Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Aug. 28, 1936, edition 1 / Page 17
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School Levy Was Voted Down in 1897 Was Hard To Get| Favorable Vote for | Schools Until 1908 While tins county and state are now recognized as education con scious, so to speak, they were not always that way, according to old records found in "hninutes of the MSi tin County Board of Educa tion and in old books carrying election returns of near 40 years ago. At that time three out of every four voters in the county were against ed1"*"''""?other llian the four months term, and there is some doubt if that much schooling would have been made available had it not been for the constitution requiring it. ^ In 1897, the public school iS9Ue was placed before the people of the county or those in 8 of the 10 political divisions. A special tax was proposed to finance the ?extended term, the amount of the tax not being mentioned in the old records. The school people w ere turned back at the polls by a vote of 1,204 to 488, the pro posed measure failing to carry in i single one of the eight districts. In two or three districts, the vota was solid against the schools. As far as it can be learned, no effort to better the educational system in Martin County was made until 1905. In September of that year citizens of District No. I, Dardens, petitioned the board of education for a special tax of 25 cents on the $100 prop erty valuation and an additional 75 cents on each poll. Apparent ly the election failed to carry at that time, for it was In Jjily, 1908, before any recryd was entered showing a vote favorable to the schools. However, that district was not the first to vote a special tax. Outterbridge district, in Jamesville Township, voted 18 to 1 for a special tax the month be fore, and as far as it can be learned that district wps the first in this county to vote a special lax for its schools. It is said that there was little valuable property in the district at the time, and the time, and the tax was aimed at the Atlantic Coast Line Rail ioad tracks and other property. Poplar Run, in the same section] of the county, voted 11 to 4 for a s pec i at tax In September, T909. A month later, citizens in the Hamilton district voted 47 to 3 for a 20-cent rate and a 60-cent poll. About two years later Goose Nest and Jamesville voted spec ial taxes. The vote in Goose Nest was 32 for and 12 against, while the Jamesville vote was 56 for and 18 against. Parmele fav ored a special tax. 61 to 34. in May, 1913, and two years later Uiggs district voted 14 to 3 for a special tax. While it is generally under stood the extra taxes were levied to extend the term from four to six months, the records make no mention of that fact. In 1916, a combination vote on a, special tax levy was arranged with Wards, Riddicks, and Smith wicks school districts. The vote, favoring an extended term, also approved the consolidation of the three schools and gave rise to the first transportation system in the county. George Coltrain, then a resident of Williams Township, is said to have hauled children on a wagon to the central school aft er it was built. Special charter schools at "Wil liamston and Robersonville al ready had their extended terms, and each year saw more of the units in the county systenv Not ing extra taxes foiHsetteeAichools the action during that period re versing the decided stand taken against the schools in 1897. Along with the consolidation program?that - was to follow-a short time later, or after 1923, special tax elections were held in nearly every district of the cotin Supply of Cotton And Consumption The -TOtlog _prigg averaiiea lor 1934 and 1935 clearly indicate the stabilizing effect of real crop con trol, in spite of rayon and silk competitors The production of these two years was the lou-nut since 1923. Stocks on hand are higher than at any period prior to -the* 1930 crop. The high stocks and fairly low consumption large ly account for the present .price. .Liie 4ow production and prices in relation to years since the world war bear out the low consump tion or low exports since 1933." Hamilton Railway Once Considered According to the Martin Coun ty Times, a newspaper published in Williamston in the eighties, a railroad from Scotland Neck to Hamilton was considered in 1383. The paper carries very few de tails, however, limiting its com ment to the following: "It is re ported that somebody has com menced making a survey for a ra i 1 road from Scot land N eck to Hamilton." Hamilton was a flourishing town in those days, probably commanding a greater trade vol ume than any other town in the county. ty to votebonds for the rnnstriic lion of new school buildings. Townsend Caravan Arrives in Washington Member* of the Townsend plan caravan which traveled from California to Washington presenting to Representative Tolan a bundle of petitions to congress signed by a million persona who favor the scheme. for the HOME I ibHew Sell Your Tobacco In Williamston If you have in mind buying Furniture during the Fall, why Furniture Headquarters? We have everything you need in the Furniture line. Our two stores, here and in Greenville, give us a \^rge buying power, enabling us to buy cheaper. We pass these saving right on to you. VANDYKE FURNITURE COMPANY "Happy Home Furnisher*" _____ Williamston, N. C.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Aug. 28, 1936, edition 1
17
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