revenue on cost standards
considerably less than the stand
ards now in effect. At a time like
this perhaps it is we'll to keep in
mind certain principles by which
we must abide. Among these are
the following:
Il. That governmental expendi-
lures from this on must not ex-
coed the taxes collected.
?. That taxes levied must be
within the limits of the taxpayers
ability to pay.
.. That unequal taxes should
be at this time leveled out.
there seems to be a rather gen.
eral agreement on these three prop
osltlons.
Fapors Mclean Bill
Senators Mclean and Bailey
have introduced into the senate a
resolution committing the state to
the program of an eight months
state supported statewide school
system. When all of the conditions
now existing in the state are taken
into consideration, it seems to me
that the eight months school term
supported by state revenue is the
only plan by which the schools can
beheld together. Without some
such measure the rural high schools
Will disappear in a large part of
the state, and the rural elementary
schools will be reduced to six
months Or less. 1t appears, there
fore, that the eight months prop
osltlon is highly preferable over all
the others for the following rea-
sons:
Il. 1t is the only plan now seri-
ously advocated here which will
keep the rural high schools oncra+-
ing In many sections of the safe.
and preserve the general intergritv
OF the rural school system.
2. 1t will greatly improve the
total efficiency of the whole school
system.
%: 1t is an economy measure
which makes it fit into the times.
1t provides, through reorganization,
a possible saving of $4,000 be-
tore starting on the reduction of
teachers salaries. This means that
on any appropriation level which
the General Assembly may deter
mine, there will be $4,000 more
money to go into Institutional ser.
vice.
a. 1t opens the schoolhouse door
to all of the children of the stare
on terms of equality.
State Responsibility
IS. 1t emphasizes the idea of
state responsibility in school sup
port, and makes the school syster..
as strong as the state itself. In he
extended term at present the sy<.
tenn is as weak as the weakest dis.
trict.
"6. 1t provides for an average az
valorem tax reduction of IS cent
which would be of considerable re.
lief to many hard pressed. NJ
longer would the homes of the peo
pie be sold in the name of tn
schools. Through such an educa
elonal system as proposed here, tn
efort would be to provide a gen
eration of home owners.
"7. 1t would levy some addition
al state tax, not as a new tax bu
as a replacement tax. A part of tn
,l35-cent reduction mentioned abov
would come from a reduction i