SCHDDLS ARE THE PROBLEM
□ F EVERY CITIZEN
Now that the public schools of North Carolina have
started again, it is the problem of every citizen to see
that our children can get the best education possible.
The safest, best and perhaps the only wise legacy we
can leave our children, is the future of their schools
So it is the obligation of us all to take the long look
forward, and fall into stride with the late Governor
Aycock (1901-05): "I would have all our people be
lieve in their power to accomplish as much as can be
done anywhere on earth by any people.”
The importance of education as the foundation of
democratic liberties, and as the ramparts of freedom,
is generally recognized. So it becomes the responsibility
of every one to see that the citizens of tomorrow are
thoroughly prepared to carry on in the great American
tradition.
Our forefathers were interested in more than the
daily routine of life. They realized that the country’s
future depended on the wisdom and knowledge of all
the people. As a result they turned to education as the
one possible guarantee that our form of government
might endure.
The public schools of North Carolina needs to re
view the program for the fumre which has been rec
ommended for several years. It is to this future that the
work of the State Education Commission and all of us
should be dedicated. North Carolina excells in educa
tion in some respects, compared with other states, but
is sadly lacking in others.
Our State has more children per family to educate
than the national average, while our income is about
half the national average. In a recent school year we
spent 1.88 percent of our total income to current cost
of public education, while the average of the nation
was only 1.59 percent. During this same school year
only 13 states devoted a larger portion of their income
to education than did North Carolina.
But, there are at least five other states that bear as
large or larger share of school costs out of state funds;
there are other states that devote a larger proportion of
state taxes to education; there are many other states
that have a larger percentage of their population en
rolled in schools; and there are five southern states
that have increased school support since 1940 by a
larger percentage than we have.
One great weakness in the organization and admin
istration of our school system is the divided responsi
bility. Our state constimtion states that the elected
State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be the
executive head of the. school system. The State Board
of Education, appoitned by the Governor, elects a
Controller, who is by law the executive officer of the
board for all matters of business management and fiscal
affairs. The Board now has charge of both promotion
and control of our school system. This system leads to
confusion and misunderstanding, resulting in the fact
that no one knows just exactly who is responsible.
North Carolina has a higher percentage of draftees
rejected by Induction Centers because of mental (edu
cational) deficiency than most other states. This fact
was most pronounced during World War II, but it is
also true today. During the last war North Carolina had
less than 55 percent of the total registrants in the Armed
Forces, while the national average was 66.2 percent.
This is due to the absence of compulsory school at
tendance and to the shortage of qualified teachers. "As
long ago as the 1940 census,” quoting the Raleigh
News and Observer, "the enumerators turned up thou
sands more children living in North Carolina than
were shown in reports of children attending schools.
Yet the last Legislature when shown the facts about
wholesale disregard for cumpulsory school attendance
laws declined to appropriate even a small sum to pro
vide for some State supervision of the State’s com
pulsory attendance laws.”
Our record is not an enviable one for a State with
great military traditions. The embarrassing record of
World War II should never be equaled again. Some
thing more is needed for education than books and
buildings. The best teachers and the finest schools will
fail if the State fails to discharge its duty in requiring
strict observance of our attendance laws.
Undoubtedly one of our most critical problems is
that of providing enough qualified teachers for our
schools. We need hundreds of teachers to take the place
of those who are now teaching without proper train
ing or who have married or retired.
How are we going to provide enough teachers? Many
do not wish to teach because of low salaries. Other
reasons include poor equipment and facilities, not
enough retirement allowance, too many pupils in a
class, lack of normal social life, bad working condi
tions, and unfair adult attitude. We must make teach
ing more attractive if we are to secure enough quali
fied teachers for our children.
What are good teachers worth? This has long been
a controversial subject in the state. North Carolina
citizens say that it should be between $2400 to $2500
for ten months of service. The national average is
$2886. The State Education Commission is well aware
of the fact that we cannot get good teachers unless we
pay them more. In 1948 they recommended at least
$2400 for ten months of service for beginning teachers
and from $3600 to $3900 for those who have taught
for twelve years or more. Yet, nothing has been done
about this recommendation.
Are the offerings of our school adequate? The ma
jority of our high schools limit their program to the
five academic fields—English, Mathematics, Social
Studies, Science and Foreign Language. Approximately
1 out of 4 offer no Home Economics, and 1 out of 2
offer no health instructions. Agriculmre is available
in only 6 out of 10 schools, typewriting in 6 out of
10, and shorthand in 2 out of 10. Elementary book
keeping is available in only 15 percent of our schools,
music in 10 percent. Industrial Art in 10 percent, and
diversified occupations in 4 percent. Our schools should
provide courses which meet the needs of our children.
Unless everyone of us joins the fight for more and
better schools, amply staffed with well-trained and well-
paid teachers who are filled with the American spirit
and eager to impart that spirit to their young charges,
we face the danger of losing all of the social gains
which we have made and the personal freedom for
which our forefathers fought.
Our job is to use our voices and our votes to compel
government officials to give real, intelligent attention
to the school problems which face us. We must insist
on careful planning and spending of the tax dollars to
insure the best school system. We must see to it that
teachers are paid on a basis which is consistent with
their professional stature and their responsibility to
our children.
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