RA Re A ROLE TE OG ETE ASE TES REST TIS ES TIL IED ELL SL ES TE IE CADET IO
oe Wo oreo emma femme fH cemmems Hi omoane ff H common ff fj een fH cma bj cameras HY Bf xeon ff mare f Hmmemnee fff Came ff f semen 3] hj eaemenc fff oe Pf arenes jt fase ‘

The

ie <— ee —

WAKE COUNTY
Association for the Betterment —

+
4

aorta

; Public Schools and Communities

pkcnet = ameee
meen a

¥ ri pe en ee :
Te es .

Oh eee = er ;
een Ae eee,
epee em

eee ee ee
2S er ae:

| RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

i. 1922

‘ “4 a

; ‘ on here Hike Hitec fl meen Bie Hi omer ff ff eran Pi Weare [YM exacan bf Mcamecaen jj Pj remem ff {frome bf essnnnnn i remem G] maemoene ff Uf aenmee bf flame Hf Al eer

THe
WAKE COUNTY

“Association for the Betterment

Public Schools and Communities

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

1922

RALEIGH
BYNUM PRINTING COMPANY
1922

1y
wits?
Wo

“He has achieved success who has lived w
laughed often, loved much; who has gained
respect of intelligent men, and the love of litt
children; who has left the world better than he
found it; whose life has been an inspiration |
whose memory is a benediction.”

WAKE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Dr. W. A. Withers, Chairman
Prof. N. Y. Gulley
Mr. M. B. Chamblee

Superintendent of Public Instruction

@ Mr. J. C. Lockhart

WAKE COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR THE
BETTERMENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
AND COMMUNITIES

President

Mrs. C. P. Blalock

Vice-President
Mrs. O. L. Ray

Secretary-Treasurer

Miss Isabelle Haynes

Township Representatives and Executive Committee

Mrs. Sion D. Williams Mrs. R. H. Ferguson

Mrs. C. L. Sorrell Mrs. W.N. O’Neal

Mrs. W. L. Page Mrs. C. B. Lawrence
Mrs. W. A. Segraves Miss Lina Middleton
Mrs. A. L. Peacock Mrs. H. D. Rand

Mrs. R. B. Nichols Mrs. EB. L. Bartholomew

Mrs. Helen P. Whitley Mrs. Cary B. Jones
Mrs. E. V. Richardson Mrs. Joseph Seawell
Mrs. J. K. Sessoms Mrs. Sexton Lawrence

County Health Officer
Dr. A. C. Bulla

a
County Superintendent of Public Welfare
Mr. C. H. Anderson

ON
%
MoO
tito
ay oe

; To
Mrs. E. E. Moreitt
Wo ORGANIZED THE WAKE COUNTY BETTER! E)
ASSOCIATION ay
‘THs BULLETIN IS DEDICATED is is ,
WitH APPRECIATION aoe
For Her UNSELFISH DEVOTION
To THE WORK

a44) 'y at ‘ t
oY ie et Ay

—

Mrs. E. E. MorritTr

“Plessing she is: God made her so,
And derds of weekday holiness
Hall from her notseless as the som:

Nor hath she ever chanced to kuom
Chat aught were easier than to bless.”

HISTORY

The idea of the Betterment Association was first
conceived by Dr. Charles D. McIver, President of
the State Normal College at Greensboro, who on
iis trips over the State saw and felt so keenly the
need for improvement of the schoolhouses and their
surroundings. He placed the matter before some
of the students of the State Normal and on March
#@%, 1902, the Woman’s Association for the Better-
ment of Public Schoolhouses in North Carolina was
organized with a membership of about 200. The
first annual meeting of the State Association was
held, in accordance with provisions of the consti-
tution, during the annual session of the North
Carolina Teachers’ Assembly, at Morehead City, in
June, 1902. At this time plans were made for
organizing county associations during the summer.
The Southern Education Board paid the expenses
of the ten volunteers for this work.

The Wake County Woman’s Association for the
Betterment of Public Schoolhouses was organized
on August 8, 1902, during the session of the Wake
County Teachers’ Institute being held in Raleigh
at that time. The matter was presented to the
teachers by Mrs. H. E. Moffitt, of Raleigh. Since
‘its organization, the name has been changed to
The Wake County Association for the Betterment
of Public Schools and, later, to The Wake County
Association for the Betterment of Public Schools
and Communities.

The first president of the Wake County Better-
ment Association was Miss Edith Royster, now
Mrs. Zebulon Judd, who served in this office until
January 3, 1916, when she moved to Alabama.
Mrs. A. C. Hughes, of Apex, was elected as Mrs.

Judd’s successor. At the Wake County Educa-
tional Conference held September 2, 1916, Miss
Daphne Carraway was elected to succeed Mrs.
Hughes who was not a candidate for re-election.
Miss Carraway resigned in 1918 to take up work
in another county and at the Educational Confer-
ence held September 14, 1918, Mrs. C. P. Blalock
was elected president, holding this office until her
resignation on September 11, 1920, when she was
succeeded by Mrs. Kenneth Gant. Mrs. Gant
served as president until November 4, 1921, when

upon her resignation Mrs. Blalock was again
elected president and is still in office.

The first associate member of the Wake County
Betterment Association was Rev. W. G. Clements,
County Superintendent of Schools at the time the
Betterment Association was organized and who
presided over the meeting at which the Wake Asso-
ciation was formed. 4

There were six local associations organized dur-
ing the first year of the County organization—at
Wake Forest, Eagle Rock, Flint (the present Lees-
ville School), Mount Moriah, Garner, and Reddisp
(now Pinehurst) Schools. ;

In 1905 an act was passed by the Legislature
authorizing the Wake County Board of Education
to appropriate not more than $100.00 annually for
the work of the Betterment Association. This ap-
propriation has been made each year since that
date, with the exception of the first year when only
$50.00 was asked for by the Association.

Some of the ways in which this annual appro-
priation has been used, in addition to incidental
expenses, has been to aid in payment of domestic
science equipment for several schools, part salary
of one of the Canning Club Agents one year, prizes
offered in Better Babies contests, annual payment
to the Sallie Southall Cotton Loan Fund, a contri-
bution to a scholarship for social service worker
at the University of North Carolina, and donation
to Welfare Work.

The first school farm in Wake County was started
by the Woman’s Betterment Association at Holly
Springs in 1906 and a large amount of the work
was done by the women. A number of these farms
are in operation now.

In 1908 the County Association offered a loving
cup to the school making most improvement in
attendance, the school winning it three successive
years to become permanent owner. Holly Springs
won the cup in 1908. Olive Chapel became the
owner in 1911, having been the winner the three
preceding years.

In 1912 the Wake County Betterment Assoc@-
tion became an affiliated organization in the State
Federation of Women’s Clubs and has been repre-
sented by delegates and reports at the annual meet-
ings of the Federation.

The money reported raised and the money value
of work and labor reported since the organization

of the Betterment Association, with the exception
of the years 1902-1905 for which there are no
records, is as follows:

BL GR k ee ee Se A PLO
ees i 1,145.86
ELSA Sa pe ee Oe 4,403.52
Re 4,812.26
I 6,021.18

Contributed for building 1906-1907 not
MmmmedavpOVe 2... 2 ot 5,000.00
I 6,817.00
EAA Se 8,408.24
DI a Lk 7,557.00
PT 9,596.16
a SSS a ao Pe OO 8,294.86
rien aos NE Gs) ea $63,263.18

“Included in this amount is the sum-of $5,686.27
raised 1910-1915 by the negroes among themselves
to improve their schools. Fifteen hundred dollars
subscribed to the Berry O’Kelly Training School
is not included in this amount.”’

Beginning with the session 1915-1916 the reports
are as follows:

White

Cash Value of

Receipts Gifts and Labor Total
Pemeeerou.. > 7,158.42 § 1,013.99 § 8,172.41
1916-1917___ 4,126.58 620.95 4,747.53
Seeeeeeo 11,956.83 707.65 12,664.48
Sver-aulo 6,633.79 1,369.64 8,003.43
bo29-1920___ 10,718.02 1,715.40 12,433.42
fye0-1921_.. 10,551.89 450.20 11,002.09
1921-1922___ 10,443.12 1,391.45 11,834.57

Total___$61,588.65 §$ 7,269.28 $68,857.93

Colored
{915-1916___$ trae.ao; « § 199.90 *$ 1,342.15
ORG=1917 885.99 132.45 1,018.44
1917-1918___ 1,163.90 72.30 1,236.20
1918-1919___ 1,048.51 59.55 1,108.06
P9T9=1920_._ 2,890.24 154.95 3,045.19
Meee eveto2Z1_._' 3,158.55 211.00 3,369.55
Beet-t922.__ 2,933.83 350.15 inp apes hs Ba:

Total___ $13,223.27 $ 1,180.30 $14,403.57

*Quoted from Betterment Bulletin published 1916.
4

It is impossible to tell even a small part of the
work done by the Betterment Association during
its twenty years of life, but a vast amount of im-
provement in the schools of Wake County during
these years—in houses, grounds, equipment, sani-
tary conditions, length of term, increased salaries
of teachers, enrollment and attendance of pupils,
and school loyalty——has been due to the Betterment
spirit in the hearts of the people of the County. 4

Credit for the progress and success of the Better-
ment work is due to the men, women, teachers, and
children in the various schools and communities
of the County. ©

Appreciation for inspiration and the keeping
alive of the spirit of the Betterment in Wake —
County is gratefully expressed to Mrs. E. EK. Moffitt
who organized the Association and served faithfully
as an officer for many years; to Mrs. Edith Royster
Judd whose whole heart was in the work and who
served as a field worker in the State, and as County
President for thirteen years; to the presidents of
the County Association who have served since
1916; to Miss Daisy Bailey Waitt and Miss Ada V.
Womble, charter members of the Betterment Asso-
ciation, who gave generously of their time to the —
organization; to the newspapers of the County for
their generous aid in publishing the activities of the
Betterment; to the members of the County Board
of Education; and to the County Superintendents
since its birth—Rev. W. G. Clements, Mr. Zebulon
Judd, Mr. D. F. Giles, Dr. Edgar W. Knight, and
Mr. J. C. Lockhart—whose interest and hearty sup-
port have always been given to the Betterment
Association.

REPORT OF THE WAKE COUNTY BETTER-
MENT ASSOCIATION

1921-1922

The report of the Wake County Association for
the Betterment of Public Schools and Communities
¢ for the year 1921-1922 is as follows:

The department of Civics reports three com-
munity fairs, held in the Knightdale, Fairview, and
Fuquay Springs school districts. Contributions of
towels, pillow cases, sheets, quilts, combs, brushes
and soap to the detention home recently established
in Wake County were made by Neuse, Bay Leaf,
Morrisville and Goodwin schools. Others will con-
tribute later. The Executive Committee contrib-
uted $25.00 to the detention home from the General
Betterment Fund. Flowers and shrubs have been
planted on many of the school grounds. Cary and
Wendell have reported planting of flowers in vacant
lots and in front of business houses. Fuquay
Springs reported a cement walk laid in front of
the school building, and Holly Springs has im-
proved the sidewalk leading to the school.

Under the department of Education is reported
the organization of two bands; money raised for
establishing and enlarging school libraries, making
payments on pianos, and buying maps, primary
supplies, desks, playground equipment, and song
books; prizes offered for perfect attendance and
for scholarship; the purchase and gift of pictures
to the schools; the raising of funds to increase
teachers’ salaries, employ extra teachers, and
lengthen school terms; the serving of dinners for
visitors at the group center commencements. The
Betterment Associations at Fuquay Springs and
Garner each secured an all-time janitor to relieve
teachers and pupils of the responsibility of run-
ning the fires and cleaning the building. ‘‘The
Lost Colony’’ was shown in one of the schools. In

one of the farm-life schools, moving pictures and
ct slides were used in schoolroom and community
work. The term of the Green Level School was in-
creased one month. This was made possible by the
fact that the teachers agreed to work for a smaller
salary during that month. At Wilder’s Grove the
men of the community gave one day’s work to build

a shelter for the school truck and private convey-

ances bringing pupils to school. The women gave
a day to clean buildings and yards prior to the
opening of school.

The report of the department of Health shows
clean-up days, health talks by County Physician,
mosquito control and prevention work, physical
examination of children by County Physician and
nurses, care of the sick, and co-operation in milk
campaign. In this connection, one district reported
an average of three cows to each family. In one
of the farm-life districts, the agriculture teachers
examined all the cows in the district for tuber-
culosis. The County Physician has conducted an
examination in one district to find germ-breeding
places.

The Social Service department reports com-
munity Christmas trees, contributions of money
and clothes to the Near East and Russian Reliefs,
get-together dinners for teachers and patrons. The
Bay Leaf School gave a community picnic that the
teachers might meet the patrons. Wendell held a
community picnic at opening of school in honor of
the teachers. About one thousand people were
present. In the afternoon about 250 parents met
with the teachers to discuss problems of organiz-
ing school. Some of the other work of this de-
partment has been visiting and entertaining new-

comers in communities, community sings, and.

Easter Monday picnics. At Goodwin School an
annual community fish fry is held on Easter
Monday.

The report of the Home Economics department
shows the organization of clubs by the Home
Demonstration Agent and lectures by her. In one
of the farm-life schools the Home Economics
teacher gave an eight weeks’ course for the house-
wives of the community, including cooking lessons
and talks on health, interior decorating and other
subjects, moving pictures and slides being used.
The agriculture teachers gave classes in stock,
poultry, diseases of these, and ways of treating
the diseases. A co-operative Dos club has been
organized in this district.

The financial reports of the white schools for the
year show $1,982.00 spent for lengthening school
term, $1,122.00 of this amount having been con-
tributed to the Falls School by the Neuse Manu-
facturing Company. $184.00 was spent to increase
salaries, $718.89 for payments on pianos. Play-

ground and athletic equipment was bought for the
different schools at a cost of $798.09. A contri-
bution of $5.00 was made to the old soldiers and
contributions of $61.50 were made to the Near
East Relief Fund. Morrisville was the only school
reporting a Liberty Bond on hand this year, this
school owning a $50.00 bond. The report for the
year 1917-1918 showed $2,687.21 spent for Liberty
Bonds and $156.66 for War Savings Stamps.

The Betterment reports for the white schools
and the School Improvement League reports for
the colored schools for the year show the following
receipts:

White

Value of gifts to schools___$ 479.58
Value of labor given to

LGU. ee) Sa 911.87
meen receipts —._..____— 10,433.12
OE a $11,824.57
Colored

Value of gifts to schools___$ 11.00
Value of labor given to

OO OUTS |) 339.15

meen receipts ~____.__-L 2,933.83
ET ee $ 3,283.98
motertor) County. ool eb $15,108.55

BETTERMENT PROGRAM
June, 1922 - - April, 1923
June —The Value of a Library to a Rural
Community—Miss Annie Petty.

July —Winter Gardens—Mr. J. C. Anderson,
Farm Demonstration Agent.

August —Organization of a Betterment Associa-
tion in Every School District—Dr.
Chas. E. Brewer.

September—A Study of the Child of Pre-School
Age—Miss Rose Ehrenfeld.

October —School Houses as School Homes—Mrs.
O. L. Ray and Mrs. H. K. McIntyre.

November —Co-operation Between Patrons and
Teachers—Mr. E. B. Crow.

December —-Music and Community Gatherings—

Miss Margaret Highsmith and Mr. John
Park.

January oMoealthe— Dra es Bulla, County
Health Officer.

February —Playgrounds and Amusements for the
‘Teen’? Age—Miss Gertrude Royster.

March —Group Center and County Commence-
ments—Miss Anne Holdford.

April —Parliamentary Law and Citizenship—
Mrs. Palmer Jerman.

CONSTITUTION OF THE WAKE COUNTY ASSO-
CIATION FOR THE BETTERMENT OF
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COM-
MUNITIES

Article I

Section 1. The name of this organization shall
be The Wake County Association for the Better-
ment of Public Schools and Communities.

Article II

Section 1. The purposes of this Association
shall be:

1. To stimulate interest in the conditions, prob-
lems, and work of public education, public health,
public welfare, home economics, literature, and
Red Cross.

2. To interest and aid the people of the County
in the improvement of their communities and all
conditions affecting these communities.

3. To establish a local association in every
school district in the County.

Article Til

Section 1. The active membership of the
County Association shall consist of the members
of the local associations, members of the Wake
County Departments of Education, Health, and
Public Welfare; and other white persons elected
by the Executive Committee.

Sec. 2. The annual dues of active members
of this Association shall be 15 cents per annum,
payable October the 1st.

Sec. 3. Any white person may become an
honorary member upon payment of $1.00 annually.

Article IV

Section 1. The officers of this Association shall
be a president, a vice-president, a member of the

Executive Committee from each township, a secre-

tary and treasurer. All officers shall be elected at
the County meeting in May for a term of two
years.

Sec. 2. The officers of the Association shall
form the County Council or Executive Committee
which shall meet quarterly or at other times at the
call of the president. The County Superintendent
of Public Instruction, the County Superintendent
of Public Welfare, the Home Demonstration Agent,
the County Health Officer, a representative from
the State Library Commission, and a representa-
tive from the Wake County Chapter of the Red #
Cross shall be active members of the Council. The ~
Council shall have power to conduct the affairs of
the Association between meetings of the whole.
Seven members of the Council shall constitute a —
quorum.

Sec. 3. Vacancies in the office of president,
vice-president, township members of the Executive
Committee, secretary or treasurer may be filled
by the remaining members of the Council voting
thereon by ballot.

Article V

Section 1. The regular term of all officers shall
commence at the adjournment of the meeting at
which they are elected.

See. 2. The duties of officers shall be such as
are implied by their respective titles.

Sec. 3. The president shall appoint all stand-
ing committees and be ex-officio a member of the
same without the right to vote.

Sec. 4. The secretary shall keep an accurate
classified list of the membership of the local asso-
ciations with the address of each member and in
general conduct the correspondence of the Asso-
ciation.

Sec. 5. The treasurer shall receive all money
due the Association and pay all bills after they
have been passed upon by the president; keep an
itemized account of all receipts and disbursements
and present a written report at each meeting of ¢
the Council and to the Association at the semi-
annual meetings. The book in which the record
of receipts and disbursements have been kept for
her term of office shall be handed to her successor“
upon retiring from office.

Sec. 6. Each township member of the Execu-
tive Committee shall keep in close touch with all
local associations in her township and make every
effort to establish one in those communities which

‘@

have not yet organized. She shall make a report
of work done in her township at each regular
Council meeting.

Article VI
Section 1. This Association shall hold semi-

annual meetings: one in May in Raleigh, and the
other in September at the place designated by the

’ president.

Sec. 2. Only members of the Executive Com-
mittee and regular delegates shall have the right
to vote at the semiannual meeting. Hach local
association shall be entitled to elect one delegate
for each ten active members or fraction thereof.

Article VII

Section 1. The County Association shall send
through its secretary or president a full report of
the year’s work to the County Board of Education,
on or before the first day of July in each year.

Article VIII

Section 1. This constitution may be amended
at any semiannual meeting by a vote of two-thirds
of the delegates present; Provided, the proposed
amendment shall have been submitted in writing
to the Executive Committee one month before the
semiannual meeting.

Sec. 2. The constitution shall be read at each
annual meeting.

PUBLIC LAWS, 1905
[CHAPTER 149.] )

An Act to Authorize the County Board of Edu-
cation of Wake County to Make an Appropriation
Out of the County School Fund to Aid the Wake
County Woman’s Association for the Better-
ment of Public Schools.

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1. That the County Board of Educa-
tion of Wake may annually appropriate out of the
county ;school fund a sum not to exceed one hun-
dred dollars for the payment of the necessary ex-
penses incident to the work of the Wake County
Woman’s Association for the Betterment of Public
Schools.

Sec. 2. That all accounts for such expense
shall, before payment, be approved by the County
Board of Education.

Sec. 8. That this act shall be in force from and
after its ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times, and
ratified this 11th day of February, A. D. 1905.