Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-03-09
Sns.err.err Schools.


Mrssms EDlroHs: You ask me 10 write some
thing for Your columns on the subject OF COM
mon Schools. You ask what can be done for
improvement. 1t has been suggested by some
that the districts should be divided into sections
of about five miles square each, and IN each
section school house should be erected, and
suitable teachers procured having schools at no
other points but these. To this plan, perhaps,
good in itself, objections might be urged, and
Consequently might not be ensily carried out
But these are improvements to which l can
see no reasonable otj tjcction. The qualifications
and character of many teachers are not sucn as
they should be- THIS can be rcn@died: There
should be legislative interference here. The men
tal and moral training Of the youth Is subject
of too Grave character to be triried WITH
We do not readily countenance the preton-
sions Of the individual who attempts the prac-
tice of medicine, without having prepared him
self for his profession. And is there no Objection
to quackery in education?
It is to be feared that many engage Ill the
business of teaching because they are too lndo-
lent to labor for livelihood in any other depart
ment of life Such persons are not worthy to
he entrusted with the education of our youth.
But it may be said every man has the right
to employ whom he pleases to teach Ills children
This would do very well, if no one were con-
cerned but himself. Every man has right to
do as he pleases, provided that in doing so he
does not interfere with the rights of others.
The general good requires that the children OF
our country lie instructed in that way which
will secure the greatest amount OF advantage
70 tho community. To obviate this difficulty
seems to me to be easy. The remedy propose
is this:
Let a Board of Education, intelligent worthy
men. be appointed for each District by the Leg
islature. or otherwise as may seem best, before
which every man who proposes to teach shall ap-
pear and be examined as to his qualifications and
aptness to teach. This would require but little
expense, time and labor Three or four suitable
persons would be sufficient to constitute the
Board, and day or two would be ample tor
the examination. A competent Judge could soon
decide on the qualifications ofappEcants. And by
this. I do not mean that every teacher should be
graduate of College. 1t sometimes happens
that some are better instructors who have never
studied a dav within the walls of College than
those who are graduates. What mean to say
is this, they should show satisfactorily to the
Board of Examiners, that they not only Know
what they profess to teach, but that they can
convey instruction in proper manner Some
for instance, can work and obtain answers to ev-
ery question in the Arithmetic, who know little
or nothing of teaching as it ought to be taught.
If the applicant proposes only to teach Orthog-
raphy, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, let
him show that he can do the thing well.
By some it may be urged that it will be I'M
possible to carry this plan out. To this | an
swer, let it become law, and an indctable Of
fence, if anv one attempts to teach or establish
school, unless he has certificate from the Board
of Examiners. Does any one think this rash or
unreasonable Wherefore? What would be
thought of an individual, Mr.. Hobbs toreXample,
who makes his appearance in our village, rents
an Office, over his door hoists his sign, "A. +.
Hobbs, Attorney at law" He is asked from what
law school he brought Dip ploma or by What
Bench Of Judges he has been examined and OBJ
Timed License. lie answers that he has neither
Diploma nor License. He tells you he is free
man, in free country, and ii he secs proper to
be lawyer, and the people employ, him, 1t IS
nobody's business You would be amazed, con-
founded at the novelty, madness and iinpudence
of such a man. Yet it is much more important
that the teacher should give evidence of qualltl-
cation for his calling than the lawyer for his.
Ne would feel outraged at the man who
slould appear in any of our churches, asking adj
mittance to our pupts to instruct Us in Divine
things, and havingin his possession no authority
from any constituted human tribunal to do so-
: Yet the Office Of Teacher is scarcely less impor-
tant than that Of the Preacher. In some res
poets, It may be saI to be paramount to it.
| would say to those who may read this arti-
Gle, that the main object has been to provoke
discussion And shall not feel at all mortified,
ifsonle one shall show me that ain wrong in
my opinions, provided he supplies their places
with something that will do better. All must
agree that something ought to be done. Let US
then one and all to the work Of retormatIon.-
The improvement Of our lands, the building OF
Railroads and Colleges, arematters ofgrcat mag
nitudc, but they are trifing compared with the
proper management Of our common sci hoos.--
Make these such as they should be and they will
be regulator for everything else. We shall
then be an enterprising, virtuous, happy people.
G. S. B.
GLENN SPRING, 1852. Spartan.
An Offer to Massachusetts.