LA Educational Survey of Warren County Georgia By M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent No. 27 Under Direction of State DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION M. L. BRITTAIN State Superintendent of Schools 1919 MonoTi"c;"h Educational Survey of Warren County Georgia By M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent No. 27 Under Direction of State DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION M. L. BRITTAIN State Superintendent of Schools 1919 GEORGIA, NOTE: An experience with county-wide local school tax is the most effective argument for it. Counties adjacent to local tax coun- ties, seeing its benefits, most readily vote for it. See map. Shaded Counties: County-wide Local Tax LOCAL TAX COUNTIES These counties tax themselves in order that all — not some — of their schools may be improved One by one others are adding themselves to the roll of the educational leaders who demonstrate thus practically their belief in the necessity for more and better training for the children. A few years ago only Chatham, Richmond, Bibb, and Glynn had county-wide local taxation: Bacon, Ben Hill, Bibb, Bryan, Burke, Butts, Camden, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clark, Clinch, Coffee, Columbia, Crawford, Crisp, De- Kalb, Echols, Emanuel, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Hart, Harris, Henry, Houston, Irvin, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Jones, Lee, Lincoln, Lowndes, Marion, Mcintosh, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, Pulaski, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Richmond, Screven, Spalding, Stewart, Talbot, Terrell, Tift, Walton, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilkes, Worth. Total, 58. 1919 The Next Liberty Drive For Warren County Should Be For Better Rural Schools Warren County's apportionment will be .005^ on the taxable property of the county, or five mills on each dollar, or five dollars on each thousand; (as the maximum). There is no bondage like ignorance. Education liberates. Our children must be liberated at any cost. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE WARREN COUNTY TO GO OVER THE TOP FOR THE CHILDREN? 1919 HON. R. V. SWAIN, County Superintendent of Schools, Warrenton, Ga. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION HON. J. W. WHITELEY, Chairman Warrenton, Ga. HON. N. F. McGINTY Norwood, Ga. HON. E. S. RAY Norwood, Ga. HON. J. D. LONG Warrenton, Ga. HON. J. F. PALMER R. f. D., Spread, Ga. WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS For years the Public School of Warrenton has been the strength and pride of the town. Probably no other agency or institution has meant as much to the material and in- tellectual advancement of the community as its good public school. But Warren county never has and is not yet particularly proud of her rural public school system. It has not been calculated to inspire pride ; nor has it added greatly to the material or intellectual advancement of the county. Years ago the support of the Warrenton public school v^as put upon a safe and permanent basis — that of local taxation. This local school tax levied annually was for the purpose of supplementing the meager amounts received from the State school fund. This is the only known plan for public school maintenance that experience has proven to be always dependable. It has proven so in Warrenton's experience, and every individual and every enterprise in the town has benefited from the town's good public school. Nobody ever thinks of complaining at the little tax levy invested in their public school, and none would vote for its repeal. The support of the public school has depended upon no contingencies, and so confidence in it has been fully established. But for all these years the support of the rural schools of Warren county has been limited to three or four dollars per year received from the State school fund, increased at times and in some places by unwilling tuition, voluntary 5 subscriptions, uncertain amounts from "box suppers", and other unbusiness-like methods, and operated in as unbusi- ness-like ways as would be expected of any other enterprises so meagerly and doubtfully supported. With no building funds and an inadequate and uncertain maintenance fund provided the people have not expected very much of their rural schools — and they have not been disappointed. Such has been the experience of practically every town and city in the State, and such the experience of all the counties until the McMichael Constitutional Amendment permitted counties as well as cities to levy local school taxes against their property for the better support of their public schools. Under this permissive law fifty-eight counties in Georgia have voted in favor of supporting their rural schools, not- withstanding it still requires a two-thirds majority. And the rural schools of these fifty-eight counties are now ap- proximating in efficiency the schools of their county seat towns. If proof is needed of how it pays to invest money in good public schools for the proper education of our boys and girls attention is called to recent experiences of Warrenton and Warren county boys who enlisted in the army. Of the thirty-five who had had advantages of the Warrenton school about half were made ofificers. Of the seventy-five from the county's rural schools about one out of fifteen were thought capable of commanding. And similar handicaps imposed by existing rural school conditions upon our boys and girls who live in the country will continue to operate to their disadvantage in civil life to as great extent as in army life. "WHO WILL BE LEADERS AND WHY?" is a very per- tinent question that should be seriously debated throughout Warren county, as it is being done in so many other counties in Georgia just now. And the cost of better schools is so little in comparison with their worth. A five mills levy (never more and sometimes less) against the property of Warrenton has given to all the children of the town the benefits of its good school. Fifty cents from each one hundred dollars taken yearly out of the material wealth and investment in the training and education of the town's children has been thought to be a good investment for the town. Not only have the town's boys and girls been thereby given better chances of greater success and useful- ness in life, but incidentally every material interest of the town have become beneficiaries of the town's good public school system. This latter consideration alone would well justify the cost, while the former can not be estimated in dollars and cents. What a local school tax, and a more business-like admin- istration by reason of it, has meant to Warrenton a similar system would eventually mean to Warren county. There is no reason why Warren county should not have as good public schools as Warrenton — or any other city — and the same system of support and administration will bring about similar results within a reasonable length of time. No higher tax rate against the property of the county would be needed than is levied against the property of the town; and the beneficial returns would be proportionate. The educational interests of the children of the county is as much more important than the property of the county as is the educational interests of the children of the town more important than the property of the town. FINANCIAL. Taxable property (outside Warrenton) $1,312,317.00 Corporation property: Ga. R. R. & Bkg. Co. _' $138,246.00 'Oa. R. R. & Bkg". Co. 10,591.00 Ga. R. R. & Bkg. Co. 6,796.00 Savannah & Atlanta R. R. 35,919.00 W. U. Tel. Co. 15,794.00 Southern Bell Tel. Co. 16,385.00 Postal Tel. Co. 11,234.00 American Tel. & Tel. Co. 8,470.00 Southern Express Company 1,033.00 1,544,368.00 Total $2,856,685.00 If Warren county would levy for rural schools five mills against the above property it would yield $14,283.42 State School Fund for 1919 will be 17,238.62 Making a total fund for the county schools of $31,522.04 It is well to note that of the $2,856,685.00 of taxable property of the county outside of Warrenton that would be subject to the proposed school tax $1,544,368.00, or more than half, is non-resident corporation property. Or in other words, if a five mills school tax is levied for support of War- ren county's rural schools approximately $7,721.84 per year would be paid by the non-resident corporations and $6,561.58 by the county. To state it differently, the county is now losing $7,721.84 annually towards the support of its rural schools, because they do not tax themselves $6,591.58 for the education of their own children. How much longer can the county afford such losses? A levy of five mills against all the property of the county (outside Warrenton) would approximately double the amount paid for maintenance of the county's schools in 1918, including all that was raised from tuition, subscrip- tions, etc. With such increased fund the board of education could pay better salaries, make prompt payments, have longer terms, gradually build first-class school houses, and put in ample school equipments, and without depending upon uncertain subscriptions and unbusi- ness-like box suppers and the like. Confidence would quickly be established in the rural school system of the county, and educational opportunities would be within easy reach of all the country children. We know of no greater blessing that could come to any county, and we are unable to understand why any voter should desire to delay its com- ing. Warren county is not a poor county. The county has but recently begun to realize its potential powers. The people need but to be awakened to the great importance of better rural schools. They can do whatever they want to do. Un- der leadership of the county superintendent of schools and the chairman of the county board of education and a few other vigorous leaders the seemingly impossible has re- cently been easily accomplished. Under the same leader- ship as vigorously prosecuted in the interest of better rural schools we shall presently see new educational conditions throughout the county. Warren county promptly raised for 1st Liberty Loan $ 25,000.00 Warren county promptly raised for 2nd Liberty Loan 40,000.00 Warren county promptly raised for 3rd Liberty Loan 104,000.00 (When only apportioned $59,000.00) Warren county promptly raised for 4th Liberty Loan 140,000.00 (When apportioned only $99,300.00) Warren county GAVE to the Red Cross 3,300.00 (When only asked for $2,000.00) Warren county' GAVE for United War Work 4,500.00 (When only asked for $3,000.00) Warren county has already bought War Savings Stamps__ 100,000.00 Making a total within the year of $416,800.00 9 FOUR PER CENT INTEREST ON SUCH AN AMOUNT WOULD GUARANTEE GOOD RURAL SCHOOLS FOR WARREN COUNTY. There are at present 424 automobiles in Warren county, worth approximately $400,000.00. The interest upon this sum added to the State school fund which the county gets would operate first-class rural schools all over the county full nine months each year. Or, again, the expenses of run- ning these machines would much more than pay a liberal maintenance to every rural school in the county. The edu- cational interests of the county's children deserve serious attention, and if need be sacrifices. It is evident that Warren county can have whatever it wants. Is it not time now to have a "Drive" for better rural schools in the county ? The problem will be easy of solution. The plan presented is economical, equitable, business-like, and has been fully tried out by practically every city in the State, including Warrenton, and by one-third of the coun- ties of the State. It has never failed. No other plan has ever succeeded. Could more be said in its favor ? The county must go forward in education, or it will go backward. Educational demands of the immediate future will not be satisfied with the schools of the past. People everywhere are beginning to realize that the future de- mands better things. Our schools in rural districts should not be the last activity to respond to this demand. THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE RURAL SCHOOLS. There are sixteen white rural schools and twenty-seven negro schools in the county. Three school districts levy a local tax under the District system. These are Camak, 10 Norwood, and Margaret Evans District. The latter has not yet levied any tax, but will begin in 1919. The other thirteen white schools and all of the negro schools depend solely upon the State school fund for main- tenance, except as supplemental amounts are raised through tuition charges, subscriptions, and other temporary devices. These supplemental amounts through the vigorous efforts of an energetic superintendent have totaled as much as $5,- 000.00. The amount is variable and unreliable, depending upon so many contingencies. The State school fund for the county for 1918 was $12,- 269.25. Of this amount $1,825.00 was apportioned to the Warrenton school, and $10,444.25 to the rural schools of the county. This was only $3.99 per capita. The amount to be received from the State for 1919 will be $4.13 per capita by reason of an increased appropriation by the last Legislature. But by reason of a thorough enum- eration by the superintendent at the recent school census the number of children of the county has been increased from 3,075 (census of 1913) to 4,174 (census of 1918). Thus the State school fund to the county for 1919 will be increased to $17,238.62. The State's appropriations for the next five years, or until the next census is taken, will be based upon this increased number of children. The school houses at Camak and Norwood are good, brick buildings. The Margaret Evans school house is attractive and comfortable. The Johnson school house, when com- pleted, will be suitable for a community center school. None of the others are suitable or satisfactory. The negro school houses are rough, unfinished buildings, and some of them in very bad condition. However, there is a vigorous movement on foot for good negro school houses, and the negroes are responding to it most heartily. 11 There are four two-teacher white schools ; all of the others are one-teacher schools. Aside from Camak and Norwood, which are the prop- erty of the two municipalities, the total value of all the rural school houses in Warren county is less than $5,000.00, The Court house cost $25,000.00, and at present valuations is worth $40,000.00. The jail is an old out-of-date building, but not as inadequate as the rural school houses. The school year in Warren county is five months. The Board of Education offers six months to such schools as will supplement still another, making seven months. Sev- eral of the schools take advantage of this proposition, but it is always uncertain as to which ones will do so. Neither teachers nor pupils can depend upon it. A surer maintenance fund would establish better confidence. It should be explained that the very small attendance at the schools when this inspection was made is partly ac- counted for by their disorganized condition on account of the prevailing epidemic. M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent for Georgia. State Department of Education, Atlanta, Ga., January 5th, 1919. 12 s?a CAMAK SCHOOL. Teachers: Miss Maud Trilley, Principal; Miss Ethel Jackson, Assis- tant, Camak, Ga. Location: Four miles northeast to Macedonia school; four miles northwest to Cadley; four rniles south to Warrenton; three miles west to Norwood. Grounds: Area, three acres; titles in trustees; grounds in good con- dition; well kept; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets in good condition. Building: Value $6,000.00; brick building; two class rooms; cloak rooms; auditorium; well lighted; oiled floors; well kept throughout. Equipment: Double and single patent desks; two teachers' desks; good blackboards; set of maps in case; chart; framed pic- tures; small library in case; reference dictionary; covered water coolers and individual cups used; piano. Organization: Two teachers; eight grades; enrollment 51; census 80; well organized literary club; school year eight months. Maintenance: Local tax district; levy three and a half mills. 13 NORWOOD SCHOOL. Teachers: J. D. Nash, Principal; Mrs. Crawford, Assistant. Location: On Georgia R. R.: four miles east to Camak; four miles north to Margaret Evans Academy; four miles southeast to Warrenton; four miles west to Prospect. Grounds: Area, two acres; titles in trustees; unimproved; ample playgrounds: no school garden kept up at present; two toilets in neglected condition. Buildings: Value $8,000.00; brick; two class rooms and good audi- torium; in good condition; floors oiled; well kept. Equipment: Good patent desks; good blackboards; maps; charts; illustrative materials; decorations; library; dictionary. Organization: Two teachers; nine months school year; nine grades; primary grades in good shape; (on account of sickness and absence of principal did not have opportunity of investigat- ing above fourth grade). Maintenance: Local tax district; levy four mills. 14 MARGARET EVANS' ACADEMY. Teacher: M. J. Bruce, Principal. Location: East to Cadley; four miles south to Norwood. Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in trustees; small playgrounds; new location, and being improved; no school gardens; two toilets, one in good condition, one bad. Building: Value $1,000.00; one class room; two cloak rooms; well lighted, except one window badly placed; new building, at- tractive; painted outside; ceiled inside; well kept. Equipment: Double patent desks; teacher's desk; good blackboards; no maps; no globe; a chart; framed pictures; small library; reference dictionary; covered water coolers. Organization: One teacher; school year seven months; eight grades; enrollment twenty; census 42; no clubs. Maintenance: Local tax was voted in, contested and lost on account of technicality, voted in again. Tax will be levied for first time this year. 15 JOHNSON SCHOOL. Teacher: Miss Kate Sheffield, Warrenton, Ga., R. F. D. Location: Four miles north to Warrenton; five miles southwest to Ware's Institute; six miles east to Brier Creek. Grounds: Area, two acres; titles in County Board; improvements under way; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets in good condition. Building: Value $2,000.00; three large class rooms; rooms for in- dustrial work, etc.; large auditorium; cloak rooms, etc.; well lighted; new, unfinished; painted outside; ceiled. Equipment: Double patent desks; teachers' desks; a few maps; pic- tures; good blackboards; no globes; no library; no reference dictionaries. Organization: One teacher; school year five months (sometimes sup- plemented); eight grades; enrollment seventeen; census — . Maintenance: Sometimes State funds supplemented by subscriptions and tuition. 16 STONEY HILL SCHOOL. Teacher: Mrs. J. M. Lewis. Location: Four miles south to Long Creek; four miles north to Warrenton. Grounds: Area and titles uncertain; unimproved; small playgrounds; no school gardens; one toilet in bad condition. Building: Value $250.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; unpainted. Euipment: Home-made desks; no teacher's desk; good blackboards; two maps; no charts; no globe; no library; no reference dictionary; covered water coolers, common dippers. Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 24; census 40; five months school year. 17 LONG CREEK SCHOOL. Teacher: Miss Ellie Wree Fulghum. Location: Four miles north to Stoney Hill; five miles southeast to Skelleys. Grounds: One acre; titles in county board; bare; unimproved; small playgrounds; no school gardens; one toilet in fair condition. Building: Value $250.00; one small class room; no cloak rooms; un- ceiled; unpainted. Equipment: Single patent desks; no teachers' desks; poor black- boards; two maps; no charts; small globe; no pictures; no library; no reference dictionary. Organization: One teacher; eight grades; eight pupils; five months school year. 18 PROSPECT SCHOOL. Teacher: Mrs. E. T. Johnson. Location: One and a half miles east to Floral Hill school; four miles West of Norwood. Grounds: Area, six acres; titles in Methodist church adjacent; grounds improved; well kept; school gardens; small play- grounds; two toilets in good condition. Building: Value $1,200.00; one class room; cloak rooms; insuf- ficiently lighted; in good condition; well kept; painted inside and outside. Equipment: Double patent desks; no teachers' desk; good black- boards; charts; framed pictures; small library; a reference dictionary; piano. Organization: One teacher; eight grades; enrollment 27; census 35; five months school year, usually supplemented to seven. Some basketry, etc. 19 FLORAL HILL SCHOOL. Teacher: Miss Minnie Cartledge. Location: One and a half miles from Prospect school; four miles from Barnett; four miles from Norwood. Grounds: Two acres; unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gar- dens; one toilet in fair condition. Building: Value $650.00; one class room; cloak rooms; well lighted; in good condition; well kept; ceiled; unpainted. Equipment: Double patent desks; teacher's desk; good blackboards; one map; charts; no globe; no framed pictures; small library; no reference dictionary; covered water coolers. Organization: One teacher; five months school year; seven grades; enrollment 14. 20 SKELLEY SCHOOL. Teacher: Mrs. A. M. Kitchens. Location: Three and a half miles northeast to Ware's Institute; four miles west to Long Creek. Grounds: Two acres; conditional titles in trustees; small play- grounds; no school gardens; one toilet. Building: Value $500.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; well lighted; well kept; in good condition; painted inside; un- painted outside. Equipment: Double patent desks; teacher's desk; good blackboards; one map; no charts; no globe; no library; no reference dic- tionary; framed pictures; covered water coolers; common dippers. Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 12; census 30; school year five months, usually supplemented to seven. 21 WARE'S INSTITUTE. Teachers: Miss Nena Zellner; Miss Jewell Holliman. Location: Three and a half miles southwest to Skelley; five miles northeast to Johnsons. Grounds: Two acres; titles in county board; small playgrounds; no school gardens; one toilet in fair condition. Building: Value $650.00; one class room; cloak rooms; well lighted; unceiled; unpainted; floors oiled; well kept. Equipment: Double patent desks; teachers' table; good blackboards; two maps; no charts; no globes; no library; no reference dictionary; framed pictures; covered water cooler and open buckets. Organization: Two teachers; eight grades; enrollment 26; census 60; school year five months, sometimes supplemented to seven. 22 CADLEY SCHOOL. Teacher: Miss Sarah Jackson. Location: Four miles northwest of Camak. Grounds: One acre; titles in trustees; previously improved, but now neglected; small playgrounds; one toilet in fair condition. Building: Value $1,000.00; two class rooms; cloak rooms; well lighted; one room painted outside; ceiled inside; fairly well kept. Equipment: Double patent desks; good blackboards; one map; small globe; no charts; no library; a reference dictionary. A few manual training tools formerly used, but now in bad con- dition. Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 25; census 38; school year five months (sometimes supplemented). 23 MACEDONIA SCHOOL. Teacher: Miss Susie May Wells. Location: Three miles northwest of Messena; four miles northeast of Camak; four miles southeast of Cadley. Grounds: Uncertain area and titles; entirely unimproved; very small playgrounds; one toilet in fair condition. Building: Value, $300.00; one room; no cloak rooms; unpainted. Equipment: Rough home-made desks; very poor blackboards; one map; no charts; no pictures; no library; small globe; a reference dictionary. Organization: One teacher; five months school year; six grades; enrollment 16. 24 MESSENA SCHOOL. Teacher: Miss Maggie Hammack, Messena, Ga. Location: Near Messena station on Georgia Railroad. Grounds: One acre; titles in trustees; lot unimproved; no school gardens; ample playgrounds; one toilet in fair condition. Building: Value $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; building in fair condition of repair and well kept. Equipment: Double patent desks; good blackboards; one map; no charts; no globe; no pictures; no library; no reference dic- tionary. Organization: One teacher; five months school year; eight grades; very small attendance on account of the prevailing epidemic. 25 BRIER CREEK SCHOOL. Teacher: Miss Lois Clore. Location: Not near any other school. Grounds: Area one acre; titles uncertain; unimproved; playgrounds ample; no school gardens; only one toilet. Building: Value $500.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; im-prop- erly lighted; ceiled; unpainted; in fair condition of repair; capable of reconstructing into a desirable school house. Equipment: Double patent desks; no teacher's desk; good black- boards; no charts; no globes; no pictures; no library; no maps; no reference dictionary; open buckets and common dippers. Organization: One teacher; seven grades; eight pupils; five months school year; sometimes (?) supplemented to seven months. 26 '^'^ ^Bi^UKSI^Blbik. goH^.-, '"'V^^'^jj^M ^ p.-,. - ^pjB^HiHiBl^f r' i_' : ••■A. '1 BEULAH SCHOOL. (Temporary) This is a temporary school operated in a church, the consolidated school having burned. (Purvis Institute). Miss Janie Jackson, teacher. No school equipment, except some good blackboards. The consolidated school at Purvis Institute had been very success- ful in serving the southeastern "Neck" of the county, commonly known as "The Panhandle". Efforts are on foot for rebuilding the consolidated school. 27 BARNETT SCHOOL. Barnett school is located at Barnett on the Georgia R. R. The school is being operated in an old church building, without school equipment. Miss Willie Belle Gibson, teacher. Seven grades; enrollment 13; census 30. No point in the county needs a suitable school house more than Barnett, and efforts will be made to secure one. 28 LETTER FROM STATE SUPERINTENDENT M. L. BRITTAIN To the County Superintendent and Teachers: Educational results and good teaching generally are not often secured in a shiftless-looking building in which neith- er patrons, pupils, nor teachers take any pride. Indefinite- ness has been removed at this point through the standard school. In the larger towns and cities pressure of public sentiment and the comment of visitors will sooner or later force good educational conditions — and they are improv- ing constantly. Rural communities need to be shown and inspired by educational leaders and we have sent diplomas to more than two hundred county schools where the super- intendents have certified to the fact that they have meas- ured up to the standard in every particular. There are a number of localities in the State where the feeling is that no community in the county is able to bring its school up to these very reasonable requirements, I cannot help but think that this is a mistaken view and that some standard schools could be secured in every county in Georgia and that these would serve to inspire the others to progress. Superintendents have written that the use of this efficiency test has developed more progress in the past 12 months than for years previous in the way of improvement. The plan is of no value, however, where it is not used or applied and I earnestly hope we will have the effort at least of every superintendent in the State to have his county repre- sented on this roll of honor. The list will be published in the next Annual Report. The standard is not unreasonably high and no more than the Georgia parent has the right to expect. Copies should be posted in every county school room in the State and can be secured for this purpose at any time on application to the State Department of Edu- cation. To be entitled to a diploma a school should measure up to the standard in the following particulars: 29 I. The Teacher. 1. Good Teaching. 2. Good Order and Management. 3. First Grade Certificate. 4. Full, Neat, and Accurate School Register. 5. Daily Program Posted in Room, 6. Teacher's Manual on Desk. II. Grounds. 1. Good Condition. 2. Playgrounds. 3. School Garden. 4. Two Separate Sanitary Closets. III. Building. 1. Painted Outside. 2. Plastered, or Ceiled and Painted. 3. No Leaks. 4. Windows without Broken Panes. 5. Cloak Rooms. 6. Good Doors with Locks and Keys. 7. Clean and Well-kept. IV. Equipment. 1. Patent Modern Desks. 2. At least 20 Lineal feet of Blackboard per Room. 3. Building Comfortably Heated and Ventilated. 4. Framed Pictures on the Wall. 5. Dictionary, Maps and Library. 6. Sanitary Water Supply. V. Associated Activities. 1. Manual Arts, Corn, Canning, Pig, Poultry, or Cook- ing Club. VI. Salary of Teacher. At least $40 per month. VII. Term. At least seven months. 30 !ri?RARY OF CONGRESS ^ 2J9 877 5393