The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-04-29
PUBLIC EDUCATION in N. {.
IS AGAIN. MOVING FORWARD
SUPT, ERWIN ASSERTS HERE
More Than 100, 900 Pupils
Will Soon Be in g.
Month Terms

SuHSSu iuSI iliSHI ny .Si5dS "a "''
state superintendent of public in
struction, at q meeting at the
high school auditorium. The meet
ing was sponsored by the Parent
Teacher association and was at
tended by a fair crowd, including
representatives Of various civic
| organizations. city officials, the
school board and others.
Mrs. Fred Justus, president of
the P.-T.A., presided at the meet
ing and MIR. Erwin was introduced
by F. M. Waters; city school su-
perintendent. ., -. ri.
The problems as presented by
the speaker were: IL.
|. An adequate financial base
for public instruction, and the
purchase of an adequate educa-
ton in public schools;
2. Making this adequate instruc-
ton available to. the children of
the state; 1872.
3. An adequate curriculum for
the public schools of the state, in
Guiding the broadening of vOca-
tional education. 49,.
Declaring that it was his belief
that public education in the state
is now moving forward again, Mr..
Erwin pointed to. the tremendous
progress made in public instruc-
ton in the state in the 20-year
period from 1914 to. 1884. Dur
ing this period, he pointed out
that the value of school property
increased from nine million dol
lars to lO7 million dollars; the
number of log school houses de-
creased from l65 to four; the
number of one-teacher schools de-
creased from 1858 to 533: en-
rollment increased from $4,000
to 100000; graduates increased
from 1000 to 81 1000; school
buses increased from none to A.
600; the preparation of teachers
increased from less than one year
of college training to three and
quarter years of training, and
many other gains were made.
Beginning in 1900, progress
was shown under Aycock and
Joyner, he said, but it was not
until 1914 that the results Of
their progress really began to be
realized.
The situation today commends
itself to the people of the state
as an incentive to continue to
build, Superintendent Erwin said,
adding that the children of North
Carolina deserve the best in edu-
cation in order that they may be
on an equal footing with the chill
dren of other states.
But with all this progress the
state still stands far down the list
in public instruction, the speaker
showed by quoting natio nal rat
ings of the state. North Carolina
is spending $24.18 per child
against the average for the whole
nation of SGT. The state stands
47th in money spent per child. In
high school enrolment it stands
38th, with 1854 per cent, against
the national average of 21.44 per
cent. 1t is 41st in the length of
school term, averaging 1898 days
against 17l.2 for the nation. In
percentage of income spent it
stands 46th, spending 10 per cent
of its income for education against
the national average Of 2.45 per
cent. In teachers salaries paid it
stands 46th, paying an average of
1896 per year against the national
average of $1,2l7.
Speaking of the three problems,
Superintendent Erwin declared
that he was convinced that funds
are available in the state to i'm
prove the school position without
burdening taxpayers. The state
government, he said. cannot cut
a pattern to fit the entire state,
but it can provide minimum pro-
gram on which localities can build
as they feel they are able and will
ling. Progress has been made
along this line, he said, and at the
next session there will be more
than 100000 children in nine
months terms. The largest num-
Der ever in nine-months terms was
about 10000. About 20 school
districts have voted to supplement
the state fund, and several others
are preparing to vote.
The program must then be
made available to the children OF
the state through the enforcement
of the compulsory attendance law,
he declared.
"And finally" he asked, what
are you going to do after you get
them to school? In addition to
the three RS and other academic
subjects, they must be taught a
way to live and how to make a
living. Character must be devel-
oped, and there must be more op-
CONTINUED on page three)