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Public
Schools of Transylvania County NC, 1905-1910
Sylvan Valley News, 1910
To the Honorable Board of Education, Transylvania
County:
Gentlemen: It is with much pleasure that I respectfully submit to you this
report, showing the progress of education in Transylvania county from July 1, 1905 to July 30,
1910. The report, being presented in pamphlet form, will serve as a convenient medium of
communication between the administration and the public, giving the people information in regard to
the condition of the schools and educational work in the county.
Much progress has been made and is being made in the development of our public
schools, and I take this opportunity, gentlemen, to sincerely thank you for your hearty
co-operation in the work.
Most sincerely yours,
T. C. Henderson,
Supt. Of County Schools
_____
The people have the right to the privilege of education, and it is
the duty of the State to guard and maintain that
right.—Section 27, Bill of Rights, Constitution of North
Carolina
Our Public Schools
Buildings and
Equipment
Five years ago
there was scarcely a respectable school house in Transylvania county. Most of the structures
called school houses were either uncomfortable and unsightly framed houses with no ceiling
and poor seats, or uncouth log huts provided with benches which were apparently constructed
to provide a place of punishment for unruly pupils. The total value of all public school
property was only about $5,000.00. During the past five years, we have built ten new school
houses and have ceiled and otherwise repaired several old buildings, until today we have
school property valued at over $30,000.00—an increase of more than $5,000 a year. This
remarkable increase in school property has been made possible by entertainments, private
donations, local taxation and receipts from the Literary Fund of the
State.
During the past five years, we have seated 22 school rooms with patent desks and
provided 25 rooms with blackboards. The number of painted houses has been increased from one to
eleven.
It is the policy of the present administration to try to provide in every school
district a comfortable school house with suitable equipment and attractive grounds, until every
school in the county will be a thing of beauty and a joy forever, where every boy and girl may be
delighted to assemble and may receive instruction and inspiration not only from their teacher but
also from proper environment.
………… .
Local School
Tax
To succeed at any profession in this day of sharp competition, it is necessary
for every human being to have at least a thorough knowledge of the elementary branches of reading,
writing and arithmetic, and the training and development which results from the effort which must
be put forth to acquire such a knowledge. To provide anything like adequate facilities for doing
this foundation work upon which our entire educational system must stand, it has been found
necessary to supplement our school funds by local taxation. This system of securing more money for
the schools is both wise and right, as it provides the means for a longer term with a more
competent teacher in the community where the tax is paid. “Every cent of the money paid by local
taxation for schools by an community remains in the community for the improvement of the community
school, and every cent of it is invested through a better school in the minds and souls and
characters of the rising generation, in an increase in the intelligence and efficiency of the
entire community.” No one can for a moment doubt the wisdom of such a tax for such a purpose;
because it is evident to any thinking person that the children cannot receive even a good
elementary education by means of a four-months school term each year with the long vacation of
eight months in which to forget a great deal of what knowledge they have acquired during the short
term of school. Every school in the county should have at least an annual six months school
term.
The following is a record of the local tax elections held in Transylvania county.
This record shows something of the progressiveness of our citizenship; as in every community except
two the election was carried for the tax, thus providing for the boys and girls, through better
school facilities, the opportunity of preparing themselves for successful
living:
Elections
Brevard No. 1. Election held April 24, 1906.
Registered
voters……………………………………………………………………..178
Votes cast for special
tax…………………………………………………………96
Hogback No. 1.
Election held March 19, 1907.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
41
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………… 23
Cathey’s Creek No. 1.
Election held June 11, 1907.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
51
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………… 31
Boyd No. 3. Election held June 11, 1907.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
49
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………… 31
Dunn’s Rock No. 1.
Election held June 11, 1907.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
21
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………….14
Hogback No. 4. Election held March 10, 1908.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
10
Votes cast for special tax…………………………………………………………. 9
Little River No. 1. Election held March 10, 1908.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
17
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………….12
Brevard No. 2. Election held May 19, 1908.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
57
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………….29
Eastatoe No. 2. Election held May 19, 1908.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
72
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………….47
Hogback No. 2. Election held May 19, 1908.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
12
Votes cast for special tax…………………………………………………………. 3
Cathey’s Creek No. 2. Election held March 16, 1909.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
39
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………….26
Gloucester. Election held August 24, 1909.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
35
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………….18
Boyd No. 4. Election held June 1, 1910.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
16
Votes cast for special tax…………………………………………………………. 6
Boyd No. 2. Election held June 1, 1910.
Registered voters……………………………………………………………………..
17
Votes cast for special tax………………………………………………………….16
Woman’s
Betterment Association
President’s Report of
the Woman’s Association for the Betterment of the Public Schools of Transylvania
County
….The work at Selica deserves mention. The people of the community are wide
awake to the interests of their school, and even the older people, when called upon by
teacher or youths, rally to their assistance. They have added to their library, and the books
are being read and discussed at their Literary Society which, during the vacation, meets the
second and fourth Fridays in each month.
The work of the Brevard
Association also deserves special mention. Their library has been increased to nearly 500
volumes and it is kept open for circulation during the summer. Several entertainments have
been given toward raising a fund to purchase land for a much needed play ground. They hope to
have some bright flower beds to greet the children on their return at the fall term….July 14,
1910
Public
Libraries
We now have in the county
fourteen original and four supplemental libraries, and applications are on file for two more.
In most districts where these libraries have been established, they have become very popular,
the books being read by both parents and children….
Any school can secure a
$30.00 library by raising $10.00 in the district, as the county and state will each give ten
dollars. Schools which have original libraries can secure a $15.00 supplemental library by
raising $5.00 in the district….
T.C. Henderson
T.T. Patton, W.P. Whitmire, Ch'n, W.B.
Henderson
Edwin Poor, W.W. Zachary, Ch'n, M.W. Garren
Source: Mary Jane McCrary Collection, Box
42,
Rowell Bosse NC Room, Transylvania County
Library
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