The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, March 23, 1909, Image 1
VOL XLVI NO. 2N TEWBERRY, S. C., TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1909. TWICE A WEEK $1.50 A YEAR
Urgent Neces4
Bond Issu
TAX FOR MINTENANCE
OF SCHOOLS REQUIRED
CITIZENS 31TING OVERLOOK
ED BY OBSERVER
In Giving a History of The Movement
-Statement Showing Condition
of the Schools Today.
It is not our purpose to engage in
any .ontroversy with our contempor
ary, the Newberry Observer, but to
correct or call its attention to an
oversight in its broadside against
the trustees of the graded schools
and the citizens' committee and the
proposition to issue bonds for the im
provement of our school facilities.
The election is to be held tomorrow
and there will be no opportunity for
further controversy, but in fairness
and justice to the trustees and the
citizens' comiittee, it seems to us
that attention should be called to the
omission which is made by the Obser
ver in the attempt to give a history
of this movement.
The Observer quotes from its own
files of September 2, 1907. the ac
tion of the citizens' meeting held
July 30, 1907. At that mee.ting a re
solution was adopted requesting the
trustees to prepare a report upon the
need and feasibility of additional
school facilities. Following that con
sideration, another meeting was call
ed for the 19th of September, 1907,
in which the boa-rd submitted their
report,. and it is -to this report that
the Observer directs special attention,
and cha.rges, the board with having
undergone a changa in their dreams.
The board at that time submitzed
two propositions: one to erect v
building io cost $12,000 on the
grounds of the present school build
ing, and the other to erect a builCing
i-n another part of the city, and it
was stated in that report that to a'.
.cmplish this would necessitate a
bond issue of $25,000.
With that proposition it would re
quire an additional levy to maintain
the schools of one and one.4half mills.
Conforming to that report the eit
izen?s' meeting adopted a resolution
requesti.ng the senator and represen
tatives to have a bill passed authoriz
ing an election on the question of is
s.ig$25,090 in bonds and a levy of
one and :1 half mills tax for mainten
ance.
The bill was introdu.eed and pass
ed the house bu.t failed of passage in
the senate because, as the senator ex
plained, he tho'ight it was the pur
pose of the trustees to put the build
ing on the Boundary street grounds.
The Obesrver seems to favor that
proposition.
To earry out this resolution. Mr.
S. P. Boozer, who was chairman of
the citizens' meeting, appointed Geo.
S. Mower~, Geo. B. Cromer, an~d W. H.
Wallace, a c-ommittee to act with the
board of trustees in drafting the bill.
Meeting Overlooked by Observer.
The Ob server seems to overlook an
other meeting whicth was held thle 2ht
of July, 1908, to hear the annual re
port of thie trustees. In that report
the board again calls atten.tion to the
necessity of improved facitities for
our scho'ols and the onugested condi
tion.
Commnittee Appointed.
Mr. John M. Kisard acted as chair
man of the meeting and after consid
era-b!e diserusion, on mlotionl of Mr.
Mowe~-r, a comrmittee comp~osed of
Geo. S. Mower. 0. B. Ma.ver. Gee. B.
Cromer and W. K. Sligh. with Mr.
Kiniard as chiairman, wvas appointed
to confer with the trustees in refer
ence to the whole matter and make a
report and recommend a plan.
It is but justice to this committee
appointed by the citizens' meeting to
state these facts, inasmuch as it
would be a legitimate conclusion from
the broadside of our contemporary
that these gentlemen-" coadjutors,"
the Obserrer calls them-were aet
ing without anyv authority from the
citizens of the community.
There is no argument in st riking atn
the committee or the tr;: tee-. T >e
citzes of this community should be
-ity For The
e For Schools
as much interested in the proper
equipment of the schools as the trus
tees and the committee.
Of c->urse, they wo.uld 'have the
right so to act,-as any citizen ahas a
right to do those things which he con
ceives to be for the best interest of
the community, but in this case they
were acting by authority of the cit
izens' meeting in conformity to the
resolutions adopted by the citizens'
meeting.
Report of Committee.
This committee formulated a re
port which they submitted as a joint
.report signed by W. K. .Sligh and by
the ehairman of tihe board of trus
tees, F. N. Martin.
In this report it is recommended
tih,at an issue of $30,000 of thirty
year bonds be made at the earliest
possible d'ate. It is also concluded
b% the committtee that the lot now
owned by the city is not suitable for
additional 1buildings.
The committee also submitted two
plans-one to erect a building large
enough to .aiceommoda.te t'he lower
grades for certain wo-s and also a
high school department. The oNher to
ere.t two smaller buildinzs in differ
ent parts of the city for the smaller
grades and for t:e high school.
The committee stated: "T.he latter
is the ideal arrangement." Th;e com
mittee was satisfied that the first
plan could be carried out with $30.
000 or less, but it believed that the,
second would not cost more, but as it
had no funds to employ an architect
the exact cost could not bt .determin
ed.
Th report closes as follows:
"We have rea.ched a crisis in our
eduieational affairs. The committee
believes that our people will meet it
in a worthy manner.
"Enough has already been said
.about the crowded, even congested
and unsanitary conditions in our
schools. Let us now apply the re
melv-mire room-more ;room for
work-more room for play.
"Remember that by selling $30,
000 worth of bonds, you .do not in
crease youir taxes for bonded debt for
school purposes. The levy is one mill
now. It will simply remain one
mill.'
The reason assigned by the citi
zens' committee a'nd the board, as
we understand it, for making the is
sue $40.000 instead of .$30,000 is that
certa.in repairs are absolutely neces
sary to t-hie property now owned and
it could not be ascertained just what
amounlt it would take. It is possible
that t-he entire amount will not ex
eed $35,000. If not no more will be
used. If this propositon to improve
our schools is defeated now there is
no telling when we can do anyt.hing.
The gentlemen in charge of the 'mat
ter are taxpayers and they are not
likely to be extravagant in expending
the money.
T%e report recommended t" at peti
tions be presented to the free holders
skiniz the city council to ordern an
election. This was the first phni to
get tile matter before the people. Af
terwards, we understand, the tom
mittee and the trustees deeided it
would be just as well and probabiy
easier to hvave the legislature which
was soon to meet pass an act submit
ting t.he question to the voters.
It was also decided, in view of cer
tain improvements which were abso
Intely necessary in the Boundary
street school building, to make the
ism: $40.000.
Thi~ p:art of the history of this
mnovement seems to have been over-.
looked by the Observer. and we feel
that in justice to the trustees and
the citizens' committee that the peo
ple should be refred.ed on this part
of the historv of this movement.
Committee's Plan Commended by Ob
server. . .
The Observer ini commenting on
this report stated editorially in its
issue of November 17, 1908:
"The committee appointed at a
citizens' meeting to look into and
reort on the school situation here
make their rep;>rt through tihe city
papers today. It is a fair and full
reort of the situation with thought
fu nd wel .o1nsiddered recommenda
tions. The recommendations they
make strike us as being exactly what
the situation calls for, and we feel
sure the citizens will cheerfully en
dorse what the committee has done
and will dn a-ll that is necessary to
make Newberry's school equipment
and efficiency equal to that of any
town or city in the State. Newberry
wants the best.''
Inconsistent Positions.
At that time it seems t'hat the Ob
serxer endorsed the recommendations
of the omnittee and the trustees.
In very strong and nnmistakable
Jan,guage that -recommendation was
for two buildings, -an issue of $30,000
in bonds.
Overlooking that report the Obser
ver charges the boa.rd with lack of
information and inconsistency.
WVe do not desire to have any con
trover v, as stated, with. the Obser
ver, but tha question will neverthe
less arise how it can square its posi
tion now with its declaration in No
vember, 1908.
Action Urged by Herald and News.
The Herald and News, speaking of
the recommendations of the commit
tee in its issue of November 17, 1908,
says:
"The committee appointed to look
into school conditions in Newberry
and submit report has done its work.
The report is published. Two plans
are submitted. Either one can be
earried out without an increase ol^
taxes. Even if taxes have to be in
creased sometingl ough,t to be done.
"The re)ort il; conCise and give
full information as to present condi
tiaons.
"The plan to erect two hailding ;
in different parts of the Ct'y-one for
high school and one for lower grades
-seems to be tive favorite with the
committee. It would be better to have
the high school department in a sep
a-rate building.
"Te present fa-cilities as pointed
out by the committee were only'ade
quate nearly twenty years ago, and in
that time the city has more than
doubled in population and we have
neglected our schools. Tdhis should
not .be permitted longer to be the
case.
"Our whole system needs reorgan
izing. There should be a principal
with a livipg sal-ary, and the salary
of the snperintendent should be in
reased to $1500. and the teachers
sould have not less than $30 to $60
rer month, arnd t'hen we should have
and could 'command efficient and
trained teachers, who should be
elected on their merits and for no
other reason.
'4The people are ready to furnish
the facilities and if the committee
will- submit their plan to the peo
ple the people will endorse it.''
Newberry Has Outgrown Schools.
We are still of that opinion and we
believe that -the people will vote
the issuance of bonds and the addi
tiona-l tax for the maintenance of the
schools.
It es only a question of the amount
we shall put in buildings. The Ob
server in 1908 favored $30,000. Now
it is opposing $40,000. and says that
$25,000 will be sufficient.
If it took $30,000 in 1908 and two
buildirgs were needed then why
should we want only one building now
aid only $25,000.
T'he city ha grown a grea tdeal in
the last few rears and the growth
continues, ana we should build not
for our immediate necessities but
with a view of the enlargement of the
school. It will be economical in the
end to do this.
Condition of Schools.
It may be interesting in this con
netion to state that in the report
submitted by the board in July. 1908,
which is the annual report for the
ear which cl-osed in June. the enroll
ment of wh-ite pupils of the school is
stated at 684 with an average attend
anee of 602.
The county treasurer states the in
come for the school for that .tear asI
follows: $3141
3 mil-l tax.. .. ...... ...142
From polls .. .... .........651.00
Doc tay .. .... ...... ...51.00
Two mill levy special .. .. 4,291.34
$8.097.46
A en?rVative estimate of the cost
of m'iiintainin2 the schools even with
, lditona! b:ai!ding may be stated
a.4 follows:
3 high school teachers .. .. 1350.00
1 high school principal 1000.00
Superintendent ........ 1500.00
$9250.00
Hoge school...........$ 1500.00
-I
$10750.00
Coal .. .... .. ..$600.00
J#a!it s..... ....360.00 -960.00
$11710.00
Additional Tax Necessary.
Nothing is included in this
estimate for the pay of the teachers
at the cotton mill or at ;Mollohon
and it is but just that these teachers
should be paid out of this fund for
if the mills did not furnish; the build
ings and teachers we would .hare to
furnish rooms and teachers. There
ought to be four teachers at the West
End school and two at Mollohon mak
ing six and at the same pay of other
teachers would take.$2700.00. It will
be seen to furnish the facilities we
should it wi[l take at least two addi
tional mills and then we will not have
any surplus.
Taking the two mill additional Levy
on- the basis of that year, would make
t.he total 'income, if that two mills
should be voted, $12,388.80. This
amount is really necessary for the
proper conduct of the sehcAls, bu if
it should he found that it is more
than should be needed, it wouild be
very easy to reduce it.
The estimated cost of itonduceting
th school properly with even on3 ad
ditional building cannot be met with
t:his income. It will. therefore. have
to be admitted by every citizen that
the additional tax is necessary.
Extraneous Matter..
The Observer brings into .-he con
troversy the proposition to vote on the
question by the county of $300,000
for permanent road work.
What has fie proposed issue of
bonds for _rood roads to dc with grad
ed scho.ols. Especially bonds that
have not yet been voted and probably
will not be. Not a single solitary
thing.
Health and Education of Children at
Stake.
We are not anxious to increaz2 'tie
debt of the city or to increase the fax
rate, but when it comes to the health
and the education of tdie, youth of this
community, they should not be coi
p)ared with money.
Those' who have the property need
tle protection of tihe educated and
well developed and trained citizen
ship and monmey put in t.he schools of
the community for t.his purpose is ani
investmenat which will pay the com
munity.
We say let the people vote the $40,
000 proposition and the two milltg
and thus show their interest in tiue
welfare of the ~youth of .this city and
their faith in the growth and develop
mer:t of the comemnntv.
It -is not business judgmient to vote
h at you know is less t-han is nee
essary for the proper equipment of
our schools. While at it yo had
ietter do the thing right.
JUDGE PRINCE PARALYZED.
Attacked Sunday Morning at His
Home in Anderson.
Anderson, March 21.-While dress
ing for breakfast at 8.30 o 'clock this
morning Judge George E. Prince,
judge of the 10th cireuit, was strick
en with para.l-ysis whieh has affected
his entire right side. His condition to
niht is considered quite serious by
the physicians, but they are not able
et -to giv*e out any opinion as to t.he
outome of the stroke.
Judge Prince has been circuit
.judge for one term and was elected
at the receut gene. assembly for
another term. He is 54 years of age.
and ump to this time -ha.s been in exeel
lent health. He was out yesterday.
and did not complain.
Tonight Judge Prince is able to ar
tiulate slightly and i.s able to more
slightly his right arm and right leg.
He is scheduled to open court at Ab
b)eville tomorrow morning, but Chief
Justice Pope and Governor Ansel
have been advised of his inability to
be present.
Abou Ben Adhemn protested.
''Merely mention that I scatter ash
es on my walk when it snows,'" he
cried.
nd in, his na.me led all the rest.
REVISITS CHILDHOOD HOME.
Justice J. Hay Brown and Friends
Visit Newberry-Pleased to
Meet Old Friends.
Hon. J. Hay Brown, accompanied
by his wife, and his former law part
ner, Mr. W. U. Hensel, and Mr. Hen
sel's brother, Mr. G. W. Hensel, spent
Sunday and Monday in Newberry.
Mr. Brown is associate justice of
tLhe supreme court of Pennsylvania,
and had been in conpany with Col.
A. X. MeLure, of Philadelphia, on a
tirip to Birmiingham and Atlanta.
Col. McLure left the party in Atlan
ta and returned to Philadelphia.
Judge Brown and his party went to
Charleston where they spent one day
very pleasantly and from Charleston
came to Newberry.
Judge Brown spent two or three
years of his childhood in this com
munity, leaving here in January,
1861. 48 years ago. He is ?son of
Rev. J. A. Brown, who was at one
ti.m-e a professo.r in Newberry college
and also president for a brief period.
Judge Brown found many places of
interest that were familiar to him,
and also a few of his childhood play
mates left. He said that the old court
house and the jail were just as he re
membered them.
The mosit pleasing thing probably
to Judge Brown on this visit was to
find such a. cordial wel.come from the
people of Newberry and especially to
hear the kind words which were spok
en by those who were old enough to
remember tie work of his father in
this community.
In talkina with The Herald and
News Judge Brown said that the cul
mination of his pleasure trip through
the South was when he landed in
Newberrv.
Mr. Hensel also made a most fav
orable impression upon the people of
Newberry and will be a welcome
guest at any -time, and the same can
be said of the younger Mr. Hensel,
who was also a member of t;he party.
Hon. j. Ray Brown haz been f(;r
nine years one of the associate jus
tices of the supreme, and highest ap
pellate court of Pen ilvania. He
has twelve years yet to serve and will
be the chief justice of t:he court, at
a salary of $10,500 per year, during
the last eight years of his term' He
was born in Reading, Pa., and his
father, Rev. Dr. J. Allen Brown, was
one of the most distinguished divines
of the Lut.heran church. From 1858
to 61 he was a professor and presi
dent of Newberry college and the im
pressions made during his residence
here were t:he most .lasting of young
Browni life, Later he became presi
dent of t.he ftutheran theological sem
inary at Gettysburg, Pa., ''where the
battle was fought;'' and any wound
ed South Carolina soldier brought to
his notice or to his home received
kindly at,tention. Judge Brown tu
tored in Greek at his alma mater,
Pennslvania college, after his gra
duation and studied law in York, Pa.
He was admitted to practice in Lan
aster. Pa., where President Buchan
an and Thaddeais Stevens had been
leaders of the bar. He went there
.uuk:owni, friienudless and penniless;
and in ten years reached t.he leader
ship of the bar. He became prom
ien-t ini politics: was city and county
soliitor. He was one of the famous
--sWr" who stood up and went down
wth the "Old Guard" for Grant at
Chicago, in 1880. Whren the superior
court of Pennsylvania was created
Gov. Hastings offered him the presi
dncy of it and he declined. In 1899
Gov. Stone appointed him to fill a
vacancy on the supremne court : he was
suseqently nomhinated by the Re
publicani St.ate convention foi: a full
term and eleuted by abont' 200,000
popu)hlar~ majority. His career on the
henrh stamps him as one of the great
e t .judges in Pennsylvania jurisprud
ene. Three years ago in New York.
when Seeret'ary (now senator) Root
m:de a remarkable speech extending
and expounding the federal constitui
ion Judge Brown s reply was hailed
by judges and lawyers all over the
land as the most courageous and fit
tn.: answer that had~ eve been maleI
Sthe latitudinarian lendencies of
m -dern polities.
Hie comes b)ack to t.he old nome~ of
his father, to revisit the scenes and
renew thre friend-ships of his child
hood, accompanied by his wi:fe, a
mos accomplihed lady, who, though
a Roman Catholic, most liberally wor
shipped and sang at the Lutheran
church on Sunday and held the con
gregation spell-bound with 'her rendi
tion of "Lead, Kindly Light."
Judge Brown is accompanied by his
long time friend and law partner, W.
U. Hensel. He is an old time jour
nalist and politician, as well as an
attornev. From 1875 to 1886 he edi
ted the Lancaster, Pa., Daily Intelli
gencer, formerly of Col. T. W. For
ney and the home organ of Presi
dent Buchanan. He was chairman
of the Democatic State committee
from 1882 (whin Governor Patterson
was elected) until 1887; he was in
the Democratic national conventions
of 1880, 1884, 1888, and 1892; and
was chairman of the Pennsylvania de
legation in 1892, whose solid vote for
Cleveland nominated him after Hill's
"snap convention" had earried New
York away from him.
Gov. Patterson appointed him at
torney general 1891-5; during which
tlime' Treasurer Jdhn Bardsley, of
Philadelphia defaulted; and in three
xyears he collected from' defaulters
and delinquents over three million
dollars. He is district counsel for the
Pennsylvania-Railroad company; spe
cial legislative counsel for the Phila
delphia and Reading Co., he repres
ents the street railway, electrict light
and gas interests of Lan
easter: the Lancaster Trust
Co.. and ten other State and
national banks: has been president of
the Pennsylvania State Educational
associ.tion, Pennsylvania Bar asso
ciation and vice-president of the
American Bar association.
George W. Hensel, Jr., is a brother
of W. U. He is a banker and whole
sale and retail hardwa>re merchant at
Quaryville. Lancaster county, Pa. He
is an aetive Democrat and intimate
friend and trusted consellor of Wm.
Bryan, who never comes east without
I consulting .with .him. He is an ini
nutable recontoner and was telling
stories to' an improvised crowd in
court house square ten minutes after
he toa:hed the town. A half hour later
he had inspected All the cold Oliver
Chilled plow agencies, and knew the
relatiou of su-rplus to capital of ev
ery bank in Newberry.
W. U. Hen-sel on being asked for
an interview said the unexpected an
i'ouncement in the Lutheran chureh
Sunday morning that he was to make
an address at the college chapel Mon
day morning :had made him speech
less. Inasmach, however, as The
Herald and News would rn.t go to
press until the got out of town he did
not hesitate to say the pleasure of his
visit to Newberry was .threefold. He
had come, first and with premedita
tion, as a friend of Justice Brown.
Within a half hour he had made so
m:any aeciuaintances of so many fine
fellows-lawyers; preachers, teachers,
merchants, manufacturers and gen
tlemen that he was quite prepared to
stay on his own account.
Finally he wanted to see the "New
South.'' He had seen it and was
patisfied-and yet with all the phe
nomenal growth of Birmingham,. and
Atlanta, and the historical splendor
of Charleston, :bad seen no place as
satisfacry as this.
Here are t:be natural Lutheran con
ditions. Here are the vital relation
of wte and black; here is the mani
fest iMfluence of the church and col
iege and the absence of the saloon.
Here are the results of a..comnposit'e
citizenhip-Quaker, German, Presby
terior and Huguenot-such as make
up t:he settlement of Lancaster coun
ty, Pennsylvania. On every side. Mr.
Hensel said, he saw objects, places,
persons and subjects of interest and
would be impelled to come back.
Caldwell & Haltiwanger.
Cal!dwe.ll and Haltiwanger have
moved into the store in Main street
reently vacated by t:he Bee Hive
next to Ewart-Perry company.
This is a }'arger room than the one
they occupied heretofore and gives
them better opportunity to display
their large and 'handsome stock of
spring goods and millinery.
In fact 'the millinery department
and the read-to-wear department will
be up stairs which will make it more
private and much more convenient
for their lady customers.
T:ley will have their spring opening
on Thrsay of this week.