The news in this publi
cation is released 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.
FEBUARY 27,1924
CHAPEL HILL, N..C.
THE ONITBSSITT OP NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
VOL. X, NO. 15
E jito ra«l Board} B. G. Braaaon, S. H. Hobbs. Jr., L. B. Wilson. E W. Knight, D. 0. Oarroll, J. B. Boilltt, H. W. Odum,
Entered as second'Clasa matter Nove nber 14. 1914. atthePostoffieeatCbapeiffill, N. C.. under the actof Augrust £4, 19X9
STATE BALANCE SHEET
TAXABLE WEALTH
The increase in wealth in North Ca
rolina during the last two decades is
almost without parallel in the United
States. As late as 1901 the total value
of all property as shown]tby our tax
books amounted to only $299,666,766.
Ten years later we had on the tax books
a total of only $747,601,000. In 1920 the
total value of all property on ^the tax
books amounted to more than three
billion dollars. Since‘^1920 many]couTi-
ties have allowed horizontal^reductions
per $100 of assessed value, and the rate
was the lowest in any state in the
Union.
^ The reason is simply that we have
grown in wealth almost as rapidly
we have increased our taxes against
property for public expenditures. The
total tax levied on property to support
the state and all subdivisions of the
state in 1902 amounted to nearly four
million dollars. The entire tax borne"
by property in 1922 amounted to about
37 million dollars, or about nine times
as much. The tax rate failed to in-
in the listing of property so ^b^ the ygj.y niuch because we had Ii8ted4
total value of all-T-property hated for,
much property as in 1902.
The property tax paid per inhabit
ant is much heavier than two decades
ago. However, our increase in taxable
wealth per inhabitant has practically
kept pace with the increase in the tax
levy, so that the actual tax burden
borne by property is only slightly in
excess of what it was more than two
decades ago.
The tax levy for all purposes against
property averaged $1.16 in 1920 and
$1.47 in 1922. The increase has been
much larger in almost all of the states.
The 1922 levy against property aver
aged $1,47 per $100 of assessed value
and the rate was the lowest in the
United States. There is no state in the
Union where property fares as well at
the hands of the tax gatherer as in
North Carolina nor is there another
state where the tax payer, property or
other, receives as much for his taxes.
OUR STATE WEALTH
taxation at present amounts to “about
two billion six hundred million dollars.
Probably not more than '60 percent of
our taxable wealth is on the tax books
so that -the present] real wealth of
North Carolina is close to five billion
dollars, both taxable andVnon-taxable.
It is interesting to* note that two
counties in North Carolina had almost
exactly »aa much wealth on the tax
books in 1923 as the entire state had in
1901. At the present time Forsyth and
Guilford, two adjoining counties, have
about 300 million dollars’ worth of prop
erty on the tax books, against less
than 300 million for the entire state in
1901.
Again, Guilford county is illustrative
of the marvelous increase in wealth
during the same short period of two
decades. In 1902 the value of all prop
erty on the tax books in Guilford coun
ty amounted to about nine million dol
lars. The assessed value of all property
in 1928 was about 143 million dollars, or
about sixteen times as much as twenty-
two years before. The gain in Forsyth is
even more amazing. In 1901 the assessed
value.of all property in Forsyth a-
mounted to$8,402,308 while the assessed
value in 1923 was about 153 million dol
lars, or more than eighteen times a:
much as twenty-two years before.
These two counties are typical of man3L
others that could be presented, since for
the entire state there was more than
ten times as much wealth on the tax
books in 1920 as in 1901.
Per Inhabitant
Taxable wealth per inhabitant in the
state has almost kept pace with the in
crease in total taxable wealth. In 1901
the value of all property on the tax
books in the state averaged $158 per
inhabitant. In 1920, the year of re
valuation, the wealth on the tax books
in North Carolina averaged about $1233
per inhabitant. The taxable wealth in
1923 amounted to almost $1000 per in
habitant, white and black.
The decrease is due to the horizontal
reductions in assessment values which
have taken place in a large number of
our counties. Actually there is much
more wealth in the state today than in
1920, but it is not on the tax books.
We still prefer low assessment values,
and high rates to-fair assessment with
low rates. It is only by using the lat
ter method that the burden of taxation
can be equitably distributed.
But considering wealth on the tax
books only, we have increased our total
wealth nine times over during the short
period of two decades. The average
person in North Carolina is worth more
than six times as much as the average
person two decades ago. Our rise in
wealth during the last two decades is
almost without parallel in the United
States. We are developing now as jjj „|,ich
never before in our history. Who dares
to predict what the wealth of North
Carolina will be two decades hence?
PROPERTY TAXES
Incredible as it may seem at first
glance, the average total tax rate on
property has not increased to any large
extent since 1902. At that time the
value of all property listed for taxa
tion in the state amounted to $346,879,-
000, and the total property tax levied
to support the state, counties, cities,
towns, and all other subdivisions a-
mounted to $3,976,000. The tax levy
for all purposes 'averaged $1.15 per
$100 of assessed value. In 1912 the tax
levy for all purposes, state, county,
and local, averaged $1.34 per $100 of
assessed value. In 1922 the entire tax
collected on all property listed for tax
ation in North Carolina averaged $1,47
The Department of- Commerce an
nounces, for the State of North Caro
lina, its preliminary estimate of the
value, December 31, 1922, of^the prin
cipal forms of wealth, the total amount
ing to $4,543,110,000, as compared with
$1,647,781,000 in 1912, an increase of
176.7 percent. Per capita values in
creased from $724 to $l7?03, or 136.2
percent.
All classes of property increased in
value from 1912 to 1922. The estimated
value of taxed real property jand im
provements increased from $637,960,-
000 to $2,209,432,000, or 246.3 percent;
exempt real property from $62,840,000
to $161,983,000, or 169.8 percent; live
stock from $86,068,000 to $108,397,000,
or 21.5 percent; farm implements and
machinery from $20,816,000 to $33,863,-
000, or 66.6 percent; manufacturing
machinery, tools, and implements’from
$86,120,000 to $238,827,000, or 180.0 per
cent; and railroads and their equip
ment from $204,606,000 to $261,694,000,
or 23.0 percent. Privately owned trans
portation and transmission enterprises,
other than railroads, increased in value
from $44,411,000 to $81,267,000, or 83.0
percent; and stocks of goods, vehicles
otherthan motor, furniture, and clothing
from $607,961,000 to $1,896,488,000, or
174.7percent. No comparison is pos
sible for the value of motor vehicles,
which was estimated in 1922 at $67,-
779,000, because no separate estimate
was made in 1912.
In making these estimates the De
partment followed in general the meth
ods employed in making the estimates
for 1912, though it is believed that in
some respects the work in 1922 has
been more thorough. It should be
borne in mind that the increases in
money value are to a large extent due
has^utaken
place in recent years, and so far as
that is the case they do not represent
corresponding increases in the,qaantity
of wealth.
Reports similar to the above have
been issued for about half of the states.
The increase in wealth during the de
cade has been larger in North Carolina
than in any other state for which re
ports have been issued.
UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
On one side of a dividing line
which separates two counties or
perhaps determines J;he boundaries
of some great city, lives a young
North Carolinian. On these bright
October mornings he wends his way
to a magnificent school building in
which are provided all the conven
iences necessary to comfort. Before
him stands a teacher gifted, trained,
and competent, with only a single
grade to teach. This privilege is
given him for ISOJdays everyJyear.
Just on the other side of this
same dividing line lives another
young North Carolinian. His school
does not open till the middle of Nov
ember and will continue for only 120
days. Perhaps no conveniences are
offered and no teaching apparatus
is provided. He is instructed by a
young girl who is not even a high
school graduate, and gwho has to*
teach seven grades.
Shall the accident of birth place
or dwelling place forever affect un
equally the opportunities of these
two young Americans? (.Each of
them is and will be a citizen of the
same state. Each of them is being
trained for his duties as a citizen in
a system of public schools which our
Constitution says shall be uniform.
One is as capable, as ambitious, as
promising as the other. One, in all
probability, will have completed
high school and entered college while
the other is still in the grades.
Must this go on for-ever, or is there
ajremedy within the reach of the
people, if they will only] reach eut
and take it?—A. T. Allen.
Deduct; Net surplus
adjustments (Below). 236,996.92
$5,766,104.81
State Auditor
Surplus Adjustments:
Revenue collected 1922 #
applicable to 1923....$ 373,916.94
Outstanding warrants
Dec 31, 1922, paid in
1923 131.692.61
$ 606,609.46
Lapsed Appropriations,
recoverable from other
funds 211,632.60
Expenses of 1923 paid in
1922 58,070.03
\ $ 269,602.63
$ 236,006.92
Liabilities
Cash overdraft on other
funds $5,434,433.02
General fund notes pay- •
able 600,000.00
$6,934,433.02
Deduct: School note
excluded by Legisla
tive Examining Com
mittee $ 710,000.00
$5,224,433.02
Matured bonds unpaid^ 28,600.00
Matured bond interest
unpaid 80,108.00
Surplus (per analysis at
tached) 422,963.79
$5,756,104.81
State Treasurer
StATE BALANCE SHEET
Feb. 4.—A surplus of $422,963.79 in
state revenues for the year 1923 is re
ported in a financial statementprepared
by the auditor and treasurer and made
public by Governor Morrison today.
The state lists the total general fund
disbursement for the year at $9,396,-
831.33, while revenues collected or es
timated applicable to 1923, aggregate
819,795.12:
A second statement takes the legis
lative examining committee’s report
for the year ending December 31, 1922,
substitutes actual collections of the past
twelve months for the estimates of a
year ago, and increases, by reason of
the excess of collections overestimates,
the surplus of one year ago to $1,019,-
483.12. The surplus reported at that
time by the legislative examining com
mittee was $232,806.26, but that was
based on estimates of the 1928 yield
applicable to 1922. Actual collections
exceeded the estimates by $780,627.87.
The balance sheet follows:
Debits
Expense disbursements,
January 1, to Decem
ber 31, 1923 $9,669,966.08
Of which $163,133.76
was charged to 1922.. 163,133.76
9,396,831.83
422,963.79
$9,819,796.12
Surplus Dec. 81,1923...
Credits
Surplus, Dec. 21, 1922,
as reported by the
Legislative Examining *
Committee $ 232,806.26
Revenue:
Total revenue receipts
Jan. 1, to Dec. 31,1923. $8,606,998.68
Less: Revenue collected
Jan. 1 to December 31,
1923. Applicable to
1923 and 1924 2,989,466.27
Revenue applicable to
1922 $6,617,643.41
Legislative Examining
Committee estimate.. 4,730,916.64
Excess of revenue col
lected over estimate
of uncollected revenue ,786,627.87
Collected and uncollect
ed revenue estiniated
to be collected for
1923 8,800,362.00
$9,819,796.12
Assets
Uncollected revenue (es
timated) $6,810,906.73
Advance to counties re
coverable: Emergency
Loan Fund. Notes re
ceivable 181,206.130
$6,992,111,73
PLANNING SCHOOL GROUNDS
According to the report, just issued
by Dr. W. C. Coker, Kenan Professor
of Botany at the University of North
Carolina, the public schools of the
state have received with increasing en
thusiasm the services of the Extension
Bureau of Design and Improvement of
School Grounds. Mrs. W. J. Matherly
is field agent of this Bureau of which
j Dr. Coker is in charge. As a result of
personal requests from the schools the
bureau, during the year, made ■ blue
prints giving planting suggestions for
the beautification of 35 public school
grounds.
The following are some of the North
Carolina communities visited by Mrs.
Matherly: Holly Springs, Haw River,
Morehead City, Louisburg, East
Durham High School, Smithfield, John
ston County Training School, Troy,
Carrboro, Greenville, Winterville,
Bethel, Ayden, Grifton, Norlina, "Sem-
ora, University, Rich Square, Cullo-
whee State Normal, Cullowhee Graded
School, Bryson City, Magnolia, Chari
ty Crossroads, Calypso, Apex, Leaks-
ville, Siler City, Liberty, Long Creek,
Woodlawn, Newell, Paw Creek, Hos
kins, Matthews, and Hickory Grove.
A letter recently received from L.
W. Umstead, Principal of the Magno
lia School, shows that the work of this
Bureau is being appreciated. Mr. Um
stead says in part, “In November of
1922 the Holly Springs School applied
to the Extension Division of the Uni
versity of North Carolina for aid in the
beautification' of its grounds. Mrs.
Matherly, field agent, visited the
school a few days later and obtained
the necessary information for making
the blue-print. Shortly afterwards the
plans were forwarded to us, and the
total cost was four dollars thirty-five
cents, Mrs. Matherly’s traveling ex
pense to Holly Springs.
“The school bought seventeen dollars’
worth of nursery stock to begin work
on the plans. The plans are not yet
completed, but the improvements al
ready effected have added at least a
thousand dollars to the value of the
school site. The Extension Division is
rendering a great service to the state.”
STATE AIDS COUNTIES
Loans to 77 counties from the state
aid construction fund aggregating $3,-
700,000 were approved and bonds in
that amount ordered sold at a meeting
of the State Board of Education yester
day. Applications for loans amounting
to nearly two million dollars were held
in abeyance until the regulations gov
erning the distribution of the fund are
more completely complied with.
Individual amounts to the counties
range from $2,000 borrowed by Dare
county to $170,000 borrowed for the
construction of a series of school build
ings in Johnston county. Guilford
asked for $110,000 and Craven $106,OO0
of the funds available from the second
five million authorized by the General
Assembly to be borrowed and reloaned
I to the counties at low interest rates.
, No assistance is given to any county
I in the construction of its school houses
; unless the proposed buildings are in
; line with plans to reorganize the coun-
I ty school system on the county-wide
' basis. The restriction does not go to
j the limit of requiring that reorganiz^-
1 tion must be in process, but that the
j building will fit into such a system
when it shall have been instituted.
I The ^st five million loan fund was
authorized by the General Assembly of
1921. So popular did it become with
the counties that a second five million
was authorized in 1923. Applications
are on file for more than the total of
the second loan, but have not yet been
approved. Applications which have
been hgld in abeyance will be acted,
upon later and the loans made if ap
proved.
The amounts loaned to each county
yesterday follow:
Alamancej $50,000; Alexander, $20,-
000; Alleghany,'$1,200; Anson, $46,000;
Avery, $36,000.
Buncombe, $28,000; Burke, $22,000.
Cabarrus, $90,000; CaldweU,^$60,000;
Carteret, $3,600; Caswell, $29,000;
Catawba, $64,000; Chatham, $14,000;
Clay, $18,000; Cleveland. $40,000;
Columbus, $19,000; Craven, $105,000;
Currituck, $34,000.
Dare, $2,000; Davidson, $66,800,
Davie, $46,000; Duplin, $56,000; Dur
ham, $66,000.
Edgecombe, $60,000.
Franklin, $100,000,
Gaston,$94,000; Gates, $35,000; Gran
ville, $100,000; Greene, $16,000; Guil
ford, $110,000.
Halifax,.$86,000; Harnett, $120,000;
Haywood, $40,000; Henderson, $35,000;
.Hertford, $3,000; Hyde, $26,000.
Iredell, $28,000.
Jackson, $64,000; Johnston, $70,000;
Jones, $26,0(X).
Lee, $16,400; Lenoir,$90,000; Lincoln,
$74,000.
Madison, $90,000; Martin, $86,000;
McDowell, $16,000; Mecklenburg, $46,-
000; Mitchell, $12,000; Montgomery,
$56,000; Moore, $30,000.
Nash, $33,000; New Hanover, $60,-
000; Northampton, $12,600.
Onslow, $60,000; Orange, $8,000.
Pamlico, $26,000; Pasquotank, $20,-
000; Pender, $68,000; Perquimans, $40,-
000; Person, $9,600; Pitt, $66,000; Polk,
$40,000.
Richmond, $28,000; Robeson, $67,-
000; Rockingham, $46,000; Rutherford,
$57,600.
Scotland, $60,000; Stanly, $66,000;
Stokes, $12,600; Surry, $40,000; Swain,
$40,000.
Transylvania, $40,000.
Union, $10,200.
Vance, $44,000.
Wake, $96,300; Warren, $50,000;
Wayne, $86,000; Wilkes, $60,000.
Total, $3,700,000.—News and Observer.
CORRECTIONS
Our attention has been called to two
errors which appeared in the recent
table showing the percent of school
districts in each county which had voted
local taxes. The table was based on
information received from an authori
tative source*.
Superintendent R. E. Sentelle in
forms us that all school districts, white
and black, in Edgecombe in 1921-22
were operating under special local
tax.
In Durham county white and negro
districts are coterminous, ‘ and in
1921-22 twenty-five of the twenty-eight
districts were local tax districts. These
two errors were due to inaccurate in
formation and we are glad to make
corrections.
THE IDEAL FARM
In the final analysis the ideal farm—
the truly successful farm~is the one
which yields to the farmer and his
family a living—full, adequate, com
plete-liberal in its material rewards,
but not lacking in the social, aesthetic,
and ethical values which make for
character, contentment, and genuine
happiness. The soil has the capacity
to ^produce these returns if the hand
which turns it but knows how to sow
the seed. The key which will unlock
the wealth of the fields and bring forth
the treasifres material and spiritual is
the intelligence of the farmer.—New
Jersey College of Agriculture.