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STATE IMPR FC Progress in Last Twenty-five era1 Conditions Have Be School Work?Cons Great In Written for "The State," The new spirit filling the life and activities of our people is nowhere better exempliled than in our schools and colleges. The fundamental changes wrought since 1890 nave broueht a. new industrialism, a new democracy, and a new citizenship to the State. Town and country, factory and farm, teacher and pupil, have felt the influence and shared in benefits of these changes. In 1890 the public school system o* j t'ne State was 22 years old. The re- J port of the State superintendent forj the scholastic year 1889-90 is a thin j volume of 39 pages. In its opening: ' paragraph. James Henry Rice, Sr..; forcefully analyzes and states tb* problem in the following words: "The public schools of our State need money. Our system is capable of adjustment and amendment for all emergencies. These can be gradually applied, with the healthy growt'n of j tht, work. It is well understood that1 we have too many schools. This ten-! dency to multiply teaching places is; natural, and has not been sufficiently j guarded by law. iT'ne State undertook j to give the people a comprehensive! 1 -s ?\a1C onH ! and nexioie system ui atiiuuio, ?uu . very properly gave the trustees, as j nearest the voters, large powers. Un- j -der stress of political influence, in ?vsry neighborhood school houses have been sought and to often located,, without regard to the greatest good to the greatest number. Tne rights of the taxpayers should oe careiuuj ; guarded, but those rights will only be ' properly vindicated if the money is wisely expended for better trained teachers, more comfortable school1 bouses and longer terms." School District Unit. The community has always been the starting point for educational better-1 ment. The local charch and the lo-1 cal school have frequently stood side! by side and often the same good side! by side pastor served as pastor and i teacher. When the public school sys- i tem was established in 1868, this com-: anunity sentiment made the township j the local unit of school organization, j administration and attendance. The developmnt of the last 25 years is best illustrated by a comparison of the number of school districts in tae uarious counties. This same local sentiment for home rule in counties <has caused the establishment of Saluda, Greenwood, Cherokee Dorches- j ter, Bamberg, Lee, Calhoun, Dillon ai. Jasper?nine county seats since 1895. n,,,.,-,,,, tVio oamo tirnp it has increased 1/Ui 1JL&^ l/UV om&mv W-? tiie number of school districts from 707 to 1907, a net gain of 1200. Table showing increase in school districts from 1890 to 1915 follows: Counties? 1890 1915 j Abbeville 17 54 j Aiken 24 66 ! Anderson 18 67 Bamberg 23 Barnwell ' 25 55 j Beaufort 8 8 Berkeley 18 27 Calhoun 21 Charleston . . 4 20 j .Cherokee 35 : Chester Chesterfield S 54 Clarendon 31 ; Colleton . . . . -1 *2 \ Darlington 21 27 j Dillon 29 Dorchester 29 ; Edgefield 40 42 j Fairfield -1 30 ! Florence 1*> ^3 j n 27 I Ureorgciw> u Greenwood 48 ' Greenville 62 99 i Hampton 15 21 Horry 11 98 Jasper 11 ! Kershaw 12 3S j Lancaster 10 51 I Laurens 10 65 Lee v .-.j.. 32 Lexington 65 76 Marinn . 19 27 i Marlboro 15 ^'4 j Newberry I4 ^ J Oconee ^ 10 i Orangeburg CO Pickens 8 54 I Richland 9 23 Saluda 47 ; Spartanburg 4"> 96 j <3nmfr*r !... 1& -3 j I'nion 11 28 j Williamsburg 17 50 York 27 56 j I Totale for State 707 1 907 School District Areas. ! This growth in the number of OVES SYSTE )R POPULAR t Years Has Been Notable?F \en Accompanied by Corres\ ? ? - r r _ . X olid at ion une or important ir crease in Enrollment and Ati by J. E. Swearingen, State Superinten ( school districts has had two highly ion ofi iron l Thek prprtion of a aew district invariably results in a 1 community consciousness, responsibility and pride, leading to local selfgovernment as well as to a better , school. The tendency to multiply the schools was strongly felt from 1876 to 1895, until, Commissioner W. <\V. Bright, of Pickens county had the courage and the foreisght to insist upon a minimum of nine square miles in a school district survey of his territory. This minimum was later written into the constitution of 1S9."> and nas proved exceedingly helpful in prevmitinor wactpfnl H)]nliration in a mill titude of weak, inefficient schools serving only a few patrons in a limited area. The division of townships Into school districts has been practically finished, except in a few sparsely settled localities. Since patrons and tax payers have learned their opportunities and their responsibilities toward the school, they have begun to put efficiency above convenience and have advocated consolidation instead of further division. Thoughtful school men have recognized the absolute ne cessity or an aaequaie lernwi-iai u?ois with wealth and population sufficient to support a school. The most serviceable area ranges from 12 to 15 square miles. It seems probable that the number of school districts in the State will not exceed 2.500. j The consolidation of districts in order to maintain a three-teacher school for seven months is rapidly gaining support in every county. The one-teacher school with aR its shortfnminec and limitations has already been banished from Darlington county. One of the largest rural schools in the State has been secured at Antioch through the combination or three districts, the installation of six wagons and the voting of a local tax of 10 mills for current expenses and 6 mill6 for bonds. Consolidations have been especially numerous among the rural graded schools. * In 1914-15 these numbered 400. and the rate of growth insures more than 500 during 1915-16. Local Taxation. One of the most striking results of local school district government is development of local school taxation. This movement originated at Winnsboro in 1878. The special act of the legislature creating the WinnS'boro district provided that it should be four miles square, with its centre at the court house, and that thetaxpayers of the district might levy by a mao fay nf 1 1-2 mills. The JVi ACJ * Cfc ~ _ _ benefits to the school were so great that other towns and cities secured similar acts in the next few years. The general law of 18SS provided that any district, rural or urban, might levy a local tax not to exceed 2 mills. On June 30, 1908, the number of special tax districts in the State was 550. Seven years later. June 30, 1915, this number had increased to 3,464. Col-j - - - ' lections from local taxes in 1 r.mounted :o $58,119.03, and in 1915 to ?1,109,159.43. This marvelous growih has supplied the funds for school improvement. This is a safe index to the educational spirit of the people, i to ihe economic prosperity of the State, and to the assured future of the j schools. In 1909 the State made local taxa-j ticn the basis of State aid. Begin-1 ning wi.th the most needy schools, this j requirement was imposed upon the weakest districts. An appropriation j of $20,000 was secured only by a majority of one vote in the senate. Sen-' ators G. K. Laney of Chesterfield and T. I. Rogers of Marlboro were the pioneers in this movement. This initial success was followed in 1910 by the enactment of tne Garris or term extension law, appropriating $60,000 to lengthen the school term in weak districts unable to run five months, and voting a school tax of two mills. In 1^1- this principle was still further extended by the law to encourage the consolidation of graded schools in country districts. In this effort Representative \V. H. Nicholson of Greenwood required a 4-mill tax, a teacner for every 25 children, a reasonable term, building and equipment. He secured an appropriation of $15,000, which rose to $80,000 in three years, and which will probably be made $125,000 by the present general assembly. , In 1907 began 'the movement for a M EDUCA TlOh fundamental Changes in Gen- 1 ponding Development in 1 tovements of the Time. r tendance. ' c lent of Education. j i I State system of high schools. Secondary education had been left large- c tc private academies and the * stronger public schools in the larger - towns and cities. This movement has t resulted in the establishment of 124 c State-aided schools doing thorough s secondary work. It is enough to say that the high school enrollment has v increased from 4,812 in 1907 to 10.481 in 1915. t Equal Opportunities to All. Besides making appropriations for s term extension, rural graded schools, 1 | buildings and high schools, the gen- 1 ! i in 1 Q1 4. pctu hi ich* !tri cii uoo^iu kn; iu ^ v* * vubMviAUiivu w**v j I broad principle of equalizing oppor- c ; tunities for all .he children in all the 1 districts of the State. A special fund i'or needy schools was provided to be l disbursed as circumstances and conJ ditions might require. This money has been used mainly to guarantee a minimum term of seven months and one teacher for every 50 children. This standard is too low. but any successful effort to remedy conditions must not overlook such conditions as they actually exist. The time ought to 1 | come, and it can not come too soon, 11 i when every school snail run eigne |" j months, and no teacher shall be ex- 11 pected to handle more than 40 pupils s This could be readily accomplished a upon an annual investment of $20 per'1 child. This has already been accom- d plished in the white schools of 16 *f counties. It will be accomplished in p p other counties in a few more years. The property of the State has two c j uses. It must feed, clothe and shel- e 1 fpr hp- nresent eeneration. and it | r must likewise be used to educate and equip the next generation. Ignorance is the greatest handicap that can rest t< on any people, and the public school J* is the only agency through which a r' literate citizenship may be trained. a Teachers throughout the nation are * pressing foryard in a country -wide 'A campaign for education. Its eight a points as outlined by the United States a commissioner of education represent c: forcibly the needs and possibilities of A South Carolina. ei The object of tne campaign for better rural schools is to bring full and n' equal opportunity of education to w every boy and girl in America. ^ Means to this end are: 1. A school term of not less than s' 160 days for each child. *e 1? i?o n z. A sumcieni uurnuer ui Lcauucio adequately prepared for their work. ^ 3. Consolidation of rural schools t( with <in average area of about 12 Sl miles for each school. u 4. Teacher's home and a demon- t] stration farm from 5 to 50 acres, a part ^ of the school property. 5. An all-year session adapted to local conditions. 6. A county library with branch 1C n libraries at tne centres or population, with the schools used as distributing -1' centres. P 7. Community organization with, the c school as the intellectual, industrial, s educational and social centre. 8 A modern high school education j R for every boy and girl in America, in j11 the country as well as in the town, j n Enrollment and Attendance. ' | P During the past 25 years the enroll-1 ment of white boys has risen from 46,- L 360 to 91,415; the enrollment of 1 white girls from 43.012 to SS 901; and 0 the total white enrollment from 89,- 11 : 372 to 180,316, an increase of more! j than 100 per cent. Corresponding fig- ^ I ures in attendance show that fne 17 j average for white boys has risen from g j 34,093 to 61,022; for girls from 33,092 n 10 62.196; and for both sexes from c 67,185 to 123,118, a net gain of nearly i ~ SIi per cent. Attendance has not kept w pace with enrollment, but the falling 1 off is largely due to the increased d length of the school term. ^ The enrollment for negroes in 1890 c was: Boys 54.131. girls 57,757; both ; u sexes 111.888. The corresponding fig- t: ' 1 ures for 191;. show a negro enroll- 1 ment of: Boys 87,403, girls 105,122; 'both sexes 192.525. The net gain in i * - i 11 : negro enrollment during the 25 years!1 | was 79.637. This is in marked con-1 ' trast with the corresponding net gain i y I nmnnntimr tr? QII Q44 TllPSA i I\J i VV ill LV'r* UI11UU1IUU-, v. \J ^ , I | figures show that the whites have | gained not only proportionately but j ? ! numerically. The net increase in ? | white pupils over negro pupils in 2."> a years was 11,307. If the same rate of ? growth in white popclation is main- _ tained, the federal census of 1930 will put South Carolina in the column of $ States having a white majority. s During the scholastic year 1SS9-90 he white enrollment showed ? loss )t' 3S!i from the preceding year, while he negro enrollment showed a gain >f 7 385. The net increase during the rear for both races was 6,996. In L91the white enrollment showed a jain of ">,019 over the preceding year, ivhile the negro enrollmnt showd a oss of 10,847. In 1915 the total en ollment for both races declined 5 S2S rem the corresponding figures for .913-14. These annual fluctuations ire interesting, but they do not ap)roach in importance the figures ndicating the trend of the 25 year jeriod. The growth of recent years is further rrmhnsiDpd bv thp increase in teac'n ?rs* salaries from $364,405.43 to $2,181,249.13. and in the lengthening of he average school term from 70 j lays to 133 days. The number ofj ;cnool houses has increased from 3,-1 !64, valued at $447,352.58, to 5 051, j a1.ucd at $5,954,309.92. The development in higher educa- j ionh s been no less significant, j :tate. church and private college are tronger and more efficient today than! :Vtr before, in 1890 Clemson wasi banning iO open in 1892; Winthrop; vas only a small training school con-! [ucted as an experimental adjunct to j he public school system of the city i " i >f Columbia. There are today few j arms, schools or homes in tne state hat have not felt the influence of, hese two colleges. The university! md the Citadel have maintained their j ong record of historic service, and. he class rooms of both these colleges how more students than ever before, "he new medical college at Charleson holds the promise of better health! or the whole people, while the State legro college at Orangeburg is eaching intelligence and industry to Ls patrons and students. Almost a core of church and private colleges re continuing to render the service hat inspired t'nem in more stressful ays. The number and cost of col2ges are out of proportion to ourj opulation, wealth and public schools, j tui as soon as these public schools; an be made thoroughly efficient: very college dormitory and class oom will be speedily filled. Unsupplitd fteeds. With all the progress of the quar=r century some fundamental needs et remain unsupplied. School finances j est on the basis of the county unit J nd the district unit. The common- j realth needs a Slate tax for schools. . white boy educated in Barnwell at cost of $39.05 a year has too gr^at n advantage over a white boy edua;ed in Horry at a cost $8.80 a year. . negro child in Charleston is allowed $7.14, while the same child in Sa ni * ? ida wouia receive a uew ucuition of enrollment in connection ith a State tax would correct these isparities. The number of trained teachers is :ill too small. With all that the col>ges are doing, and have done, they eed to emphasize still more strongly le responsibility of their graduates ) do service in the State and in t'ne :hools. Until this body of trained orkers has been supplied, the educa onal progress of the State must ig. Little or nothing has been done in " le way of industrial education. Culjred leisure has been held up as an leal for boys and girls who never ave the money to possess or to en- i )y it. Work is worship, and the peo- i le who learn to do and to enjoy hon-1 st work may hope some day to pos-j; acc anfi ta eniov cultured leisure. I < Gratifying beginnings h^ive been; lade in the field of agricultural and | idustrial training, but these experi-| icnts ought speedily to become fixed ] rinciples and policies. Q.he man to solve these problems is | he county superintendent of educa ion. This office is the keystone oi ur educational arts. The man hold- . ng the' position is merely the tem- ( orary instrument of public service. , Nhe county superintendent's office j :ust be dignified, supported and or- ( anized for the task it has to do. The lan in this position should be an edu- , ational engineer with capacitiy. train- j ig, tact, leadership and vision. Some f the 44 couiuies already illustrate ; he influence cf such leaders. The founj ation of our educational system has!, een worthily laid, but the task of | ompleting rhe work cails for strong, j nselfish men not afraid to under-j, :ike the solution of difficult problems, j 'hese men have done well for State uring the last 23 years, but a beauiful and inviting vista beckons them . o better, fuller and higher sen ice uring the next quarter century. Whenever You Need o <Qe?ier&I Ton?; Take Grove's The Old Standard Grove's Tastele<;: hill Tonic is equally valuable as ? General Tonic because it contains the , -ell known tonic properties of QUININE r.d IRON. It acts on the Liver, Drives ut Malaria, Enriches the Blood anc luilds up the Whole Svstein. 50 cents * The Herald and News one year for ] 1. This cffer is open to old of new ! ubscribers and is good until March. 1. FOB BRONCHITIS, W CO Make the Best Remedy at Home? If everything was sold in as liberal and j fair a manner as the below named drug-1 in gists are selling Schiffmann's New Con-! fr centrated. Expectorant, absolutely no ei cause for complaint or dissatisfaction w could possibly arise from anyone. These fa druggists say?"Buy a bottle of this rem- aj edy and try it for Bronchitis, Whooping 5( Cough, Severe Cough, Croup or any sj Bronchial Affection, and we will return si your money, just the same as we do with oi Schiffmann's famous Asthmador, if it n< does not give satisfaction, or if not found 01 the best remedy ever used for any of ai these complaints." Why not take ad- th vantage of this guarantee and try this gi medicine, and get vour monev back, rath- in er than buying another purely on the ai exaggerated claims of its manufacturer gi or on the strength of testimonials from m others and run the chance of getting sa something worthless and also wasting S< your money? own vniiR prop i' Villi I Wit tillvi INSTEAD OF OWE IT f Food And Grain Crops Wili Make Agricultural South Independent, a Says H. G. Hastings j t) I w Atlanta, Ga.?(Special.)?The credit system under which the agricultu- | e ral south works and stays poor is an-js' alyzed in a striking way by H. G. 1 t< Hastings of Atlanta, chairman of the ; p agricultural committee of the Cham- | a ber of Commerce, and a member of the executive council of the Southeastern Fair. He does not mince j a words in talking about the situation, jj "Every season during the last fifty years," he says, "there has been trou- c ble in the cotton belt whenever the i* crop was large and the price low, or ti the crop short. Each time the cry of ^ hard times goes up, and the reason back of it is that the farmers cannot. i] get enough money to pay their debts a out of their so-called cash crop?cot- ? ton. It is disheartening because it is so absolutely unnecessary. "A cotton farmer's debts are large- ii ly for food and grain, charged up against him on the merchants' dooks ' at two to three times the price that a those same items could be produced P on his own acres, and usually without serious interference with a crop of cot- t ton as large as he now makes. "The trouble is that most cotton * farmers owe their crop instead of n owning it when made. "The credit way looks the easy way, but it strangles most farmers before they get through life. s "I have said repeatedly in public addresses that no state or section of any country can be prosperous that ^ is regularly dependent on another ^ D ! + ? ennnlioc What e S6CI 1UII iUi lis IUUU oujjpiivvj. ft Uw ^ Is true of a state or section is true t of the individual farmer. "The great exhibits of grain, hay a and food products shown at the Southeastern Fair held in Atlanta in November, give the lie to the statement that these things cannot be grown a here at home successfully and prof- ^ Itably. p "A good big home garden kept t planted and rightly tended through ' the season will produce half of the c living besides furnishing an abund- o ance for canning or drying rrom tne f. surplus. t, "When we make our food and grain l" we will have few or no debts at th? c store; we will own instead of owe our crops when made, and farm wealth will accumulate in the south instead of farm and crop mortgages." b ti ?. tj fJccn Sleeping- a Long Time. Fred Thompson, night clerk a; the J u Laclede Hotel, St. Louis, says The u N'ew York Times, is asking his friends !i :o believe th's one. , r< 1 tl "About 8 o'clock the other night," Thompson s:.vs, "a tali rangy ruralite entered the looby of the notel and ap- i proached the des.. After 1 had fixed j bim up with a room ie asked me if J 11" I would take care of s-ume money for < 01 him. I told him I wcild be glad to put j sc I fr it in the safe. f.s'ned down in his , trouser's pocket an:l produced a $2 J bill. ' 01 ' '.Just put that away, he said.'' 'II , j tl am goins: out for a little while and I : : F ion't want to take any chances with 1 . i is rhpse citv slickers." for, "I kep; my face straight and assur- * ed him it would be safe on his return.; fl He started to leave and then turned 0 around and asked me now late we. f0 kept open. . 1 F "Oh, I'll be here when you get & re rack, I told him. q " ''Well, I don't know,' he replied. ? 1 calculate I'll be out pretty late, most 10 o'clock, likely.' "I assured him I would be on deck, ^ jilt he did not seem satisfied. After j* pondering a few moments he asked: ^ c "Could I see Mr. Leclede?' "That had me going for a few min-! ? i-1es. but when I recovered I told him | 1 Mr. Leclede had gone to bed." Pierre Leclede. the founder of St. | Louis, from whom the hotel was i named, died in 1778. 1 fc i 31' ro Drive Out Malaria ? And Build Up The System Th rake the Old Standard GROVE'S & rASTELESS chill TONIC. You know i Qi tfhat you are taking, as the formula is j f" - ? ? ? ? ji I lo printed on every iaoei, snowing n ? Quinine and Iron in a tasteless form. ?< rhe Quinine drives out malaria, the [rov Guilds up tJae system. 50 cents H00P1K8eOOGfi, mm *ae sous -128 Teaspoonsful for 50 cents. In buying this remedy, besides securig an absolute guarantee of its efficiency om these druggists, you aiso get about ght times as much medicine as you j ould in buying most any of the old- 1 ishioned, ready-made kinds, which aver- 1 *e from 20 to 32 teaspoonsful, because * )c worth makes a whole pint (128 tea >oonstul) when mixed at ftome witn mp!y one pint of sugar and one-half pint : water. This remedy positively does )t contain chloroform, opium, morphine any other narcotic. It is pleasant to take id children are fond of it. You will be te sole judge, and under this positive jarantee absolutely no risk is run in buy- j g this remedy. Druggists everywhere e authorized to sell it under the same larantee as Schiffmann's famous Asth ador ot "Money Back" it not periectiy ^ itisfactory. R. J. Schiffmann, Proprietor:, lint Paul, Minn. Guaranteed here by ilder & Weeks :akl kitchener speaks & OF THE ZEPPELIN RAIDS declares Air Invasion Has Had No hilliience on the Military rAn<r..?t \v?. VVUUUVI VI T T Cil, London, Feb. 17.?Earl Kitchener nnounced in the house of lords today lat during the last Zeppelin raid it as certain ihat the British accountd for one airship which was lost at ea, and that there was good reason } believe a second airship had been ut out of action. Lord Kitchener cded: "Up to the present time a hostile ir invasion of England has had no ifluence whatever on txie military onduct of the war, and regrettable as > the loss of citizen life and damage :> private property, I do not believe A he people desire to give too great mportance to these attacks, nor to llow them to affect militarv nnera ions. < ... 4) 4| "It must be realized that in war it 5 not always possible to insure safety very where and some risks must to* '? ccepted in order io be strong at im? ortant points. "It is beyond our power to guaranee these shores from a repetition of hose air incursions, but we shall lake them more costly eacii time." Outlining the system of the air de. {?, /-i A T ^_ J T7-:*?"u ? :U3e 1" VJICttL UI iCd.HI, LAJI U rvn.v>ucutsr aid: "The defense is three-fold: First, ood advance information regarding tie movements of hostile aircrafit; econd, defense by anti-aircraft arillery; third, attacks on raiders by eroplanes. Sufficient Warning. "As regards the first, we now have system which gives us sufficient rarning of impending air arrivals ant robable numbers of trie enemy. As o artillery, the construction of airraft guns has now precedence ovei :her ordnance, and now the guns as I ist as produced will be distributed hp 3(7vnnt!i2P thrrm ountry. "Attack by aeroplane at n.ght is a9 ended with great difficulties, but elieve that with more extended pracH ice we should, overcome tiie difficult w. "The government will leave no stone n/turned in efforts to improve to the ^ traost our defences against "Zeppe- 1 ne.'' riprlareri Kitahenftr Thft esponsibility for defence will be-ia le hands of Viscount French, with: ir Percy Scott as his chief advis! i In reply to a question regarding the se of aeroplanes at nig'nt Lord Kitlener said no order had ever yet been >nt to a pilot of the royal flying corps } liiarve an douru^ at iiisui i\j a ita^rv. r? epvelin. He added: "The decision as to whether to fly not is left to thp senior officer on le spot. If he decides that the eather conditions are favorable toe * the first to ascend." Maria or Chills & Fever rescription No. 666 u prepared eapecialhr J ?r MALARIA or CHILLS & FEVER ivp nr bit will hr#??ilr nnv rr.sc. fln.1 taken then as a tonic the Fever n<^t turn. It acts on the liver better tiisu glome! And does not gripe or sicken. 25 i RUB-WIY-TIS^ rVill cure Rheumatism, Ko?; algia, Headaches, Cramps, Colic Iprains, Bruises, Cuts, Burns. 0!<1 sores, Tetter, Ring-Wo.-nv fee :ema, etc. AnSiseiiiiG :.? ^ ised internally ? ? Subscribe to The Herald and News, Thf Herald and News one year for . This offer is open to old of new bscribers and is good until March 1. e Quinine That Does Not Affect The Heed a cause of its tonic and 2axative effect, LAX A- ^ VE BROMO QUININ5 is betterthan ordinary ' linine and does not cause nervousness nor . lging in head. Remember the full name ana ?>k jjf the ?*iarnature K. W. GVf VE. 25c Subscribe to Hie Herald and New*