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TH E N EWS -H ER ALD.
THE GWINNETT HERALD, )
EMabli»h«d in 1871
THE LAWKENCEVILLE NEWS, £
Established in 1893, )
STICK CANDT
5 Cents a Pound
At JOHN B. BROGDON’S, Suwanee, Ga.
THE PEOPLE TALK
Opinions Given in Reference to
Free Schools Here.
SOME FAVOR-OTHERS OPPOSE
We Feel the Public Pulse and Print the
Yiews of a Number of Citi
zens on the Subject.
The board of trustees of the
city schools of Lawrenceville, at
their meeting last Thursday night,
voted to have free schools here,
beginning with the Ist of January.
The board is composed of the
following gentlemen : L. F. Mc-
Donald, president; Dr. T. B. Bush,
J. P. Byrd, D. T. Cain, and J. H.
McGee.
The advocates of free schools
claim that it was intended that
the town should have free tuition
when the special act was paesed
by the legislature authorizing pub
lic schools for Lawrenceville,
which act was ratified by vote of
the people and bonds floated for
erecting the school building in
1894.
Our town has one of the finest
school buildings to the size of the
place of any city in the state, and
since tuition has been made free
it is predicted that a new era will
be marked in the progress of our
rapidly growing city.
Manufacturing interests are
springing up, and new citizens are
moving in, and nothing will aid
the influx of desirable citizens
more than free schools.
The new cotton mills, which
will begin operatious early next
year, will increase our population
something like two hundred.
It cannot be gainsaid that free
schools do not work well where
they have been adopted. All that
is necessary to convince one of
this proposition is to look at the
free schools of Atlanta, Macon,
Savannah, Winder and other cities
where the system is in vogue.
What brought the matter to a
crisis was some patrons of the
school refused to pay the nominal
tuition of $1 per month which
was being charged, claiming that
the school was free, or should be
so and the trustees took the
ground that the law was plain in
saying that the schools should be
free, hence they simply decided to
make it operative.
We publish the act authorizing
the public schools of Lawrence
ville elsewhere in this issue that
the people may know exactly what
the law is. Judge Samuel J. Winn
drew the bill and it was passed by
the general assembly without a
single amendment and was after
wards ratified by a two-thirds vote
of the citizens of tbe town.
Five thousand dollars of bonds
were floated and the fine building
which stands on the hill over
looking the surrounding country
LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20. 1900. VOL. VTIL NO 8
was built at a time when both
material and labor were cheap,
and those who took an active in
terest in it say it could not be put
up now for nearly twice what it
cost. It is certainly the pride of
the town and is situated several
feet higher than Stone Mountain.
Prof. C. R. Ware, the well
known young educator, is the prin
cipal of this institution, and has
as his assistants Mrs. Bessie Exum
and Mrs. Ellen Houston. Miss
Annie Glenn is the teacher of
music and elocution. This is a
splendid corps of teachers and one
more assistant will likely be em
ployed next year.
The school is graded on the
order of the regular public schools
in the large cities, and besides the
regular day school Prof. Ware
teaches a class in stenography and
bookkeeping at night.
We took occasion to interview a
number of leading citizens on the
subject of free schools for Law
renceville, and the News-Herald
herewith presents these opinions
Will state in this connection that
a petition signed by a number of
citizens was presented to the board
before they took action in this
matter asking that they not in
augurate a system of free schools
for the town, but under their in
terpretation of the law they saw
fit to do otherwise,
Dr. T. B. Bush —“The law on
the subject is plain, and there w T as
no other course for us to pursue.
While there may be some kicking
on the part of those who have
property and no children, it will
about equalize itself in the end.
The man of property makes money
out of those who borrow and rent
from him. and labor has its rights
as well as capital. We can come
out on a 50-cent tax levy.”
J. P. Byrd—“ The law says we
shall have free schools for at least
nine months in the year and we
w«re simply carrying out this pro
vision. The action of the board
was unanimous with certain in
terpretations.”
D. T. Cain —“It won’t increase
the taxes much and it will be of
great benefit. The law says the
schools shall be free. We can do
li with a $1.25 levy on the SI,OOO,
because ihe expenses of the town
'vill be less next year than this.
Sixteen hundred dollars will run
the schook next year, employing
four white teachers and one col
ored.”
J. A. Bagwell—“Am taking no
stock in it aud have do opinion to
express.”
Acting Mayor M. S. Cornett —
“Am not in favor of it, but if it
can be done with a 50-cent levy I
say let us have it.”
W. E. Simmons —“Am opposed
to it. The charter of the town
only authorizes a levy of 50-cents
on the SIOO worth of property and
they can’t make the schools free
with this small latitude. If they
go above that they will be en
joined from collecting. The trus
tees are all members of the council
except one and they elect them
selves to the board. It is a set of
men with a lot of children to edu
cate and little property who are
behind this movement.”
C. R. Ware—“lt is best all
round —best for the town, best for
the school, and best for the teach
ers.”
S. J. Winn —“I consider it an
unwise move in the board to make
them free just now, though they
had the authority to do so. Tu
ition is cheap, and if it had been
left to me I should have waited a
year or two until more of the
bonds were canceled and the town
better able to stand the extra tax.
Free schools w r as the object of the
act, and it was left discretionary
with tne board whether to run
them on the present plan or make
tuition absolutely free.”
C. H Brand —“To be candid, I
am opposed to being taxed to ed
ucate children whose parents are
able to pay tuition. If parents
are too poor to send their children
to school I am perfectly willing to
bear my part of the burden. This
applies to the country as well as
town.”
F, F. Juhan —“Am opposed to
it. It is not right to tax one man
to educate another’s children. I
pay my tuition and often work
late at night; and for those who
have not a thought for the future
and often not a meal ahead to
reap the benefit of my labor is not
just or right.”
Bachelor Columbus Cooper—
“Am opposed to increased taxa
tion, especially when I derive no
benefit from it.”
J. D. Bagwell—“l do not favor
it.”
S. A. Hagood—“l am in favor
of it.”
E.M. Brand —“Don’t want that.
Taxes are too high now and the
legislature keeps piling it on.”
B. L. Patterson —“I don’t like
it, although it may be a good
thiug.”
W. O. Cooper—“l believe in
free schools.”
Reuben Smith —“Am heartily
in favor of it.”
Dr. R. J. Bagwell —“Will adapt
myself to circumstances. What
is best for the town is best for
me.”
T. A. Haslett —“Just what it
should have been all the time.”
L. M. Brand —“Don’t particu
larly object. It won’t affect me
much either way, but tiie future
is a mere matter of speculation.”
Dr. A. M. Winn—-“Am opposed
to it, but believe it will benefit the
town.”
Dr.M. A. Born —“Don’t favor it
much.”
Wesley Clower —“Am in favor
of free schools.”
J. D. Rutledge—“Am opposed
to it, but it don’t do any good,
they say.”
T. R. Powell —“Am opposed to
it and signed the petition asking
the board not to make it free, but
it will make my tuition cheaper.”
J. G. Vose —“Have given it no
thought, but don’t believe any
more children will attend than
are in school now.”
C. W. Cooper—“ Just the very
thing.”
John M. Wilson —“If it in
creases taxes am opposed to it.”
W. E. Brown —“I don’t like io.
It increases taxes and depresses
property. ”
J. A. Ambrose—“Am not much
of a free school man. Have done
my part already.”
W. M. Sasser —“Don’t care to
express myself. It will do no
good.”
W. T. Tanner —“It makes the
laboring man educate the negroes’
children. Have had experience in
this line and the way the state
runs her public school system is
woefully defective. They will
never be a success until Georgia
takes the bull by the horns and
adopts a systematic method
throughout the entire state.”
L. F. McDonald —“What we
have needed for a long time. It
will benefit the town more than
the factory. The trouble is there
are not enough houses here to sup
ply the demand. Every town this
size should have free schools. If
a man moves hbre to educate his
children by the time they are
grown he is so wedded to the place
that he will not leave and his
children are likely to go in busi
ness where they are reared and
schooled. ”
J. M. Patterson —“It don’t suit
me, but I am a law-abiding citi
zen and will acquiesce in the will
of the majority. My children are
grown and out of school, and ten
cents more on the taxes wont hurt
me much.”
G. M. Brand —“Taxes are high
enough now, and I do not believe
in making the man who works ed
ucate the man’s children who does
not work.”
T. M. Peeples—“l think the peo
ple who patronize the school
ought to pay something, but
whether it can be done legally or
not is another thing.”
Rev. J. W. Pogue—“This is a
very live question here now and I
prefer not to discuss such a live
subject. ”
M. L. Rockmore —“Don’t know
much about it and would rather
wait and see how it will pan out
before saying anything for or
against free schools.”
School Exercises.
Tomorrow (Friday) Prof. T. G.
Chapman will give an entertain
ment at his school at Oakland,
four miles west of Lawrenceville.
A nice program has been arranged
by the students, and dinner will
be spread for all that attend. The
resident members of the county
board of education, Dr. Winn and
Mr. Patterson, and Commissioner
Bagwell, will be present. They
will aid by their talks and pres
ence to make the occasion pleasant
and profitable.
Mr. J. C. Flanigan has accepted
an invitation to be present and
deliver an address on some phase
of the educational interest of the
county.
Death of Mrs. W. H. Hutchiss.
Mrs. Hutchins, the wife of Mr.
William H, Hutchins, died at the
residence of Mrs. Orr. in this city,
last Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock,
and her remains were interred in
the old cemetery Wednesday after
noon, the funeral services being
conducted by Rev. J. W. Pogue,
assisted by Rev. G. W. Griuer.
Before marriage Mrs. Hutchins
was Miss Littie Lamkin, and was
a very popular young lady. She
was married to Mr. Hutchins about
two years ago, and they lived at
his plantation up on the Chatta
hoochee river, During her last
illness of several months’duration
she was brought back to Lawrence
ville, where everything that loving
hands could do was done, but the
summons came and her beautiful
young life, so full of promise, was
cut short. We extend sympathy
to the bereaved family.
Furniture! Stoves!
Best stock in Gwinnett county.
Prices right—quality the best.
J. A. Ambrose.
O. S. BURELL
has opened up a barber shop on
Pike street. Polite attention to
all and satisfaction guaranteed.-4t
Steps The Cough
And Works Off The Cold.
Laxative Bromo-Quinine Tablets
cure a cold in one day. No Cure,
No Pay. Price 25 cents.
SHOT WITH FATAL EFFECT.
John Sikes Killed Leary Harvii at Stat
ham Last Saturday.
Winder, Ga., December 18. —On Sat
urday about noon John H. Sikes shot
and killed Leary Harvii at Statham,
about eight miles south of here.
Both were drinking at the time of
the difficulty and some angry words
passed between the two men. Harvii
advanced upon Sikes with a drawn
knife, when Sikes ordered him to stop.
Upon his failing to do so, Sikes drew
his pistol and fired two shots, one
passing entirely through Harvil’s
body and the other taking effect in the
head. Death was almost instantaneous.
The remains of the dead man were
interred at Cedar Creek church near
Winder on Monday afternoon.
Sikes immediately gave himself up
to the officers of the law,and his friends
claim that he will be justified in his
act, as the deed was clearly committed.
In self defense.
Mr. Sikes is a resident of Oconee
county, but has practiced law in Win
der, and has many friends and ac
quaintances here who regret the sad
occurrence.
This is but another illustration of
the evil effects of strong drink,
Chapter Masons Elect Officers.
The members of Mount Vernon
chapter, No. 89, Royal Arch Ma
sons, at the regular convocation
last Friday evening, elected the
following officers to serve for the
ensuing year, who will be installed
at the next meeting:
B. L. Patterson, high priest.
J.D. Bagwell, king.
J. A. Bagwell, scribe.
S. A. Hagood, captain of the host.
R. B.Whitworth, principal sojourner.
J.M. Patterson, royal arch captain.
W.J. Born, member of the third veil.
M.M. Sammons, member of the sec
ond veii.
J. A. Perry, member of the first veiL
A. T. Patterson, treasurer.
J. W. Mitchell, secretary.
T. A. Patterson, sentinel.
LAWRENCEVILLE LODGE, I. 0. O. F.
The following officers were elect
ed last Monday night to serve
Lawrenceville lodge, No. 121, In
dependent Order of Odd Fellows,
for the ensuing year:
J. A. Perry, noble grand.
M. M. Sammons, vice grand.
D. T. Cain,recorder.
C. C. Cooper, permanent secretary.
T. R. Powell, treasurer.
John B. Brogdon.
There is nothing succeeds like suc
cess, and when we see a man who has
gone up step by step, we naturally ad
mire him. Such a man is John B.
Brogdon, the big merchant at Suwa
nee. He keeps an immense stock of
goods, all first class, and everything is
neat and fresh. He makes you feel at
home, and everyone, rich and poor, is
treated politely and made to feel that
his trade is appreciated He has bees
advertising in this paper for twenty
one years, and this is evidence that a
successful merchant gets value received
for judicious advertising. Brogdon is
a success.
NOTICE.
All notes and accounts of the
late firm of Bagwell Bros, will be
put out for collection if not paid
on or before the first day of Janu
ary, 1901. Bagwell Bros.
Dec. 11th, 1900. —8t
FOR SALE OR RENT.
Ninety acre farm about three
miles from Buford, known as the
Mrs. Reuben Adams dower.
L. M. Brand