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TWICE-A-WEEK VOLUME 53. Meriwether Writes A rouse Interest In Education Children In response to a request of the County Board of Education, I am ■writing a few linesin the hope of arousing at least a little more inter est in the education of our children. The seemingly great indifference on tfi part<of a considerable number of our citizens is appalling. It is alarming. The public term of our schools for the ensuing year commenced about a month ago. From reports received from most of the schools, hardly more than one-half the white children of school age have entered. Due to shortness of public school funds, the terms are necessarily ’ short, six and a half months for the past two years. Before that time the terms were even shbrter; for we had not then the right to levy a county wide sft»ol tax. 11 When a rural child attends school throughout the whole term he is at a great disadvantage as compared with the town child, who has the advan tage of nine month’s school with bet ter equipment; but the saddest fea ture is, that only a'comparatively few country children are privileged to attend the full length of the term. Numbers of, children in every school enter from a week to a month or more late and drop out from a week to a month or more before the close. Some attend very irregularly while in school. Worst of all, there is here and there throughout the county a fam ily whose children never go to school at all. These more frequently live in some remote corner and are con sequently overlooked, and when sometimes discovered, they tell a woeful tale of poverty. The writer a short time ago, made a house to house canvas in a locality which had been somewhat neglected, in .order to learn the conditions. Though the schools had been run alas two weeks only about twenty j»er cent of the children were in hardly more than half the children were In school the year be flora, and several children ranging in ago from twelve to fifteen years had not been in school for three or four years. The writer made an other house to house canvas ni an other school district in an effort to S enough children in order to run school at all. The teacher had opuned school the first week with bttly twelve or fifteen pupils. She . closed for two weeks and opened ' again on the fourth week with only pupils. Then, at the request V»f the trustees we went to almost ’j%very house in he district and urged Hith all the earnestness possible that %e parents put their children in School. We got a number of prom ises but only four more pupils en tered school during that week. This district, think of it, has eighty child ren of school age. It is samewhat doubtful that the school can be con tinued. ‘ The purpose of this artclle is to acquaint the public with the true state of 'things to the end that bet ter cooperation may be enlisted on the part of the citizens with the teachers, attendance officer, and su perintendent. Unless all classes con cerned with the upbuilding of our county pull together in this work, our schools will never be what they should. Georgia has, though some seem to doubt it, a compulsory attendance law that requires all children, unless providentially prevented, between the ages of eight and fourteen* to attend school for six months, or one hundred and twenty days, beginning at the opening of the term. The law provides further that the teach er in charge of a school shall report to the attendance officer the non attendance of those children subject to the law. The law provides for a fine of ten dollars for the first of fense, which may be remitted on the parent’s promise to keep the child in school. It provides for a fine of twenty dollars for each sue-, ceeding offense, and each day of nbn-atendance creates a new of fense. An attendance officer has been employed each year to give his whole time to the work of enforcing the law. He has been earnest, tactful and diligent. He has succeeded in a large measure, but the task under present conditions has been too great to accomplish anything ap proaching an adequate compliance with the law. Besides, the law, as *|»ied affects only those between eight antJ fourteen years old, when children pV*r under those ages should attend aehool. That Gwinnett is a large county y»itb nearly seven thousand white The News-Herald children of school age giving rise to a large number of delinquents; that many teachers in the past have been derelict in reporting cases of non attendance; that the financial con dition of the county for the past three years has been unusually bad, and, finally, the fact that there is undoubtedly a sad lack of public sen timent favorable to the enforcement of the compulsory school laws; have all combined made it impossible to properly enforce 9 strict compliance with the law. The most common excuse given by pfrrents for not keeping their children in school is that they can not dispense with their children’s work in gathering their crops in the fall, and in preparing for the plant ing of their crops in the spring In some cases the excuse is good, but it is also true that in a majority of cases, the parents could do better if they were willing to make the prop er sacrifice. Another large class of parents attempt to excuse them selves on the ground that they are not financially' able to properly clothe and equip their children for school. At the present time it is undoubtedly true that there is here and there a family almost entirely destitute of the bare necessities. Nevertheless, it is my honest»o|.inion, that a'majority of this class can do better. Again, a very large class of renting people give as an excuse that they are going to move and only a few days in school would not do their children any good. In all of our elementary schools the same text books are used, and the same classes obtain. If a child enters school only for a few days, he is all the better prepared to enter his class in the school he moves to. In the performance of other work the par ent does riot view the matter in the 6ame light. The trouble is, that in our county as in other counties too, for that matter, we have a large class of people who do not care whether children are schooled or not. It may not be generally realized but it is true nevertheless, that in this county, quite a number of child ren each year pass out of school age totally illiterate. Another large class go to school a little each year, but so little and so irregularly that, though, in some way, some reach the second, some the third, and some the fourth grade, they are so lack ing in thoroughness that they quit school almost practically illiterate. They fail to learn to read well enough to enable them to Acquire in formation after leaving school. It is the illiterate boy that is most apt to become a criminal. Society suffers from the ignorance of cith ers; that makes it incumbent upon society to see that the children are educated. Experience has clearly shown that our children, generally, will never get the schooling they are entitled to without the active, hearty support of all classes. First, we need a thoroughly erous ed publie conscience in the matter; secohd, we need cooperation and organization. There should be in ev ery school community a committee of citizens to seek out the children not attending school and learn the causes of their non-attendance. If the cause is destitution, this commit tee should solicit aid and equip the child for school. This is being done in so few localities. If the cause is indifference on the part of the par ents, convince them of their error, if possible; if not possible to do tihs, then appeal to the attendance officer and assist him in enforcing the com pulsory law. The teachers and trustees should serve with others on this cdmmittee. Our people are taxed that our girls and boys should be educated and thus betpr prepared for life; our girls and boys should receive the benefits. Gwinnett county has an Unenvia ble reputation with respect to illit eracy. The census of 1920 shows that this egounty has a larger per cent of white illiterates than any other Georgia county. Let us erase this blot from our beloved county’s reputation. The prosperity and happiness of any community is contingent upon an enlightened citizenship. H. D. MERIWETHER, C. S. S. WARNING! The party who borowed or stc<e my automobile crank might do well to return the same at once and save yourself embarrassment as your identity is known. J. A. AMBROSE. LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1923. “Trade at Home” Is Survey Expert’s Advice BY GEO. ADAIR ECKFORD. On the back page of this paper you will find a business survey of the progressive merchants of Law rencevillle and Norcross. This sur vey was made by Mr. Geo. Adair Eckford, business survey expert, who is well known throughout the state for this class of work. The firms written up in this edition were found to be right up to the minute when progresiveness is taken into consideration. You may find larger firms but it is Mr. Eckford’s opin ion that you will find no better ones. Now it takes money to get up a survey of thsi kind and the mer chants gladly defrayed this expense CITIZEN OF WINDER MAKES RECORD GIFT Winder, Ga.—One of the largest gifts ever made by a Winder citizen to any benevolent cause wds the do nation of $50,000 to Bessie Tift col lege by John M. Williams, of Win der, as announced a few days ago by Dr. A. K. Chamblee, president of that institution. Mr. Williams has a daughter, Miss Essie Lee Williams, a graduate of Winder High school this year, in the freshman class at Bessie Tift. Some time ago he vis ited her at the college and while there found that a number of young women were working their way through college. Impressed with this and desirous of helping others, upon his return home he talked the matter over with his wife and they <ta;ided to make this contribution to education. The entire amount of this gift will be in gilt-edged securi ties and will be turned over to the college authorities on January*' !, 1924. FORMER BUFORD MAN CRUSHED TO DEATH Chattanooga.—Mr. N. W- Bow man, a car repairer «f the Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis railway, ws crushed to death between two cars in the Cravens yards Monday afternoon. The body was sent to Buford, Ga., his former home, for in terment. BOLTON-MILLS. Mr. B. H. Bolton and Miss Ola Nash Mills were happily married November 3rd, Rev. !f. D. Reed of - ficiating. SAMPLES-HAYES. Mr. Burel Sample and Miss Katie Lee Hayes were married November 10th, J. J. Gofer, Esq., performing the ceremony. TULUS-KILGORE. Mr. Hinton Tullis and Miss Paul ine Kilgore were married November 11th, Rev. B, L. Lawsoa officiating. KNIGHT-PHILLIPS. Mr. J. Raymond Knight and Miss Cleo Phillips were joined in the holy bonds of matrimony November 11th. Judge S. S. Mauldin performed the ceremony. Miss Phillips is the daughter of Mr. W. J. Phillips, while the groom is the son of Mr. G. W. Knight. WILLIAM McELROY. William McElroy, forty-six years of age, died at the emsmty home No vember 10th. The funeral and inter ment were at Sweetwater church November 11th. Dig, Brother, Dig Of all sad words Prom our own kin; The saddest are these; No coal hi the bin. WANTED— By Clyde T. Hannah and R. B. Tuck, of Loganville, Ga., five hundred bushels ©f field peas at $1.60 per bushel, delivered at the residence of R. B. Tuck in Loganville, Ga. n22p POLAND-CHINA PIGS. A few extra fine pigs. Those wanting pure bred stock and the best breed, will do well to see me at once. Also a nice lot of Duroc pigs, nlflc I. B. WHITWORTH. FOR RENT. Good one or two-horse crop, good land and pasture, to man who can furnish himself. See H. H. Bramb lett, Lawrenceville, Rute 2. nlsc FOR SALE. Purple Straw seed Wheat $1.50 per bushel; good seed oats 90c per bushel. Stored at J. R. McKelvey’s Mill and at W. M. Leatherwood’s home. nl9cM McKelvey A Leatberwood. to bring to you the dire ne cessity of Trading at Home. Your comunityiand your county cannot prosper if the money that is made in Gwinnett county is not kept in Gwinnett and left to circulate here. Your merchants are giving you ser vice unequalled before and they are earnestly trying to give you the same service that you would receive in a large city. If you continue to send your money t othe large cities and give the mail order houses the bulk of your business what is your nerft door neighbor going to do, he may be a merchant and he may need your business. If he delivers the goods, to express it in slang, then he LOCAL OVERFLOW. See. Mr. Brown and Mrs. Creen Tuesday night at school auditorium. Mr. Marshall Teague is rapidly im proving from his recent illlness. Rich, juicy, delectable fruit rake. Let the Strand Soda Fount tupply you with the ingredients. Little Mary, Ruth Franklin under went a succsfesiful removal of her tonsils in Atlanta Monday. Mrs. Eula Hamilton and children have returned from a recent visit to Mrs. Andrew Pirkle in Buford. If you want your sides to split see “How the Story Grew.” Tuesday night school auditorium. Mr*. J. D. Carter, who has been the guest of hei mother, Mrs. J. H. Britt, left today ifor her home in Bu ford. Mis Blanche Robinson, who is teaching in the Bethlehem schools, was at home Sunday. She had with her Mis* Sarah McCook, of Macon. Mies Jackie Nicholson bad her tonsil* remvood Monday, being ac companied to- 'Adanttt -Jjip her par ent*, Dr. and M#b. J. W. Nicholson. Misses Edith Gilbert, Lula nnd Ida Herrington and Messrs. T. K. and Johnnie Herrington were the Sun day gueets of friends in Stone Moun tain. Mr. and Mrs. Edwin King and Dr. and Mrs. Carlton Lee, of Atlanta, and Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Monfort were dinner guests of Miss Minnie Peeples Tuesday. Announcement is made that the members of the -Lawrenceville lodge No. 21, I. O. Q. F., and the local Re becca lodge will have a get together meeting at the local hall Friday eve ning, beginning at 7:30 o’<flock. Friends w3l be pained to learn that Miss Verena Dunbar, teacher in the achosls of Miami, Fla., is al most totally blind following an at tack of fewer. Miss Dunbar will be removed to her Georgia home as ear ly as ber -condition will permit. “W« gw> every day accept Sunday Pay kigbeit mrket price for Cotton Seed and remnants of Seed Cotton. Sell HuHs at SI.OO per huudred pounds. Sell Mepl at $2.35 per mack. E. B. ROCKMORE. A large quantity of feed stuff was consumed by fire which likewise destroyed the barn belonging to Mr. Lovic R. Martin on sthe old Jacobs place Monday night. Mr. Martin lost £be valuable residence on this same lot some time ago, when the family living in it had a narrow es cape from the fire. Our expert optometrist from the Cha*. A. Green Optical Company, Atlanta, Ga., wil be here again on Tueaday, November 20. If you are having eye troubles that require glasses, -we would be pleased to have you call in to see him. He has sat isfied thousands of others and can satisfy ywu. Jones Drug Co., Lawrenceville, Ga. “ HOW THE STORY GREW.” Tuesday night at 7:45 the P. T. A. will give the play “How The Story Grew” at school auditorium. In connection with the play music and readings will be given by the school pupils. Miss White and Miss Willis, the expression and music teachers, will render several selections. Mrs. Brown Mrs. N. L. Hutchins. Mrs. Green . Mrs. O. R. .hihan. Mrs Bean Miss Lois Matthews. Mrs. Rice Mrs. E. T. Hopkins. Mrs. Doolittle Miss Minnie Peeples. Mr* Snpw Mrs. Chas. McConnell. Mrs. Taylor Mrs. T. L. Ambrose. Mrs. White Mrs Ross Craig. Popular prices, 16 and 25 cents., I ought to get that business. Do you for one minute think that Atlanta and its merchans are going to do anything for you If you do you are badly mistaken. It has its own business to attend to. You must look after your own. But if you desire to murder your own mon ey then send it to the mail order ' houses where you will never see it i again. If you want to get another chance at your dollar bill then spend it here at home and you still can get .another chance at it. Say what you please. A TOWN WORTH LIVING IN IS ONE THAT IS WORTH TRADINNG IN. LET THE TRADE AT HOME SPIRIT PREDOMINATE. WARDEN COMMANDS PRO TECTION FOR GAME BIRDS Atlanta, Ga.—Peter S. Twitty, state game and fish warden, on Tues day notified all state and county game wardens to be on the watch for hunters who attempt to “fudge” on the open season for quail or doves. This season does not legally com mence until November 20, next Tuesday, and Mr. Twitty is deter mined that this year every eager hunter shall be held in leash until the proper time to start on the war path. He has also requested all superior court judges to summon all game wardens in the state before grand juries to reveal any violations of the game laws they may know. Mr. L. R. Martin, of Lawrence ville, has been appointed game war den for Gwinnett county, and asks that all hunters see him as early as possible and get their licenses be fore the season opens on November 20th. Mr. Martin will appoint depu ty game wardens from other sections of the county at an early date. BOOK SHOWER AND SILVER TEA FRIDAY There will be a book shower and silver tea givoa at the Community 'club house, Friday-afternoon, for the benefit of school library. This being “Book Week”, the sil ver tea and shower will be a very fitting climax for same. Those who have books to contribute will bring them at this time and if you have none, a small amount of money will be acceptable or a large amount as the donor feels disposed to . give. Let everybody come out and lend a helping hand to this good cause, which will be a very great help to all of your children. Don’t forget the date, Friday af ternoon, November 16th. The shower and tea will be spon sored by The Parent-Teachers Asso ciation and the Woman’s Club. MERCER MEN ORGANIZE AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Dr. Rufus W. Weaver, chancellor of Mercer University, Macon, was the honor guest at a luncheon served at the Hotel Ewing last Fri day, and while he was here an alum ni association of the Mercer men in Gwinnett county was organized. Rev. L. E. Smith presided over the meeting and called on all of the guests for a word, each of whom made appropriate responses. Dr. Weaver was the principal speaker, and he outlined the plans and pur poses of Mercer, telling of the won derful work being done for the de velopment of the young men en trusted to their care. The association was organized by electing Rev. L. E. Smith president and J. J. Brock secretary and treasurer. The guests included Dr. R. W. Weaver and J. K. Williams, Macon; Rev. L. E. Smith, S. G. Brown, John I. Kelley, J. J. Brock, Rev. L. F. Herring, Grayson; J. H. McGee, Quill Sammon, Jr., and C. M. Morcock. GRAYSON P. T. A. MET LAST WEDNESDAY P. M. The Parent-Teacher Association of the Grayson school held its regular monthly meeting Wednesday, No vember 7th. After reports of different com mittees plans for a box supper wit! a literary and lhusical program were made, to be held November 17th. The program is under the di rection of the young lady teachers and promises to be a most enjoyable affair. The proceeds will go on the build ing in the course of erection. Public invited. SEND US YOUR JOB WOR* Paved Road Now Assured Here-Decatur A paved road from Lawrenceville to Decatur is now assured. On Wednesday the Commisioners of Gwinnett signed jointly with the Highway Commission to pave the road from Lawrenceville to the DeKalb county line and the Commissioners of DeKalb, who are heartily in favor of the road, will probably sign for their part at a meeting this week. The project calls for a paved road, built at an estimated cost of $17,000 per mile from Lawrenceville straight into Decatur. The money from Federal aid wil come in June Ist and the road building will probably start about April Ist, 1924. A large delegation of local citizens appeared before the commission in Atlanta Wednesday and it was shown by facts and figures that this wan one of Georgia’s main highways, a dirt road that was practically impossible to keep in repair owing to the heavy traffic and travel, and one of the state’* main roads unpaved. The highway commission and the local board of commissioners im mediately signed the contract calling for the paving of the road and work will start as stated above. It is eestimated that with the money derived from the federal funds, state funds and with the county's share of the gasoline tax and the work of the Gwninett convicts the road can be built without any money being ex pended by the county. The highway commission is to be thanked for their generosity and the local board of commissioners congratulated upon their stand. Just before starting to Atlanta for the meeting citizens of Buford called and stated that if needed Buford would send fify citizens with the Lawrenceville delegation asking for the road. This road will prove of vast benefit to practically ev ery citizen of the county and with the keeping of the other roads in good condition Gwinnett will have roads to be proud of. Sam G. Brown Lays Bare More In equality in the Method of Raising Money for Government. In my last article I discussed the tax problem which is the greatest of all problems confronting our people. This is such a big problem that it is absolutely impossible to tell you all about it in one reading through the newspaper columns, so I am going to take up this problem where I left it off and if you will just follow me I will open your eyes and show to you what is going on In our country. It has been sjiown that thgre are now outstanding fftrtfOß.jUMlP and more of non-taxable bonds, only a few being partially taxed, find these 1 bonds are now in the hands of the millionaires and rich people who pay absolutely no tax on them and are defeating the government of billioas | of dollars in taxes that they should ! be forced to pay. It has been shown further that one man in twenty is on the pay roll of the United States government, „ 1 It has been proven that you are working one day in six to pay, taxes which is a burden on any neopie. A short time ago William Rocke fellow died, who is a brother to our rich John D. Boekefellow, and left an estate of $105,000,006. It was found in the ordinary’s office that his estate 'had been disposed of by Will and that -43,000,000 of this mon ey was non-taxable bonds. He actual ly sold Standard Oil stock to put his money in non-taxable bonds of the United States government which, I expect, is the best stock on the mar ket. He did this for two purposes: One was to defeat all taxes he pos sibly could himself personally, and which he did; and, he knew that he was going to die soon and leave his eetate and his children would defeat the inheritance tax on his $43,000,- 000, not only defeat the inheritance tax under our law, but defeat gov ernment taxes on this $4.3,000,000, and thereby saving his estate mil lions upon top of millions of money that should have gone into the treasury of the United States gov ernment to pay our government ex penses. This is just one case out of many thousands of just such cases. How long do you think this gov ernment will stand under conditions like this. How long do you think , any nation can stand where one-half the people pay all the taxes and the other half go tax free? This is the situation we arc facing. The people have been hoodwinked and ignored long enough, and the common people of this country arc going to put a stop to it. We are going to stop issuing these non-taxable bonds by passing a con stitutional amendment and never is sue any more. This is one of the issues that is going to be passed up on by our people, just as soon as this bill is passed by the senate. Our Georgia legislature is now' in session for the purpose of creating some kind of a law to save the people from the burden of taxation. Why did they not pass this law in June when it cost the state of Georgia about one hundred thousand dollars or more? They passed a few local laws, and did nothing to relieve the people. Instead of getting the proper relief, they have lobbied, passed a few local laws that could have been passed in one day’s time possibly and the balance of their time was spent in fighting each TWICE-A-WEEK other like cats and dogs, each man trying to pass some kind of law that would give him notoriety and his enemy doing his utmost to defeat it to keep the other fellow from get ting ahead of him in politics; their time was spent in absolutely doing nothing and the people paying the bills. This extra session of the legisla ture will cost the tax payers of the state of Georgia thousands upon thousands of dollars, money Whig thrown east and west, north and sooth to a bunch of poliShum* who seek office and the people we wßK iag. It » a great pity that Georgia legislature eduMU Sat,- lie* abolished for at least ftvp y&e* or * more and we would errtaijffy hr **- relieved of this much /fuurftMr in * beeping men in A»j4Ata imfurther ing their political schemes: Ask yoursqlfr'lhis question: How j long can government stand with one-hathe people who are the P°Vfbr class pay aH the taxes, and the other half, who are rich, go tax free? SAM G. KBGWN. Lawrenceville, Ga., November lit. MEETING SUNDAY SCIJOQL WORKERS BAPTIST CHUfttR A most interesting and helpful J meeting was held at the Baptist church Tuesday in the interest of? or ganized classes of the Sunday schools of the Lawrenceville Association. Mr. Strickland of Nashville, Tenn.; Mr. Merritt, of Gainesville; Rev. Reed, of Norcross; Dr. Campbell, of First Baptist church of Gainesville, were the principal speakers. Quite a number of visitors from the different churches' of the Asso ciation were present, and much good was received from having met to gether. • Lunch wasserved in the church basement by the ladies sf the local church. Meeting was closed at 4 o’clock. EPWORTH LEAGUE. Subject; “How I Can Discover My Place.” Hymn. Scripture, Mary Hagood. Prayer. “God’s Purpose in Every Life”— Nell Forrester. “Trust in God”—Annie Brown. “Study the Word”—Parker Ed monds. “Seek Divine Guidance”—Carolyn Pate. “An Obedient Heart”—George Clower, j “The Sacrificial Life”—Lola Hin ton. “The Needs of the World”—Julia Morcock. i “What the World Offers”—Annie B. Cooper. “The Separated Service”—Tom Pate. “Side Lights on the Topic” Benedk'tion. NELL FORRESTER, Leader. FIRST CLASS FARM TO RENT. 1 have a splendid two or three borse farm to rent, situated on Yel low River, two miles from Lawrenee ville, where J. W. Moulder now re sides to a tenant who can furnish his own stock. There is no better farm in the county that can be rent ed, there being good red upland, and fine botton land for corn. nl2c W. £- SIMMONS. NUMBER &