^iiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiniitiiiHiHiiiiiniiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiii^ The source of this uncorrected OCR text may be viewed as a digital facsimile at: http://fax.libs.uga.edu/ Educational Survey of Wilkinson County Georgia By M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent No. 21 Under Direction of State DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION M. L. BRITTAIN State Superintendent of Schools 1918 SniiiiiiniiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiimmiiiiMiiiii^niiniiiiiliiii^ Educational Survey of Wilkinson County Georgia By M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent No. 21 Under Direction of State DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION M. L. BRITTAIN State Superintendent of Schools 1918 WILKINSON COUNTY HON. VICTOR DAVIDSON WILKINSON COUNTY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. HON. VICTOR DAVIDSON, Superintendent ____ __ Irwinton, Ga. BOARD OF EDUCATION. HON. GEORGE H. CARSWELL, Chairman _______ Irwinton, Ga. HON. J. H. PENNINGTON __________ ______ Mclntyre, Ga. HON. L. E. THOMPSON ________________ Toombsboro, Ga. HON. J. T. STOKES _____._______________ Gordon, Ga. HON. W. T. PORTER ____"__'____.__________ Danville, Ga. Wilkinson county is located near the geographical center of the state, and just below the Fall Line. Its drainage is east and southeast into the Oconee river, which marks its eastern boundary. "The county is noted for its extensive deposits of kaolin and bauxite. The output of the kaolin mines, which is used chiefly in the paper trade, is greater than any other county in the State. The bauxite mines also have a large output. The geological formations in which these deposits are found and which cover practically all of the county, are known as Cretaceous and Eocene. They were laid down in the open sea when the Atlantic coast line extended as far north as Columbus, Macon, Milledgeville, and Augusta." DR. McCALLIE, State Geologist. Aside from the mining of kaolin and bauxite, and a pulp mill making paper from second growth pines, this is strictly an agricultural county. There, is only one town above 300 population, and none above 1,000. The chief, and almost the only, commercial product of the farms is cotton; al though the upper part of the county is well adapted to growing watermelons, and a considerable number of cars are shipped. The cotton crop runs around ten thousand bales. RESOURCES. The area of the county is 431 square miles, and the popu lation 10,078. The main line of the Central of Georgia Rail way running from Atlanta to Savannah traverses the county MISS OLA SAMMONS, Home Economics Agent ____ Irwinton, Ga. for twenty-five miles from northwest to southeast, and the Milledgeville Branch of the same line runs from a junction point at Gordon northward through the county eight miles. Property as returned for taxation, 1917 ___$1,986,000.00 To which should be added Corporation values-- 767,485.00 Making a total of taxable property for county $2,753,485.00 PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS. With the exception of the three local tax school districts of Irwinton and Gordon and Mclntyre the county has no public school funds other than that apportioned to it from the State. The State school fund for 1917 amounted to __$10,586.00 This was apportioned to the school districts on a basis of $5.00 per capita by the school census to the white children, and $ per capita to the negroes. With such meager support the public schools can be op erated for only five months on small salaries. A BETTER SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOLS. The children can not be properly educated with only a five months school year. Better schools and longer terms are imperative if the county ever expects to go into the business of education seriously. These can not be had with out more money. Good schools, like good roads, must be paid for. And there is no certain or satisfactory way ex cept through a county local school tax to supplement the State school funds. The educational interest of the county's children call loudly for it. 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, Clarke, Clinch, Coffee, Columbia, Crisp, DeKalb, Echols, Emanuel, Pulton, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Hart, Henry, Houston, Irwin, Jas per, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Jones, Lee, Lincoln, Mclntosh, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, Pulaski, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Richmond, Screven, Spalding, Stewart, Talbot, Terrell, Tift, Walton, Wayne, Wheeler, Worth. WHAT WOULD GOOD SCHOOLS COST THE COUNTY? ADMINISTRATION. A county-wide local school tax levy of two and a half mills, or twenty-five cents per hundred dollars, would yield __________ _____ ____$ 6,883.00 to which would be added State schools funds, 1918 _^———____________ _______ 12,608.40 making a total school fund for the county __ __$19,491.40 An increase over 1917 of $8,905.40, or 85 Marie Usry, Mabel East, Lucile Jones, Pearl Reynolds, Verdie Mae Waters, Ruby Tarpley, Mary Lizzie Woodall. 16 Salem Poplar Head SALEM SCHOOL DISTRICT. The Salem school district contains two schools, Salem and Poplar Head, but these schools are four miles apart. There appears to be no other schools located nearer than about four miles of either of these. The school population of the district is 84, and the annual appropriation from the Board of Education is $420.00 to the district. There is no local fund. Grounds: Poplar Head is located in a very fine grove of large oaks, and the school owns eight acres of fine woodland. Titles are in the local trustees. The playgrounds are large, but with out improvements. There are no school gardens. Only one toilet, in fair condition. Salem is located adjacent to a church lot, the limitations of which we are unable to ascertain. Titles are probably in the local trustees. Ample playgrounds available, but unim proved. No school gardens. Only one toilet, in bad condition. Buildings: At Poplar Head one room with veranda; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; in good repair; well kept; ceiled, but unpainted. At Salem one room with veranda; no cloak rooms; improperly lighted; well kept; painted inside, un painted outside. Equipment: At Poplar Head partly seated with single patent desks; first-class blackboards, and a reference dictionary, but no maps or other school equipment. At Salem double patent desks; first-class blackboards; good set maps mounted in case; framed pictures; a reference dic tionary, and a small library. Also covered water cooler and individual cups. Organization: At both schools, one teacher; five months term; seven grades; enrol'ment at Salem 29; at Poplar Head 44. No organized clubs. Members Canning Club: Misses Lizzie Miller, Fleta Fordham, Emmie Sue Fordham, Loma Tillman, Bessie Fordham. Rosalee Orr, Emmie Montgomery, Nellie Carlson, Mintoria Lord. 17 Whitaker. Mt. Carmel. 18 MT. CARMEL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The Mt. Carmel school district shows a census of 109 children. The Board of Education apportions $545.00, and the local trustees operate two schools in the district without further financial aid. These are Mt. Carmel and Whitaker, located two miles apart. Also the Bloodworth school is two and half miles northwest, and the Thompson Branch school is three miles north of Mt. Carmel; while Fairview school is three miles east, and Thompson Branch school three and half miles north of Whitaker. No "natural obstacles or dangerous roads" intervene. Grounds: Mt. Carmel school lot is the property of a church. Whit aker school occupies three-quarters of an acre, with some uncertainty as to titles. The former is in a fine grove, while the latter is a bare lot. Neither have been improved. No school gardens. At each is only one toilet; both in bad con dition. Buildings: Value of school houses $350.00 each. One class room; no cloak rooms; badly lighted; in good repair; well kept, un- painted; describes both buildings. Equipment: Rough home-made desks; poor blackboards; no maps, globes, pictures, reference dictionaries, or libraries. Both schools unequipped. Organization: Whitaker—five grades; enrollment 30; Mt. Carmel— seven grades; enrollment 49. No organized clubs. Members Canning Club: Misses Inez Langford, Carrie Carter, Alma Hatfield, Eva Lee Carr, Maggie Lou Langford, Ruth Hardee, Nina Carr, Charlie Arrington, Clara Whitaker, Bessie Moore, Aluetia Criswell, Willie Moore, Inez Whitaker, Maud Parker, Sarah Parker. 1!) I if 1. BIcodworth. 2. Bateman. 3. Snow Hill. 20 IVEY SCHOOL DISTRICT. In Ivey district are located Bloodworth school, Bateman school, and Snow Hill school. The locations of these schools with reference to each other form a triangle, the sides of which are respectfully two and half, three, and three miles. Also, Bloodworth is only two and half miles northwest of Mt. Carmel, and Bateman is only four miles east of Gordon, in other school districts. There are no "natural causes or local conditions", such as "mountains, streams over which there are no bridges, dangerous roads, etc.," creating for the county board of education the "right to establish school districts with areas less than sixteen square miles." The school population of this district is 97, and the local trustees are apportioned $485.00 for the maintenance of the three schools. No supplemental fund is provided. Grounds: Both the areas and titles of these school lots are doubtful, except that at Bloodworth it is private property. Play grounds are small and unimproved, and there are no school gardens. Only one toilet provided at each school. Buildings: Value $400.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; ceiled but unpainted, describes each. Snow Hill and Bateman are in bad repair. Bloodworth is well kept school room. Equipment: Bateman has double patent desks, the other two seated with home-made desks. All have very poor blackboards; no maps or other equipment, except a small library at Blood- worth. Organization: Bateman school has six grades; enrollment 25 pupils. Snow Hill six grades; enrollment 35 pupils. Bloodworth eight grades; enrollment 40 pupils. Five months term at each. Bloodworth school reports weekly meetings of "The Glad Club." Members Canning Club: Misses Lelia Mae McCook, Essie Lord, Lonella Bloodworth, Clara Lord, Sarah McCook, Eva Blood- worth, Pauline Weaver, Eddie Bell, Mattie Etheridge, Fan nie Lucile Beck, Myrtle Wood, Lucile Wood, Effie Mae Ne- Smith, Coy D. Snow, Ethel Snow, Rosa Snow, Nancy Eth- eridge, Essie Lee Etheridge, Inella Fountain, Annie Eliza Beck, Adeel Etheridge, The'ma Burch. 21 Vernon Johnson. Clear Creek. 22 CLEAR CREEK SCHOOL DISTRICT. Clear Creek school district has a school population of 57, and gets an appropriation of $285.00. Clear Creek and Vernon Johnson schools are in this district, though the latter is located immediately on the line dividing Wilkinson and Twiggs counties, and is partly supported by Twiggs county. Clear Creek is three miles north of Vernon John son, and three miles further north will reach Red Hill school. The roads are good. The titles to the property at Clear Creek is in a Baptist church; the church yards used for playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet, in bad condition. At Vernon Johnson is a two acre lot, titles in trustees; ample play grounds; small school garden; only one toilet, in bad condition. The building at Clear Creek is one room, without cloak rooms, ceiled but unpainted, in good condition and well kept. Value $450.00. - At Vernon Johnson is a good two-room building; value $1,500.00; cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; well kept; painted inside and out side. Double patent desks; fairly good blackboards, and one United States history map constitute the entire equipment at Clear Creek. At Vernon Johnson are single patent desks; poor blackboards; two maps; two globes; framed pictures; a reference dictionary; and a small library. At Clear Creek is one teacher; five months term; six grades; 27 pupils enrolled; no organized club work; no program posted. At Vernon Johnson one teacher; five months for Wilkinson county pupils and six and half months for Twiggs county children; eight grades; enrollment 31; program posted. Members Canning Club: Bessie Brooks, Blanche Brooks, Peggie Brooks, Rubie Brooks. 23 ALLENTOWN SCHOOL. Miss Emmie Gordon, teacher, Allentown, Ga. Location: In Wilkinson, but quite near the corner of Wilkinson, Bleckley, Twiggs and Laurens counties, with a small patron age from each. One mile east of Danville. Grounds: There appears some doubt as to area and titles; yards clean, but bare; unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet. Building: Value $1,000.00; two-story frame building; Lodge rooms in second story; one very large class room; no cloak rooms; improperly lighted; roof leakirg; painted; well kept. Equipment: Double and single patent desks; poor blackboards; one United States history map; chart; globe; small library; one hundred and fifty dollars in hand for further improvement and equipment. Organization: One teacher; nine grades; enrollment 27; no program posted; five months term. Members Canning Club: Misses Louise Herndon, Viola Herndon, Clara Herndon, Lizzie Sapp, Annie Mae Jones, Elizabeth Pierce, Isabelle Nunn, Beulah NeSmith, Lottie Little. 24 BETHEL SCHOOL. Miss Lila Gallemore, teacher, Irwinton, Ga. Location: Three miles southeast of Lavender school; five miles south west of Irwinton. Grounds: Area and titles doubtful; yards well cleaned up; very small playgrounds; no school gardens; one toilet in bad condition. Building: Value $400.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly lighted; in good condition and well kept; ceiled, but un- painted. Equipment: Home-made desks; very poor blackboards; one United States history map; no globe; no charts; no framed pictures; no reference dictionary; no library. Covered water cooler, individual cups. Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 27; no program posted; no organized clubs or societies. Members Canning Club: Misses Eva Justice, Irene Dixon, Louise Stinson, Effie Murphey, Maxie Sue Justice. 25 BUTLER SCHOOL. Miss Annette Butler, teacher, Danville, Ga. Location: Four miles north of Bell school. Grounds: Area and titles doubtful; bare and unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet, fair con dition. Building: Value $500.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; in good repair; well kept; ceiled; unpainted. Equipment: Double patent desks; very poor blackboards; several maps; no charts; no globe; no pictures; no reference dic tionary; no library. Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 11; no program posted; no organized clubs; five months term. Maintenance: School population of district 24; appropriation $120.00. DANVILLE SCHOOL. E. B. Lazenby, Principal; Miss Lucy Bellows, Assistant, Danville, Ga. Location: The line dividing Wilkinson and Twiggs counties also di vides the town of Danville, but the school is located on the Wilkinson county side of this line. Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in local trustees; fine grove; good playgrounds, rather small; yards well kept; no school gar dens; only one toilet, in good condition. Building: Value $2,000.00; two class rooms; halls used for cloak rooms; well lighted; in good repair; not well kept; painted inside and outside. Equipment: Single and double patent desks and teachers' desks; blackboards in very bad condition; set of maps mounted in case; no charts; no globe; a few pictures; a reference dic tionary; a small library. Organization: Nine months term; two teachers; ten grades; enroll ment, 61 from Wilkinson county, 12 from Twiggs; Lanier Literary Society. Maintenance: School population of district (in Wilkinson county) 48; appropriation from Board of Education $240.00; small amount also paid by Twiggs county; balance from tuition. Members Canning Club: Misses Jennie Claire Meadows, Mellissa Porter, Marie Dukes, Lucile Williams, Mildred Maxwell, Lois Lee, Francis Johnson, Edith Johnson, Rose Alien, Louise Bryan, Lois Hill. 27 McINTYRE SCHOOL. J. T. Dupree, Jr., Principal; Miss Ophelia Snow, Assistant, Mclntyre, Georgia. Location: At Mclntyre station on Central of Georgia Railway; two miles south of Whitaker school; three miles north of irwintoii. Grounds: Area and titles doubtful; adjoining church lot; partly cov ered in pine grove; entirely unimproved; small playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets, in bad condition. Building: Value $700.00; two class rooms; no cloak rooms; insuffi ciently and improperly lighted; ceiled, but unpainted; in fairly good repair, and well kept. Equipment: Double patent desks and teachers' desks; poor black boards; no maps; no charts; no globe; no pictures; no refer ence dictionary; pupils have use of a small Sunday school library from church. Organization: Eight months term; two teachers; nine grades; en rollment 62; no program posted; no societies or clubs or ganized. Maintenance: School population of district 73; appropriation from county Board $416.00; Local district tax levy five mills. MANSON SCHOOL. Miss Anilois Philmon, teacher, Danville, Ga. Location: Three and half miles southeast of New Providence; five miles northwest of Chapman school. Grounds: Area, two acres; titles in local trustees; fine grove; un improved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet. Building: Value $450.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly lighted; roof leaky; well kept; unpainted. Equipment: Double patent desks; good blackboards; no maps; no charts; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; no library. Organization: Five months term; one teacher; six grades; enroll ment 32; program posted; no organized clubs. Maintenance: School population of district 39; apportionment $196.00; no supplemental funds. Members Canning Club: Misses Geneveive Williams, Clara Knight, Bessie Lou Hall, Effie Collier, Alice Rutherford. 29 NEW PROVIDENCE SCHOOL. Mrs. C. E. Collins, teacher, Irwinton, Ga. Location: Three and half miles west of Pleasant Plains; three and half miles northwest of Manson school. Grounds: Indefinite area; titles in private individual; lot bare and unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet, fair condition. Building: Value $350.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; improperly lighted; new building; well kept; unceiled and unpainted. Equipment: Home-made desks; very poor blackboards; no maps; no charts; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; no library. Organization: Five months term; one teacher; five grades; enroll ment 21; no program posted; no organized clubs. Maintenance: School population of district 29; appropriation from county Board $145.00; no supplemental fund. Members Canning Club: Misses Ellen Burke, Gladys Burke, Ruby Sapp, Lucia Sapp. 30 OLD UNION SCHOOL. Miss Bessie Happoldt, teacher, Toomsboro, Ga. Location: Two miles northeast of Poplar Head school; five miles north of Salem. Grounds: Area, one acre; titles ( ?); whole lot in woods; unimproved; small playgrounds; no school gardens; only cue toilet, in bad condition. Building: Value $450.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; impropeily lighted; ceiled, but unpainted; in good condition and well kept. Also used for Sunday school and occasional preaching serv ices. Equipment: Home-made desks; fair blackboards; no maps; no charts; no globes; no pictures; no reference dictionary; no library. Organization: Five months term; one teacher; five grades; enroll ment 12; no program posted; no organized clubs. Maintenance: School population of district 35; appropriation from county Board $175.00; no supplemental funds. 31 PLEASANT PLAINS SCHOOL. Miss Leila Isreal, teacher, Danville, Ga. Location: Two miles west of Butler school; three and half miles east of New Providence. Grounds: Area, one and half acres; titles in trustees; wooded lot, unimproved; small playgrounds provided; no school gar dens; only one toilet. Building: Value $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; in good condition and well kept; ceiled, but un- painted. Equipment: Double patent desks; fairly good blackboards; four maps; no charts; no globe; no framed pictures; a reference dictionary; a good library. Organization: Five months term; one teacher; eight grades; enroll ment 36; program posted. Maintenance: School population of district 52; appropriation from county Board $260.00; no supplemental funds. Members Canning Club: Misses Ardell Davidson, Ethel Davidson, Vera Jackson, Nellie Jackson, Myrtle Sanders. 32 POPLAR SPRINGS SCHOOL. Mrs. J. W. Lanier, teacher, Toomsboro, Ga. Location: Four miles west of Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in trustees; lot bare and unimproved; small playgrounds; no school gardens; no toilets. Building: Value $450.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; in good repair and well kept; ceiled, but unpainted. Equipment: Home-made desks; fairly good blackboards; no maps; no charts; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; no library. Organization: Five months term; one teacher; seven grades; enroll ment 35; no program posted. Maintenance: School population of district 50; appropriation from county Board $250.00; no supplemental funds. Members Canning Club: Misses Iris Dent, Celes Mercer, Orian Waters, Roberta Lord, Nora Brown, Johnnie Chambers, Myra Minton. 33 TOOMSBORO SCHOOL. Miss Mary E. Bales, Principal; Miss Ruth Marlin, Assistant, P. O. Toomsboro, Ga. Location: On Central of Georgia Railway. Grounds: Small town lot; titles probably in trustees; yards clean; very small playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets in good condition. Building: Value $2.500.00; two class rooms; cloak rooms; well light ed; building in good condition and well kept; floors oiled; painted inside and outside. Equipment: Good shop-made desks; cloth blackboards; several good maps; no charts or globes; good selection of framed pictures; no reference dictionary; library in good case; bubbling foun tain. Organization: Seven months term; two teachers; ten grades; en rollment 46; programs posted; an active Parent-teacher Club. Maintenance: School population of distict 85; appropriation from county Board $425.00; supplemented by local fees. Members Canning Club: Misses Nelle Bales, Hattie Dean, Pearl Dean. 34 SHADY GROVE SCHOOL. Miss Hoi-tense Wynn. Principal; Miss Eddie Stanley, Assistant, P. O. Irwinton, Ga. R. F. D. Location: No other school within five or six miles. Grounds: Area, five acres; titles in trustees; yards fenced and well kept; most of lot covered with grove and woods; ample play grounds; no school gardens; two toilets in good condition. Building: Value $1,200.00; two class rooms; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; in good repair and well kept; ceiled; painted outside. Equipment: Double patent desks and teachers' desks; poor black boards; no maps; no charts; no globe; no reference dictionary; no library; framed pictures; organ. Organization: Five months term; two teachers; eight grades; en rollment 67; program posted; no organized societies or clubs. Maintenance: School population of district 85; appropriation from county Board $425.00; no supplemental funds. Members Canning Club: Misses Ollie Mae Cannon, Eva Wright, Martha Pierce, Madeline Pierce, Alma Pierce, Opal Taylor, Rosa Lee Martin, Eula Pierce, Nina Downing, Mutelle Pierce, Alma Downing. '35 THOMPSON BRANCH SCHOOL. Miss Sara Lawrence, teacher, Milledgeville, Ga., R. 1. Location: Two and half miles northeast of Mt. Carmel; three miles northwest of Fairview; three and half miles east of Snow Hill. Grounds: Area, one acre; titles doubtful; yards in good condition; playgrounds small; no school gardens; only One toilet, con dition bad. Building: Value $650.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; insuffi ciently lighted; in good repair; not well kept; painted inside and outside. Equipment: Double patent desks (in bad condition); poor black boards; no maps; good chart; no globe; no pictures; no refer ence dictionary; no library; covered water cooler, individual cups. Organization: Five months term; one teacher; six grades; enroll ment 46; program posted; no organized clubs. Maintenance: School population of district 60; appropriation $345.00. No supplemental funds. Members Canning Club: Misses Ruby Hoover, Sabrina Patterson, Ruth Grimes, Claire Carr, Gertrude Patterson. 36 TURNER SCHOOL. Miss Katie Rossee, teacher, Gordon, Ga. Location: Three miles northwest of Gordon. Grounds: Area, one acre; titles (?); lot entirely unimproved; very small playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet. Building: Value $400.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; in good repair and well kept; unceiled; unpaint- ed. Equipment: Double patent desks; very poor blackboards; State and United States history maps; no charts; no globe; no pic tures; no library; a reference dictionary. Organization: Five months term; one teacher; seven grades; en rollment 27; program posted; no organized clubs. Maintenance: School population of district 56; appropriation from county Board $280.00; no supplemental funds. Members Canning Club: Misses Gladys Cobb, Alma Cobb, Jewell Valentine, Bertha Happoldt, Nellie Happoldt, Pearl Cobb. 37 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: 38 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. Teachers' 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. 39