The news in this publi
cation is reieased for the
press on receipt.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
NEWS LETTER
Published Weekly by the
University of North Caro
lina for the University Ex
tension Division.
AUGUST 15, 1928
CHAPEL HILL, N. C.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
VOL. xiv, No. 40
Editorial Boardi E. C. Branson. S. H. Hobbs, Jr.. P. W. Wager. L. R Wilson, E. W. Knij?ht, D. D. Carroll. H. W. Odum.
Entered as second-claBS matter November 14, 1914, at the PostofBce at Chapel Hill, N. C.. onder the act of Augaet 24. 1911.
COST OF TEANSPOKTATION
Elsewhere appears a table in which
the counties are ranked according to
the average annual cost per pupil of
transporting white children to con
solidated schools during the school year
1926 1927. The table merely presents
the facts as reported by the State
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
We do not pretend to know why the
counties differ so greatly in the per
pupil cost of transporting children to
school. In fact no one seems to know.
The office of the State Superintendent
says: “Before any conclusive reason
can be assigned to this situation a
further and more detailed study should
be made of the transportation facilities
in each copnty. ”
We are presenting the, facts chiefly
in order to call attention to the need
for research in this field of school
expenditure. Tne counties of the state
are now spending more than a million
and a half dollars per year in transport
ing children to school. The counties
, do not seem to follow any particular
pattern. Some trucks are driven by
paid drivers, others are not. Some
counties use large trucks, others use
small ones. Some counties tend to use
one make of trucks, some another, and
some many different makes. Some
counties have provided facilities for
repairing trucks, others have not.
Some counties buy gasoline and oil
wholesale, others from filling stations,
and so on and on. We need to know
what the county practices are, and
what practices are efficient and econom
ical and what are wasteful. Thus
the need for thoroughgoing investiga
tion into the whole matter of bus trans
portation of school children.
Some Facts of Interest
A few facts revealed by the table
are worth noting. On the basis of
the data Lincoln county transported her
children at a lower cost per pupil trans
ported than did any other county, the
amount being $5.84 per pupil per year.
New Hanover reported a per pupil cost
of $67.25. Toere Are undoubtedly
several good explanations for ^^these
great differences. What they are we
do not know. It is worth finding out.
During the school year 1926-27 the
white pupils transported to school daily
numbered 111,030 at a total current
cost of $1,573,449, or a per pupil cost
of $14.16 for the school year. Only
one state transported more children to
school than did North Carolina. Forsyth
county led the state in the number of
pupils transported daily, with 3,478,.
followed closely by Guilford, Buncombe,
and Davidson. Tnere were 44 counties
Following next in order of value to
raw cotton in exports for the year were
leaf tobacco amounting to $20,168,592;'
cotton cloth, $3,714,713; cotton yarn,
thread and cordape, $3,664,401; ci^ton
hosiery, $2,008,266; tobacco manu
factures, $1,665,946; cotton'-mill waste,
$1,662,261; and vegetable food products
and beverages, $1,616,431. j
Among the diversified commodities
exported from North Carolina during
1927 were animals and animal products
(edible and inedible), inedible vege-'
table products, boards, planks and '
scantlings, wood and manufactures, ;
non-metallic mineral products, metals '
and manufactures of metal machinery, i , , . , , .
, . , j , A u student, the same number round in
vehicles and parts, and chemicals and
I rural schools, ihe books were for the
GOOD BOOKS
Guide us into realms of joy
Give the spirit j^iyous expression
Inspire high ideals
Build character
Inspire honor and chivalry
Teach reverence and patriotism
Hold time’s treasures untold
Instill a love of right and truth
Are good heart friends
Are comrades in joy and sorrow
Enrich the lives of boys and girls
Teach good manners and taste.
— State School Facts.
THE OLD NORTH STATE
North Carolina is getting much de
sirable publicity these days. Vermont,
using Frank Page’s speech as a basis,
is busily advertising the state through
out the country. Now comes Fenner
and B^ane, cotton merchants, with
connections everywhere. That firm is
I sending out the following letter to
I their clients and newspapers:
I Half a century ago North Carolina,
; by admission of its own leaders, was,
1 with a single exception, the least liter-
j ate stat^ in the Union.
; Now, some $36,000, COO a year are spent
! on public school education, and about
1100,000 rural pupils are transported to
and from school, mostly by motor bus.
I More important, the-people of North
' Carolina give as their first reason why
they had on an average five books per ^
live, the great strides they have made
brag about their housing conditions
and their schools, the material prog
ress they have made, and their plans
for greater works for- human comfort
and economic ease.
A far cry from the days of the Lone
some Pine and the family feud!
North Carolina welcomes and does
not oppose the drift of cotton produc
tion to the West. It has found some
thing far better than the one-crop
system.
North Carolina is an outstanding
demonstration of the progress being
made by the New South. It has begun
to think right, and its larger future is
assured,—Durham Herald.
related products. I
Exports of merchandise for the pre-;
ceding year, 1926, showed a total valua-,
tion of $62,553,232, indicating a slight:
decrease for 1927. From the entire:
United States for the calendar year
1927, exports were valued at $4,758,-
721,078, compared with $4,713,553,066.
an increase $46,168,012.
In discussing the local origin of
exports, the Bulletin of the National
Industrial Conference Board says;
“If the question be asked what con
tribution each of the states makes to
the merchandise exports of the United-
States, an absolutely accurate answer
cannot be given. Exports do not'
necessarily originate at the point of
production. The interest of any state
in the export trade of the United
States depends not only upon its pro
duction of export goods, but upon its
importance as a trading center.
“The commercial statistics of some
countries' give exports by ports but
niake no attempt to ascertain the origin
of the goods exported. This is in part
a reminiscence of older days when
trade centers gathered goods from all
most part well selected and were suit
able, therefote, for high school
students.
The enrollment in white private high
schools was 4,072 and there were 119,-
818 volumes in the libraries in these
schools. There were on an average 30
books per student in thes^ schools. It
should be said in this connection that
many of the books were out of date
and not very valuable as library books.
In some instances also where high
scjiools were run in connection with
colleges, mainly junior colleges, the
number of books given included all
books in the school library.
The outstanding needs of libraries in
our schools are as follows:
1. A trained librarian for at least
part-time service.
2. Additional well-selected books
until there shall be an average of ten
books per student in every school.
3. Adequate library equipment mak
ing possible the most effective use of
the books provided. In many instances
the room is too small, and in many in
stances the lighting is poor. There
LIBRARY GIFV
Tangible expression of appreciation
and are making in education. |
Their next argument is the existence i
of a wonderful system of fine high-, service given the county schools
ways. I by Miss Anne Pierce, librarian, and
Their third is developed hydroelectric , the various members of the staff of the
power. Their fourth—the effect of a
cause—is the rapid strides industry
making in their state.
North Carolina is bountifully en
dowed by nature. It has three distinct
belts: the coastal plain, the piedmont
plateau, and the mountain district.
Vegetation ranges from tropical to
northern. Agriculture runs the entire
gamut. Cotton and tobacco are im
portant, but the people of the state
have discovered that industry is more
profitable, and $60,000,000-banks have
made their appearance in some cities.
Trade centers advertise their high
way connections, their railroads, the
completeness of their facilities. They
parts of the world and stored them'Should be a room of at least standard
before exporting them—when, in other j class-room size set apart as a library
words, the shipping transaction origi- i room should, of course, be
Dated entirely in the seaport town, and ' "
was not bound up in any way with the
receipt of goods before shipment. The
use of the through bill of lading has in
considerable measure changed this
provided with the necessary library
furnishings to make satisfactory work
possible.
4. An annual appropriation of $1.00
per pupil for the purchase of new
situation. Export goods are by this ! books, magazines and periodicals. This
means traceable either directly to their I necessary in order to add fre&h
sources of production or at least to the i keep the library up-to
primary assembling points for them, date.—J- Henry Highsmith.
It seems probable that especially for
bulky articles, the staples which make
up a very considerable part of our
expbrt trade, the bills of lading furnish
a tolerably accurate view of the origin
of exported articles.”
This means that the export figures
are not strictly accurate for all the
states. And most likely North Caro
lina is one state that does not get full
each of which transported more than , credit for her actual exports. A large
1,000 white pupils to school daily. Only
one county reported no children trans
ported to school.
There were 2,850 motor vehicles
employed in transporting white chil
dren to consolidated schools, and only
one state, Indiana, ranked ahead of
North Carolina in this respect.
In terms of numbef of vehicles used
Johnston ranks first with 92, Granville
second wicn 82, Guilford third witii^Sl,
Rutherford fourth with 75, and Wilson
fifth with 73.
.i study of the table shows that there
is little or no correlation between the
number of pupils transported and the
cost of transportation. The cost va
ries, and varies greatly. Some pos
sible explanations may He in size of
buses, miles of route covered per bus,
number of pupils transported per bus,
county systems of maintenance and
operation, average days buses were
operated, different methods of cost ac
counting, or pt'.'Sibly in other factors.
These are only possible explanations.
The facts need to be investigated.
part of the exports actually originating
in North Carolina are credited to other
States since they are usually loaded on
ships at Norfolk, Baltimore, New York
and other deep sea ports. Wnen the
goods leave this state their identity
often is lost. How else can one explain
GUILFORD’S BOOK-TRUCK
The Greensboro Public Library, the
first in the state to open its doors to
the rural folk, has just completed the
first eight months of service with the
county book-truck.
During the first years of county
service small deposit stations were
maintained with some degree of suc
cess but contact between the library
and the individual was lacking and it
was a dream of long standing to pro
vide means by which each person could
be served^directly by a librarian and
select his own books with the same
privileges open to those living in town.
This plan was made possible last
Charlotte public library is evidenced by
an unsolicited gift of $1,200 to the li
brary by the county board of education,
announcement of which was made yes
terday by Miss Pierce. ^
The $1,200 item was included in the
board’s school budget for the year, it
was explained, and the money is given
Mias Pierce with the instruction that it
be used in library work in any way she
sees fit. The board in appropriating
the money expressed its appreciation
of the great service the library ren
dered the schools during the last year
especially.—Charlotte Observer.
COST OF TRANSPORTING PUPILS TO SCHOOL, 1926-27
Average Annual Cost per White Pupil Transported
In the following table, based on State School Facts, Vol. IV, No. 21, issued
by the State Superindent of Public Instruction, the counties are ranked accord
ing to the average annual cost per white pupil of transporting children to con
solidated schools during the year 1926-27. The parallel column shows the num
ber of white pupils transported to school daily.
Lincoln county reports the lowest average annual cost per pupil, the amount
being $6.84. New Hanover reports an average per pupil cost of $67.26 for the
year.
The state total of white pupils transported daily was 111,030, at a total cost
of $1,573,449, or an average annual cost per pupil of $14.15.
Department of Rural Social-Economics. University of North Carolina
why Virginia is credited with exporting I when ^be County Board of
nearly two and a half times as much . agreed to turn over the full
commerce as Northi Carolina? North of the dog tax for such use.
Carolina stands ahead of Virginia both i Dodge truck was selected and the
as an agricultural and as an industrial | especially . designed to suit the
NORTH CAROLINA EXPORTS
A recent issue of Conservation and
Industry, published by the State De
partment of Conservation and Develop
ment, carries some data on North Caro
lina’s exports.
Merchandise exported from North
Carolina for 1927 amounted to $60,469,-
126, with raw cotton valued at $22,303,-
204 ranking first in order of value
among all commodities sent from the
state to foreign markets during the
year. '
state. Our leading industrial and agri
cultural products are exported in enor
mous quantities. North Carolina .will
not' get due credit as an exporting
state as long as our pr^ucts embark
from ports outside the state, unless
new ways are found to credit the state
properly with all exports originating
within her borders.
HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES
There has been a steady growth in
the high school libraries inJNorth Caro
lina, particularly during :,the last four
or five years. The .stable printed in
connectibn with this discussion giving
figures for, 1926-27 shows that there
were 148,088 volumes in urban or city
schools; 312,899 volumes in rural
schools, and 119,818 in private schools,
making a total ofi680,806. .volumes.
There were 81,021 pupils enrolled in
white public highischools in 1926-27 and
the total number of- volumes in the
libraries attended by these^pupils were
460,987, which is about five volumes per
pupil- ,
The enrollment in urban or city
schools was 30,961 and these:schools had
148 083 library books, which means that
work was built in Greensboro. With
glass-coveted shelves on each side of
the truck and desk formeo by letting
down the back, this “Parnassus on
wheels” carries its wares all over Guil
ford County, Above the shelving one
may read the words: Greensboro Pub
lic Library—Free Beading for Guilford
County.
Twenty-six schools are visited be
sides various other stops. The truck
travels five d^'s a week and has two
schedules so that the children know
the day and hour to expect its arrival.
The books are arranged on the'shelves
so that the children may know just
where to look for those best suited to
their age and pleasure. In this way indi
vidual service is stressed which cannot
be accomplished by deposit stations.
Any requests are received and filled on
the next trip. ‘ The first month closed
with a circulation of 3,804, which has
steadily increased until the eight
months’total amounts to 38,198, with
3,500 borrowers. Lists of books have
been received from the county super-
visor that will be of service to the
teachers as well as the children. —MiSs
Nellie M. Rowe.
Pupils Aver-
Trans- age an-
ported nual
Rank County daily - cost
per
pupil
1 Lincoln 1,666 $ 5.84
2 Davidson 3,040 6.86
3 ^itehell 620 6.89
4 Sampson 2,543 7.29
B Cabarrus 386 7.41
6 Lee 978 7.74
7 Cleveland....': 1,605 7.78
8 Stanly 2,802 7.80
9 Forsyth 3,478 8.00
10 Richmond 1,258 8.53
11 Yadkin .')« 275 8.88
12 Gates-. 796.... 9.19
13 Pasquotank 1,203 9.32
14 Alexander 438 9.39
16 Union 902 9.69
16 Madison 1,042 9.8(j
17 Iredell 1,903 10.01
18 Randolph 1,104 10.04
19 Guilford 3,273 10.13
20 Johnston 2,778 10.21
21 Yancey '300 10.24
22 Davie 918 10.56
23 Montgomery 1,759 10.60
24 Caldwell ; 526 10.71
25 Hoke 664 10.79
26 Caswell 1,046 10.94
27 Ashe 387 10.96
28 Mecklenburg 2,639.,....11.00
29 Lenoir 1,661 11.26
30 Chowan 117 11.43
31 Greene 975 11.82
82 Avery 600 11.86
33 Catawba 2,264 12.04
34 Camden 460 12.16
36 Stokes 969 12.31
36 Onslow 895 12.69
37 Gaston 1,605 12.64
38 Martin 662 13.01
39 McDowell 900 13.16
40 Robeson 2,184 13.36
41 Columbus 2,069 13.39
42 Watauga 301 13.44
43 Bertie '"980.......13.49
44 Surry 1,049 13.63
45 Polk 676 13.64
46 Wilson 2,572 13.92
47 Clay 125 13.99
48 Rockingham 1,653 14.17
49 Duplin 1,660 14.41
60 Graham 290 14.73
Rank County
Pupils Aver-
trans- age an-
ported nual
daily cost
per
pupil
51 Person 1,027 $14.90
62 Buncombe 3,126 15.14
53 Vance 1,390 16.88
64 Rutherford 2,289 16.13
55 Wilkes 660 16.22
56 Northampton 905 16.41
67 Pender 1,345 16.51
58 Nash 1,340 16.69
69 Wayne 2i422...'>.J.6.77
60 Scotland 6^9 16.80
61 Orange 1,035 17.08
62 Swain 217 17.09
63 Henderson 813 17.56
64 Granville'. 2,176 17.68 ■
65 Chatham 762 17.59
66 Haywood 460 17.65
67 Perquimans 308 17.85
68 Jones 773 17.90
69 Craven 1,284 18.03
70 Anson 1,146 18.10
71 Harnett 1,467...!..18.14.
71 Moore 1,293 18.14
73 Durham 1,277 19.22
74 Burke 664 19.31
76 (Edgecombe 1,964 19.47
76 Carteret (r 586 19.64
77 Alamance 666 19.69
78 Brunswick 193 19.97
79 Rowan 600 20.68
80 Pamlico ! i 451 20.97
81 Bladen 1,262 21.16
82 Warren 970 21,26
83 Pitt 1,366 21.47
84 Macon 196 22.16
86 Wake 2,010 22.45
86 Cumberland 1,800 22.63
87 Beaufort 666 72.84
88 Jackson 619 22 96
89 Hyde 402 23.69
90 Hertford 638 24.il
91 Franklin 843 26.37
92 Halifax 933 26.69
93 Currituck 810 26.89
94 Dare 123 28.93
95 Cherokee 48 33.01
96 Transylvania 206 34.76
97 Tyrrell 110 35.96
98 Washington 180 36.78
99 New Hanover 241 67.26
100 Alleghany