North Carolina Newspapers

plant GardonSj & to FigMfor Wm&' 'day VOL. XXIII. (TUESDAY) WARRENTON, N. C, FRIDAY, MARCH 8TH, 1918 (FRIDAY) Number 20 S1.50 A YEAR A SEMI.WRFtTI.Y MTPWODPPn w,r,T,vm 4 umvlmou 1U THE INTERESTS OF WARRENTON A NFl warppm rmm-rv . .. . - " lkAAJUi1 V V W A. A A 3c. A COPY Way (T (T n GERMAN RAID ON FRONT REPULSED American Soldiers Holding Eight Miles Of Trenches; Few Men To He Called Before April. Headquarters of American troops in France, March 6th American troops on still another place on the French front have been raided by the Germans who were repulsed with losses. This is the first time permission is o-iven to mention this engagement. The American forces entered the battle line in a certain place in Lorraine. The French commander congratulated the Americans on their behavior.' Washington, March 6 American troops are now holding something over eight miles of trenches -on the battle frone in France, it was learned today, although in an air line their frontage is only about four and a half miles. This frontage is liable to ex tension at any time to the regular trench allottment for an army corps. Irregularity of the trench lines is responsible for their eight miles of length. They are laid out so that flanking fire may be obtained along every part of the front. Strong points containing machine guns jut out for this purpose. The trenches also fol low closely any protective slope of tiie country and wander up and down hill. The American sector is understood to be a divisional frontage, which moans that at least three divisions of American troops are there to give the necessary support in depth for the front lines. This fact has aroused speculation here as to who will be se lected by General Pershing to com mand the first corps of his army. Ma jor General Hunter Liggett is known to have acted in that capacity, but as yet the expeditionary commander has not made any recommendation. Conditions in Russia are still at the worst. The Bolsheviki may not rat ify the peace pact, but it looks as if the mailed fi'st of German is going to force this course. Japan wants to the right to go into Russia and pro tect vast supplies from the German army. This involves a breach of neu trality and as yet Japan has not re ceived the consent of the Allies for such action, but it is looked upon with favor by many. ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 800,000 MEN WILL BE CALLED Washington, March 6 While a largo number of men will be called out dur ing the present year to fill up the army and complete its organization, was learned tonight that War Department plans do not call for the creation of any additional divisions in 1918. The announcement concerning the second draft expected soon from Provost Mai shal General Crowder may outline the manner in which less than $1,000,000 men, probably not much in excess of 800,000, are to be summoned gradually during the year to complete the exist ing organizations. As to the date of the second draft, members of Congress from agricul tural sections have been practically as sured that no withdrawal of men from civil life was contemplated which would embarrass harvesting. It has been indicated, however, that a rela tively small number of men must be called to the colors prior to June 1 and the process may start in April, when equipment, clothing and quarters wll be available. The men are need ed to fill up to full strength divisions slated for early departure to Europe and also for field army and corps troops not attached to divisions. The replacement detachments also must gc forward at an accelerating rate since American troops are now actually "hold ng a sector of the French front and men are being killed or wounded each day. FIVE MILE DRY ZONE AROUND 7 NAVAL TRAINING STATIONS i Washington, March 6: Dry zones Pve miles wide, irrespective of incor porated cities and towns within those hmits, are placed around eight per manent naval training posts and the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., in general order announced today u Secretary Daniels. LA FOLLETTE CENSURED BY WISCONSIN ASSEMBLY. Madison, Wis., March 6: The lowei huse of the Wisconsin Legislature to Sht censured Senator La Follette for 53 t in wie war oy a voxe ol h th 32' reslutin was passed y the State Senate ten days ago. ', Submittiog Education As! Flam and Method of Board Receive Hearty Endorsement By A Large Number of Representative School Committeemen. The report of the Board of Educa tion submitted to the Committeemen and citizens of the County last Mon day was full and complete, and was given the hearty endorsement by standing vote of those present. As will be seen from the full report print ed below it was shown that, the Board has been econmical and yet progres sive. It shows that the cost of ad ministration of school affairs in this County was much less than the aver age of the State, and that the teachers received more of the taxpayer's money than the average of the State; that the school business of the County is conducted at less cost than "the average of the State and that the school af fairs have been wisely and economi cally administered. The suggestion that a County Sps cial Tax, not to exceed thirty cents on prperty, be levied to bear on all prop erty in the County and thereby make a uniform tax rate for school purposes rather than a district tax, was en dorsed without a dissenting vote. The question of the application of the Railroad and Telegraph tax to the school needs of the entire county in stead, of solelyto the districts thru which said property runs, was discuss ed with much interest, and the Board was gratified at the spirit of harmony and willingness to share that tax shown by the endorsement of the plan by those present now receiving the tax. - - - - - It was not denied that a serious con dition confronts the. children of the County in their search for knowledge Total value of real and personal property in County .$6,990,580.00 Present rate of taxation for schools 27c on each. . . : 100.00 Present Rate on Polls . . lsf The number of white polls is. . . 1,242 The number of colored polls is.. 1,97l The estimated General Fund from 27 cents property tax and $1.68 Poll tax is -. . - - . . . .......... 24,274.10 The real and personal property of the Colored race which is included in above is 1,135,863.00 The real and personal property of the white race is 5,854,717.00 The school tax paid by the white race is 17,894.31 The school tax paid by the colored race is ' 6,379-79 That is to say: for each dollar paid by the colored race for conducting a fur months school term the white race pays, $2.80. What Becomes of This Money and How Is It Applied. Per diem and travelling expenses County Board. . .........$ 310100 Building and repairs . ; A I?-' Salaries white teachers a'Soo? Salaries colored teachers... r 7in"oo Incidental expenses, -white schools - Incidental expenses, colored schools.............. Taking Census . . Rural libraries and book cases - 7c a(. Expenses County Superintendent ............ ..V. .. . z&.uu Stationery, and fuel, County Superintendent s office 60.UU ... 336.00 Committeemen - " , vi. 1fmnn County Commencement -which we will not have this year . ... 100.00 Attendance officers r. :....: Wise High School, $325; Macon, $300; Warrenton, $300; Norhna, $300.00 a total for High Schools gJy Desk, blackboards ' 256 80 Mileagt paid teachers ........... ; - , Loan due State for School building not m Special tax ........ . 157.20 Expense of County Board . . ... . : ' ' " ' ' ' " ono'on To the above disbursement is to be added the salary of Co. Supt. . 1,800.00 which is offset by the per capita appropriation fromt the State of $1803 26 and in addition Fines and Forfeitures which last school year was $779.17, but this year will hardly reach that amount, say $500. So that our total four months school term fro State and County, Fines and Forfeitures is. - v-$ 2657736; Our total disbursements for four months term and for all other General Fund disbursements for the year commencing July 1, '17 and ending June 30, 1918 is 26'5j Leaving an estimater balance of . ; The question naturally arises: are the expenditures of the school fund; pvtrava.rantlv made? Is the Board of Education conservative :in its appro orSons to different departments? Is there any item which Can he stricken out with justice to the public schools, as a whole, without damage to the particular object for. which the expenditure is made? The average salary paid white teachers of the County is. .$37.42 The average salary paid colored teachers, of the County is 25.46 The average paid white and colored is The average paid teachers in Districts in which no special school tax is levied white race . The average paid teachers in Districts in which no special school . - tax is levied colored race ........ . . . - - - - The average paid white teachers in Special Tax Districts from General Fund. 7.' '1' ''''''' r ' ' ' - (Average paid Colored teachers in Special Tax districts from General Fund is. - lie fact by the very apparent lack of equipped teachers for the coming year, and that a remedy must be found. That this remedy was in a Special Tax for the whole county, falling upon that property not now paying special tax and not falling upon any .property now paying thirty cents special tax was the only just remedy. It was con ceded that it would be unfair to in crease the school fund by. increasing the General Tax and cause those al ready paying General Tax and Special Tax to pay more General Tax to be divided among all the schools of the County, but rather that the property not paying any special tax be placed on an equality as to rate of taxation with that now bearing its full share. The adoption of this fair and uni form method will provide funds to tah.e care of increase in salaries of teachers and will enable the Board to adminis ter the school affairs of the County with an eye solely to the needs of each community, with the purpose to increase the efficiency of each school, and to give to each community the best equipped teacher in the best equip ped building possible. By the hearty enlorsement of this method by Committeemen and citizens the Board felt justified in calling an election in order that the entire citi zenship of the County may "take the case and return its verdict in accor dance with the evidence" and,, with justice to their children, and in step with the progress of education in other counties. s, Tee Board! Of .Foe Special Tax f The Board is speaking solely of sal aries paid from the general Fund rais ed by a General tax of 27 cents. In Special Tax districts these salaries are supplemented by the local tax, and as an illustration of the salaries paid in some of these districts we will men tion Norlina, $50.00; Macon, $45.00; Warrenton, $50.00; Embro, $65; Vau ghan, principal $87.50; Epworth, lady principal $65.00; Vicksboro, lady prin cipal, $70.00; Afton, $50.00; Oakville, $75.00; Churchill, $65.00; Wise, $50 This , by way of illustration of the fact that only in these Special Tax Districts can salaries be paid which will appeal to our brightest teachers, and they can command more in other counties and will do so, unless Warren meets the situation in a spirit of jus tice. It is only justice that is being asked by the teachers. How Does the Administration of the School Fund of Warren Compare With Other CountiesT A letter from State Superintendent J. Y. Joyner to the editor of the News Reporter, a newspaper published in the town of Littleton shows the follow ing facts: 1. That the average paid by the State , for Supervision of schools io $3.00 in every $100.00; but that in Warren County it is only $2.60. 2. That the average paid for admin istration (Board of Education, census, committeemen and cet) is $4.50 per $100;'but in Warren county it is only $4.00. 3 That the average paidfor fuel, janitors and Insurance for the state is $3.3,0, and the average paid for these purposes by Warren County is $4.70. This excess above the average for the State can be accounted for m two ways: the effort of the Board , keep your children comfortable in the school room by providing liberally for fuel, and the further fact that the Board keeps the school houses insur ed. Fortunately we have had only two to burn; but for these the B ard re ceived $1150.00 insurance. 4. The average school funds invest ed in new buildings, reppairs, etc. by the counties of the State, is $14.50 in each $100; but the average for the County of Warren is $12.40. 5. The average Loan Fund repaid the State is $2.70; for Warren county is it $2.40. 6. The average of the counties of the State paid to teachers for salar ies is $71.00 in each $100. The teach ers of Warren get $69.00. This is ex plained by Superintendent Joyner by the fact that $37,500 of the School fund is Bonded indebtedness of Nor lina, Macon and Littleton and that the sinking fund and interest on this in debtedness makes the School fund lar ger and the per centage of whole amt paid teachers necessarily less; but says in explanation "though it does not decrease the amount paid teachers one cent, it does decrease the percent age." To recapitulate for Warren county: Supervision $2.60; Administra tion $4.00; Fuel,. Insurance and etc $4.70; Building $12.40; .Loan Fund $2.40 a total of $26,10. The average for the State for these same items is $28.00. Therefore, eliminating the amount paid for Interest on bonds in Warren county as well as the other countie3 of the State, it shows that our teachers actually get $73.90 out of each $100, and the other counties of the Stats $72.00. Interest and sinking fund for bond issuies is not a proper charge against the General Tax Fund of any county when the proceeds are applied to. speciardistricts; hence it was not taken in consideration in determining the actual dollars and cents in each $100 paid out of the General Fund. Therefore the Board can with confi dence appeal to the citizens of thi county in approval of its Stewardship. It has shown: 1st, the total receipts from General Tax, and 2nd, where this General Tax was spent, and 3rd, that this 'tax was spent at less cost to tha taxpayer than the average of tha State, and 4th, that our teachers now get $73.90 out of each $100.00, and 5th 30c that this is $1.90 on each hundred dol lars more than the average of the State.. But the facts are that the teacherr of Warren county receive much less money in monthly salaries than the average of the State. They get more out of each $100 of taxpayers money than the average of the State; but the taxpayers of the County pay less to the school fund than the average of the State, and hence the aggregate of the $73.90 divided by the teachers employed gives each teacher less mon ey, per month than her sisters are getting throughout the State. . How can this be remedied ? The only an swer is to provide more sums of $73.90 It is for the purpose of agreeing on a plan that causes the Board to lay ; bare its work, and to get an expres sion of opinion from its co-workers the committeemen of the County, and through them the taxpayers of the County. There are three methods by which the necessary funds" can be raised, viz: A State Tax, a Special County Tax and a County-wide Special Tax. The objection to a State Tax to ex tend the school term six months, as you will be asked to do by the State at the November election, is that the result can be attained in the County under a better plan in the opinion ot" the Board. The objection to the increase in the County tax is that the burden will also fall upon those citizens who are now paying the maximum of taxation, and will compel them to help educate the children of those communities who have not voted upon themselves a spe cial tax. Therefore, in the opinion of the Board, the only method to be pur sued is "a County-wide Special Tax." This method gives to each race (af- iter the five months now given by State and County) the funds of its re spective race. The colored race will gets its special taxes to pay its teach ers better salaries and get better tea chers, and the white race will get its funds to pay its teachers better sal aries and to get good teachers. As an illustration we give teh tax ables of several Special districts: Wise lists $442,292.00 at 30 cents Special tax for white race, and receives there from, including 90 polls, $1407.88; jWise for colored race lists $50,018.00 at 30 cents, including 104 polls, and gets $243.66. - Oakville pays 30 cents Special tax. It brings $406.10 for white schools, and $112.57 for colored schools. Norlina lists $436,656 white proper ty, and $35,523.00 colored; their re spective taxes for schools is white $1408.97, and colored $177.67. These facts are given by way of il lustration as being the fairest method under which the taxes can be levied. There are 18 districts in the County now paying the 27 cents General tax, land in addition, Special taxes for schools. In all of these districts the schools are making fine progress and would not return to the old days of no special school tax. Take Norlina, for illustration: She pays 27 cents General School tax to help all the County; and then pays in addition 30 cents for Special school tax for. her own children, and then pays 30 cents more for a suitable building in which to educate them. There is 6,990,580.00 in real and per sonal property in this County. $5, 135,410.00 is paying 27 cents Geneia Fund and Special School funds in ad dition. To levy additional taxes on the five million in order to supply sal-ai-ie& of teachers to the $1,855,170.00 would be an injustice. Any form of taxation except the Special School tax will do this. Unless the citizens of this county will endorse a Count wide Special tax to cover all the coun ty, then it will become necessary for the 5,135,410.00 dollars to have an in crease in its tax levy to provide bet- iter teachers at better salaries for the $1,855,170 of property which now bears no special tax. This is an injus tice which the Board does not believe (Continued Oh Fourth Page) SHOW MAKES HIT IN WARRENTON. Churchill Local Talent Produce Good Play in "Diamonds and Hearts" Wednesday. "Diamonds and Hearts", a comedy drama in three acts, presented by the Churchill community under the direc tion of Miss Jessie Eubanks at the Opera House Wednesday night merit ed a full house. It won the admira tion of the audience as the cleverest local talent show staged here in the last two years. The plot was easily-followed; the characters were all good; and the gen eral tone of the entertainment was high. Simon Gardner in the role of a New England farmer plain, out-3poken. and with a bandanna always at hand won the plaudits of his audience by drollness and -stage bearing; Miss Maud Haithcock as Hannah Mary Bar nes or "Sis" supplemented his acting in creditable style; "Sammy", erst while Herbert Gardner, played well the prying colored boy around the house, and frequently brought a titter from those out in front; Miss Cora Shaw, as the leading lady, carried her role well. The cast of character and a brief synopsis of the play follows: Bernice Halstead ; . .Cora Shaw Amy Halstead Alma Shearin Inez Gray Stella Currin Mrs. Halstead... Ruth Hunter Widow and Stepmother of the girls Hannah Mary Barnes. Maud Haithcock Dwight Bradley. . . .Hawkins Gilliland Mrs. Halstead's son by former mar'age Dr. Burton. Jasper Shearin Sammy Herbert Gardner Abraham Barnes ...... Simon Gardner Attorney Claud Haithcock Sheriff .Frank Burrows The scenes were a pleasant parlor i in the city home of the Halsteads and a kitchen in the Old Barnes Farm house. Bernice and Amy Halstead and Inez Gray, learning that a young Doctor has moved to towns make plans to see who shall win the Doctor's heart. In the meantime Dwight Bradley, learn ing that his stepfather had left all of his property to Bernice, makes plans to marry; becoming aware of this, she leaves home to teach a country school. To carry out his plan Dwight Bradley hides his mother's diamonds in Ber nice's trunk, of which she is accused of stealing. Through the help of A braham. Barnes, Dwight Bradley is fhoven guilty and all ends well. The interludes were featured by the clog dancing of "Sammy" Gardner and "Long Tom" Shearin who "shook a foot" to the music of Messrs. A. T., John W., R." B., and Malvern Connor who from a violin, mandolin, banjo, and guitar flung dance music into tie air. This was a decidedly popular feature of the entertainment, and the boys were "doggers" what one reads about. Around a hundred and forty people were in attendance, and about $22.00 was cleared for the piano fund of Churchill school. The cast and the community showed a fine spirit in donating $5.00 of the receipts to the Red Cross. The tone of the play was such as would improve any community in which presented, was a tribute to the talent of the Churchill community, and was a credit to its directress, the school, and the people of that progres sive section. GIRLS KNITTING CLUB MET WITH MISS PELLATIER. The Girls Knitting Club was enter tained Tuesday night by Miss Ursula Pellatier at the home of Mrs. Hal T. Macon. Of the Club members the following were present: Misses Alice Rooker, Byrd Jones, Sarah Moore, Louise Dow tin, Fair Polk, Nan Rodwell, Sue and Annie Palmer, and Miss Hope Powell as the guest of the club. Following a course in knitting, ap ples, cake and lemonade were served. The Club will meet next Monday night with Miss Louise Dowtin in South Warrenton. Had Similar Failing Mistress It's only fair to warn you, Bridget, that my husband swears a little sometimes. Bridget That's all right, mum. So do I. Life.