Educational survey of Ben Hill County, Georgia

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Educational Survey of Ben Hill County Georgia
By
M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent
No. 24
Under Direction of State
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
M. L. BRITTAIN State Superintendent of Schools
1918
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Educational Survey of Ben Hill County Georgia
By
M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent
No. 24
Under Direction of State
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
M. L. BRITTAIN State Superintendent of Schools
1918

GEORGIA.
NOTE: An experience with county-wide local school tax is the most effective argument for it. Counties adjacent to local tax counties, seeing its benefits, most readily vote for it. See map.

Shaded Counties: County-wide Local Tax.
LOCAL TAX COUNTIES
These counties tax themselves in order that all not some of their schools may be improved One by one others are adding themselves to the roll of the educational leaders who demonstrate thus practically their belief in the necessity for more and better training for the children A few years ago only Chatham, Richmonl, Bibb, and Glynn had county-wide local taxation:
Bacon, Ben Hill, Bibb, Bryan, Burke, Butts, Camden, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clark, Clinch, Coffee, Columbia, Crawford, Crisp, DeKalb, Echols, Emanuel, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Hart, Henry, Houston, Irwin, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Jones, Lee, Lincoln, Mclntosh, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, Pulaski, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Richmond, Screven, Spalding, Stewart, Talbot, Terrell, Tift, Walton, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilkes, Worth. Total 55.

BEN HILL COUNTY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.
HON. J. H. BULLARD, Superintendent _______ Fitzgerald, Ga. HON. R. R. DORMINEY, Member Board _______ Fitzgerald, Ga. HON. Wm. WILLIAMS, Member Board _______ Fitzgerald, Ga. HON. L. ROBITZSCH, Chairman Board _______ Fitzgerald, Ga. HON. . . PITMAN, Demonstration Agent ____ Fitzgerald, Ga. HON. Z. A. DORMINEY, Member Board _______ Fitzgerald, Ga. HON. S. S. YOUNG, Member Board ____ ____ Fitzgerald, Ga.

FITZGERALD CITY SCHOOLS J. E. Ricketson, Superintendent.

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BEN HILL COUNTY
Ben Hill county was organized in 1907, contains 350 square miles of territory, a population of 11,863, and a school population of 1,244 whites and 1,359 negroes, not including Fitzgerald.
The taxable property outside of Fitzgerald (subject to the county school tax) is approximately $1,657,060.00. Under a five mills school tax this should yield to the rural schools __________________________$ 8,385.00 to which is added from State fund _ __ _ ___ 10,385.97
making a total for the rural schools _______$18,770.97
Fitzgerald, the county seat, is a thriving city of 9,000 population, enjoying a special public system separate from the county and well known as one of the most progressive in the State. Fitzgerald is the only post office in the county, all sections of the county being supplied with R. F. D. routes from this office or from a few offices outside of the county.
A fine system of public roads traverse the county in all directions, and the county invests annually approximately $20,000.00 in their maintenance. This amount, it will be noticed, is about $11,615.00 more than the county pays for the maintenance of its public schools, although the school levy reaches the constitutional limit of five mills.
Both are important public interests, and are mutually helpful in promoting each other, but does this proportion properly express the public's estimate of the importance of their public schools?
BEN HILL COUNTY SCHOOLS.
We have seen nowhere in the State a broader and better foundation laid upon which to build a strong and efficient system of rural public schools than that begun in Ben Hill
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county in the matter of large school districts and the locations of the schools. This work has not yet been completed, for there are still parts of the county where consolidations are as yet only in contemplation. When the original plan of consolidation is completed there should be no further serious obstacles in the way of building educational plants capable of great efficiency. Furthermore, as will be seen from these reports, where consolidations are accomplished large areas have been acquired for school grounds, substantial buildings have been erected with provisions for class rooms, community auditoriums, education in the practical arts, etc., etc. At the first one of these schools completed (Ashton) there was also provided a comfortable and attractive teachers' cottage on the corner of the school lot of five acres. It is a discouraging sign, however, to see this pretty cottage no longer occupied. Here, as also at several others, was provided some equipment once used for teaching cooking, manual training, etc., giving evidence of former progress at some of the schools in important directions so plainly indicated by the demands of modern education. It is greatly to be regretted that some of this equipment has been disposed of, and that none of it is being utilized in the educational work of the county now when the exegencies of the times call so loudly for practical education in the home-making activities. It is also to be regretted that the opportunities for the now universally popular and important activities in school gardening, so well provided for in the large areas at these consolidated schools, are being neglected at many places and so little used at others.
By reference to the reports on the individual schools herein it will be observed that there are still commendable efforts at school gardening at a few of them. This year above all others is the loudest call for this work.
It is a question as to whether the lack of enthusiastic school spirit on the part of most of the schools and communities is a cause or a result of this attitude of the schools

towards progressive practical activities. Anyway, if a strong and aggressive school spirit is to be created or recreated the initiative must arise in the schools by rendering such kinds of service as the times demand.
A broad foundations laid only furnishes the opportunity for a strong superstructure, which it is to be hoped the progressive citizenship of Ben Hill county will insist upon seeing completed in accordance with the educational demands of the coming generation. A constant and aggressive leadership and supervision, well trained teachers of good scholarship, a rigid enforcement of the compulsory attendance laws, and enthusiastic interest on the part of patrons and citizens will bring about the desired results. We believe the county will be satisfied with nothing less.
There are fourteen white rural schools in the county served by twenty-four teachers. Of these five are one-teacher schools; three are two-teacher schools; three are threeteacher schools; one four-teacher school. Consolidations are under contemplation for several of these one-teacher schools. Ten wagons transport 160 pupils at a total cost of $1,365.00. This is less than it would cost to operate ten other little schools for these children otherwise out of reach of schools, to say nothing of the better service to them. However, this very low average cost of transportation ($1.16 per month) is possible only through co-operation of appreciative patrons who realize the better service to their children.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
I would respectfully recommend:
1. Completing the program of consolidation as contemplated.
2. Increasing the professional strength of the teaching force of the county by selecting only well trained teachers. This implies better salaries.

3. The full utilization of the large school grounds for school gardens and the study and intensive cultivation of these by the teachers and pupils. The exigencies of the times will give impetus to this work and assure its success. Also the introduction of Home Economics and home-making activities into all of the larger schools. For directing this work a Home Economics Demonstration Agent could probably be secured from the Extension Department of the State College of Agriculture under a co-operative arrangement.
4. The promotion of an inspirational spirit of loyalty to the schools throughout the county by all of the above suggested methods, and by promoting wholesome rivalries and contests betwen the individual schools, school meets of various kinds, and educational mass-meetings among the people of the county.
Respectfully submitted,

April, 1918.

M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent for Georgia.

1. ASHTON SCHOOL. 2. TEACHERS' HOME, ASHTON SCHOOL.

ASHTONSCHOOL
Teachers: Miss Melcena Boney, Miss Blondine Wilbanks, Fitzgerald, Ga.
Location: Four miles southwest to Union; five miles northeast to Eureka; six miles west to Fitzgerald.
Grounds: Area, five acres; title in county board; grounds neglected; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets, in bad condition.
Buildings: Value, school building $4,000.00, teachers' home $2,500.00; three class rooms, piano, domestic science room, auditorium, etc.; cloak rooms; well lighted; in good repair and well kept; floors oiled.
Equipment: Double patent desks and teachers' desks; first-class blackboards; one United States history map only; charts; no globe; framed pictures; a reference dictionary; library of 200 vols.; formerly had a small equipment for Domestic Science, but it has been disposed of.
Organization: Two teachers (usually three); seven months school year; eight grades; enrollment 130; programs posted; no organized clubs; four wagons transporting eighty pupils.
Maintenance: $927.50 for teachers; $630.00 for transportation;, $259.00 for incidentals.
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LYNNWOOD SCHOOL.
(A consolidation of three small schools.)
Teachers: T. J. Henderson; Mrs. J. H. Bullard; Miss Ida McMillan; Miss Mae Shaffer; P. O. Fitzgerald, Ga.
Location: One mile south to Fitzgerald; two miles east to Cotton Mills School; six miles north to Vaughan-Taylor school.
Grounds: Area, five acres; title in county board; partly improved; ample playgrounds; large school garden well cared for; two toilets in bad condition.
Building: Value, $3,500.00; concrete blocks; four class-rooms; cloak rooms; well lighted; floors oiled; in good repair, and well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks and teachers' desks; first-class blackboards; set of maps mounted; chart; globe; framed pictures; reference dictionary; library of 100 vols.; piano; small equipment for cooking, but not in use; covered watercooler; individual drinking cups. First grade room well equipped with illustrative materials.
Organization: Four teachers; seven months school year; eight grades; enrollment 145; programs posted; an organized Literary society; a Thrift Stamp club; two wagons transporting 36 pupils.
Maintenance: $1,505.00 for teachers; $315.00 for transportation; $86.00 for incidentals.
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EMORY SCHOOL.
(A consolidation of two small schools.)
Teachers: C. T. Smith; Miss Elvynne Alberson; Miss Elizabeth Butler; P. O. Rebecca, Ga., Route 2.
Location: Four miles east to Oak Ridge; five miles northeast to Lakeview.
Grounds: Area, seven and half acres; cleaned off, but unimproved; ample playgrounds; small flower gardens; two toilets in good condition.
Building: Value, $3,000.00; three class rooms; cloak rooms; insufficiently lighted; painted inside and outside; in good repair and well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks; first-class blackboards; four maps; no charts; no globe; framed pictures; a small library; no reference dictionary; piano; flags, etc.; building insufficiently heated with small stoves.
Organiaztion: Three teachers; seven months school year; eight grades; enrollment 120; programs posted; literary society; Thrift Stamp club; one wagon transporting 15 pupils.
Maintenance: $1,155.00 for teachers; $140.00 for transportation; $114.00 for incidentals.
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LAKEVIEW SCHOOL.
(A consolidation of two small schools.)
Teachers: Miss Lucile Thomaston; Miss Myrtle Stone; P. O. Abba, Ga., Route 1.
Location: Five miles southwest to Emory; five miles northeast to Vaughan-Taylor.
Grounds: Area, five acres; titles in county board; new location not yet improved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets in average condition.
Building: Value, $1,000.00; two class rooms; cloak rooms; well lighted; floors oiled; painted outside; ceiled, but unpamted inside; in good repair and well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks; fairly good blackboards; 1 United States history map; charts; no globe; no pictures; no library; no reference dictionary; covered water-cooler; common dippers.
Organization: Two teachers; seven months school year; seven grades; enrollment 43; programs posted; no organized clubs.
Maintenance: $662.50 for teachers; $49.00 for incidentals.
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VAUGHN-TAYLOR SCHOOL.
(A consolidation of two small schools.)
Teachers: W. A. Stone; Miss Donna Stone; Fitzgerald, Ga., Route 1.
Location: Five miles west to Lakeview; seven miles south to Lynnwood.
Grounds: Area, five acres; titles in county board; new location as yet unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets, new.
Building: Value, $1,600.00; two class rooms; no cloak rooms; well lighted; painted inside and outside; in good repair and well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks and teachers' desks; first-class blackboards; no maps; no charts; no globe; no framed pictures; a small library; a reference dictionary; organ.
Organization: Two teachers; seven months school year; nine grades! enrollment 65; programs posted; no organized clubs; one wagon transporting 18 pupils.
Maintenance: $805.00 for teachers; $140.00 for transportation; $237.00 for building, incidental, etc.
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COTTON MILLS SCHOOL.

(A consolidation of two small schools.)

Teachers: C. A. Cozart; Mrs. T. J. Henderson; Miss Arrie White; P. 0. Fitzgerald, Ga.

Location: At Cotton Mills, just outside Fitzgerald.

Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in board of education; unimproved; ample playgrounds; small school garden; two toilets in fair condition.

Building: Value, $3,500.00; concrete; four class rooms; wide halls used for cloak rooms; well lighted; floors oiled; plastered inside; painted outside; in good repair and well kept.

Equipment: Double patent desks and teachers' desks; first-class blackboards; no maps; charts; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; a small library.

Organization: Three teachers; school year seven months; seven

grades; enrollment 100; programs posted; no organized

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clubs.

Maintenance: $1,102.00 for teachers; $69.36 for incidentals.

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ROANOKE SCHOOL.
Teachers: Miss Jessie Lee Hedges; Miss Louise Gibbs; P. O. Fitzgerald, Ga.
Location: One mile to Fitzgerald.
Grounds: Area, two and half acres; title in county board; yards well cleaned up; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets in good condition.
Building: Value, $1,600.00; two class rooms; no cloak rooms; insufficiently lighted; floors oiled; painted inside and outside; in good repair and well kept.
Equipment: Single patent desks and teachers' desks; poor blackboards; 1 United States history map; a chart; a small globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; library of 60 vols.; organ; flags, etc.
Organization: Two teachers; seven months school year; eight grades; enrollment 50; programs posted; no organized clubs.
Maintenance: $700.00 for teachers; $64.15 for incidentals.
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UNION SCHOOL.
Teacher: Miss Ethel Mayo, Fitzgerald, Ga.
Location: Three miles northwest to Fitzgerald; four miles northeast to Ashton; no other school near. (Soon to be removed to a new location.)
Grounds: Area, two acres; titles (conditional) in the county board; unimproved; ample playgrounds! no school gardens; two toilets in fair condition. (New location to have five acres.)
Building: Value, $800.00; two class rooms; no cloak rooms; well lighted; painted inside and outside; well kept, but in bad repair. (New building to contain four class rooms, etc., an approved plan, and fully equipped, to cost $4,000.00.)
Equipment: Double patent desks; good blackboards; one United States history map; charts; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; very small library; organ; pencil shapeners, etc.
Organization: One teacher (usually two); seven months school year; seven grades; enrollment 65; program posted; a Literary society; a tooth-brush drill twice daily.
Maintenance: $575.00 for teachers; $75.25 for incidentals.
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CKISP SCHOOL.
Teachers: E. C. Hogan; Mrs. Mattie Williams; P. O., Forest Glen, Ga., Route .
Location: Four miles east to Dorminey; seven miles south to Ashton.
Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in county board; partly improved; ample playgrounds; a school garden; two toilets in average condition. Large United States flag on pole, donated by ladies of G. A. R.
Building: Value, $1,600.00; two class rooms; cloak rooms; well lighted; floors oiled; painted inside and outside; in good repair and well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks! first-class blackboards; 1 United States history map; chart; no globe; no pictures; a reference dictionary; a library of 65 vols. in case.
Organization: Two teachers; seven months school year; eight grades; enrollment 47; programs posted; literary society; one wagon transporting 10 pupils.
Maintenance: $630.00 for teachers; $140.00 for transportation; $75.00 for incidentals.
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EUREKA SCHOOL.
Teacher: Miss Annie Mae McGlamry, Fitzgerald, Ga.
Location: Three miles east to Evergreen; five miles northwest to Dormineys.
Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in county board; entirely unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school garden; one toilet only, condition bad.
Building: Value, $200.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; well lighted; unceiled; unpainted; in bad repair.
Equipment: Double patent and home-made desks; good blackboards; no maps; no globe; a chart; no pictures; no reference dictionary, no library.
Organization: One teacher; seven months school year; seven grades; enrollment 22; no program posted; no organized clubs.
Maintenance: $280.00 for teachers; $49.21 for incidentals.
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EVERGREEN SCHOOL.
Teacher: Miss Nettie Harrell, P. O., Wray, Ga., Route 2.
Location: Three miles west to Eureka; six miles northwest to Dorminey.
Grounds: Area, (?); titles (?); unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets, average condition.
Building: Value, $500.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; ceiled, but unpainted; well kept, but in bad repair.
Equipment: Double patent desks; good blackboards; no maps; a chart; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; no library.
Organization: One teacher; seven months school year; seven grades; enrollment 53; no program posted; a community school club meets weekly.
Maintenance: $332.50 for teachers; $49.21 for incidentals.
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DORMINEYS SCHOOL.
Teacher: W. E. Flanagan; P. O. Forest Glenn, Ga., Route 1.
Location: Four miles west to Crisp; five miles southeast to Eureka.
Grounds: Area, two acres; titles in county board; entirely unimproved and neglected; very small playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet, average condition.
Buildings: Value, $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; ceiled, but unpainted; in good repair, but not well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks; fair blackboards; one United States history map; a chart; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; no library.
Organization: One teacher; seven months school year; seven grades; enrollment 25; no program posted; no organized clubs.
Maintenance: $350.00 for teachers; $49.21 for incidentals.
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OAK RIDGE SCHOOL.
Teacher: Miss Nancy Gladden, Abba, Ga.
Location: Four miles west to Emory; four miles north to Lakeview.
Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in county board; grounds unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; only one toilet, in bad condition.
Building: Value, $650.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; well lighted; floors oiled; painted inside and outside; in good condition and well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks (in bad repair); good blackboards; one United States history map; a chart; no globe; no pictures; a reference dictionary; a library of 60 volumes; organ.
Organization: One teacher; seven months school year; seven grades; enrollment 69; no program posted; no organized clubs.
Maintenance: $385.00 for teachers; 9.21 for incidentals.
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ENGLEWOOD SCHOOL.
Teacher: Miss Bertha Ballinger, Fitzgerald, Ga.
Location: Four miles east to Roanoak; five and half miles northeast to Fitzgerald.
Grounds: Area, two acres; titles doubtful; unimproved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two toilets, one in fair condition, one bad.
Building: Value, $700.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly well lighted; floors oiled; painted inside and outside; in good repair and well kept.
Equipment: Double patent desks; first class blackboards; one United States history map; a chart; no globe; no pictures; no reference dictionary; no library; a sand-table.
Organization: One teacher; seven months school year; seven grades; enrollment 41; program posted; no organized club work.
Maintenance: $350.00 for teachers; $74.21 for incidentals.
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QUEENLAND NEGRO SCHOOL. N. E. McLean, Principal.
The Queensland Negro School in Ben Hill county is supported by the county board of education, the Slater Fund, and a Negro Baptist Association, mainly for the purpose of training teachers for the negro schools.
It is located eight miles from Fitzgerald in a farming section, on a ten acre lot, and occupies a two-story building- with five large class rooms. There is also a Dormitory and Teachers' Home.
The equipment is meager, but with some provision for teaching cooking, sewing, farming, etc.
The faculty consists of the principal and four assistants, and the enrollment averages a little above two hundred pupils.
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F P
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TYPE OF NEGRO SCHOOLS.
Besides Queenland there are thirteen other negro schools in the county, all one-teacher schools. The majority of these teachers hold third grade licenses, and none are above second grade. Their salaries run from $90.00 to $125.00.
The school building's are rude and practically without equipment.

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LETTER FROM STATE SUPERINTENDENT
M. L. BRITTAIN
To the County Superintendent and Teachers:
Educational results and good teaching generally are not often secured in a shiftless-looking building in which neither patrons, pupils, nor teachers take any pride. Indefiniteness has been removed at this point through the standard school. In the larger towns and cities pressure of public sentiment and the comment of visitors will sooner or later force good educational conditions and they are improving constantly. Rural communities need to be shown and inspired by educational leaders and we have sent diplomas to more than two hundred county schools where the superintendents have certified to the fact that they have measured up to the standard in every particular. There are a number of localities in the State where the feeling is that no community in the county is able to bring its school up to these very reasonable requirements. I cannot help but think that this is a mistaken view and that some standard schools could be secured in every county in Georgia and that these would serve to inspire the others to progress. Superintendents have written that the use of this efficiency test has developed more progress in the past 12 months than for years previous in the way of improvement. .The plan is of no value, however, where it is not used or applied and I earnestly hope we will have the effort at least of every superintendent in the State to have his county represented on this roll of honor. The list will be published in the next Annual Report. The standard is not unreasonably high and no more than the Georgia parent has the right to expect. Copies should be posted in every county school room in the State and can be secured for this purpose at any time on application to the State Department of Education. To be entitled to a diploma a school should measure up to the standard in the following particulars:
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I. The Teacher.
1. Good Teaching. 2. Good Order and Management. 3. First Grade Certificate. 4. Full, Neat, and Accurate School Register. 5. Daily Program Posted in Room. 6. Teacher's Manual on Desk.
II. Grounds. 1. Good Condition. 2. Playgrounds. 3. School Garden. 4. Two Separate Sanitary Closets.
III. Building. 1. Painted Outside. 2. Plastered, or Ceiled and Painted. 3. No Leaks. 4. Windows without Broken Panes. 5. Cloak Rooms. 6. Good Doors with Locks and Keys. 7. Clean and Well-kept.
IV. Equipment. 1. Patent Modern Desks. 2. At least 20 Lineal feet of Blackboard per Room. 3. Building Comfortably Heated and Ventilated. 4. Framed Pictures on the Wall. 5. Dictionary, Maps and Library. 6. Sanitary Water Supply.
V. Associated Activities.
1. Manual Arts, Corn, Canning, Pig, Poultry, or Cooking Club.
VI. Salary of Teacher. At least $40 per month.
VII. Term. At least seven months.
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