The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1946-01-25

to have a surplus instead of a debt. But
let our pride not run out-of-hand and let
us not feel that all problems have been
solved so long as we still see the name OF
this state we love so often in lonely shame
at the bottom of the lists. We say to
Governor Bailey that we consider his
concern for economy a false one SO long
as he would spend S5.000.00 on a four
year medical school. whose upkeep will
cost approximately what all seven state
colleges combined cost now. and at the
the same time cut down the number of
high schools that are so desperately
needed by the boys and girls scattered
through SO many small towns and rural
communities throughout the state.
The medical school is the luxury. The
improvement of high schools, the raising of
teachers pay and standards, and the con-
struction of new schools instead of the re-
duction in their number-these are the
greatest necessity, along with regional hos
pitfalls, in the state today.
We would like to point out to the governor
the experience of the Vancleave community
here in Jackson county as an example of what
a high school means to a community. Van
cleave several years ago had one of the finest
high shoots of its type in this part of the
state. The community was moderately pros
porous, and there were many fine families
in the area. Apparently the high school was
one of the main things that held the Van
cleave community together. For the school
burned shortly before the war and has not
- - - Al 1:- L.. I-z-
losing ground ever since. No federal funds
were available for a new school under the
Lanham act because the school had burned
before the war, and families were leaving
to find a place where their children could
go to another school. Because the population
rolls showed a decline, the federal govern
ment could not build a school there on the
grounds that Vancleave was a wartime com
munity. 1t was impossible to prove to the
administrators of the Lanham act that the
population was declining precisely because
there was no school, although that was the
case. And Vancleave actually was a war
time" community like most others in this
part of the county, near the shipyards.
Vancleave will stage a comeback some
day. But first a good new high chool must
be built to replace the one that is burned
down. But where is Vancleave going to get
help to rebuild this school? Federal funds are
at present closed to them. The state has a
$23, 900, 900 surplus, but Governor Bailey in
his speech seems to want to close this avenue
also, while opening floodgates for the four
year medical school and the city of Jackson.
where it will be located.
Multiply Vancleave by the many other
small but seif-respecting Mississippi COM
munities who need new high schools or
who will be effected by the Governors
proposed limitation of their present num-
Der. The result will show in realistic
term that Mississippi's welfare will
never be served by the governors neglect
for it amounts to that-of general edu-
cational institutions throughout the
towns and rural communities in favor
of a medical school which. as we have
pointed out in other editorials. is not the
states best approach to the present prob
lens of public health.