The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-27

COlored males. ............''''.t'oo.
Co.ored females. ...............'....i'oo@
Total colored .......................... S'Zls
Grand ,ota,. s,42a
Average number attending school. l.......... l,93s
Number OF schools in operation. ............ ol
TEACHERS EMPLOYED.
White males. Observation-Disclosures. 70
White females. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ~
-. Total whites. ............'....'.. 10
\Rored males. IL
CO!ored females. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. IL
Total colored. Observation-Disclosures. ~
Grand total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. u
AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGES PAID TO TEACHES.
To male teachers. rs.................-..-..-- S3o W
To female teachers. ...................... - 20
Whole amount pald teachers. s....''....' .s-ooso 20
The commissioner says:
desire to accompany the statistical report
of the operations OF this office during the past
year with q few remarks, explanatory ana
recommendatory. Upon assuming charge OF
the Office on the lst January ultimo, found
the school fund entirely exhausted, and
nominal deot Of over ten thousand dollars,
due or said to be due TO parties in the county
for services rendered. $7467 OF this amount
was tor the pay Of teachers; s2342 so Tor school,
houses, supposed to have been erected 10
different paris of the county, and the balance
for sundry expenses OF The school commits
sioner's Office This debt existed In the shape
of ..pay certificates" drawn by the school
commissioner upon the county treasurer,
many of which, learned upon inquiry, had
passed into the hands Of the former and sun
dry olhsr parties, by purchsse, at discounts
varying from rs tO 80 per cent. upon their face
value. according to the ignorance or necessi-
tous condition Of the parties in whose favor
they were drawn. Some OF the persons 10
whom this money was said TO be due,
upon being questioned, had never seen
received any such amounts as those cerifi-
Gates called for. In one case where claim
had been allowed for erecting schoo!-houses of
over $500, / was Informed by the person
in whose favor the pay certificate was drawn
that he had no such claim against the county,
and to this day the school trustees for the dis
tricts in which these houses were said 10 nave
been built have never been able to find but one
ofthem, and that In IN unfinished state.
In another instance co ored teacher on one
OF the neghboIiDg Islands received from the
latdpzehool commissioner thirty-seven 50-l0O
dollars for three months services. The agree
meDt made with him was for twenty-five dol
lars per month. or seventy-fve dollars for the
oualter. Not satisfied with the heavy Discount
OF ffty per cent for cashiDg the claim, the
school commissioner drew pay certificate
in favor Of said teacher for two hundred and
Q1tV DOLLARS, auQ QIeW LHot iiouu 'hS
county treasurer. Out Of twC hundred and fifty
dollars thus expended by the State for educar
tional purposes, the official charged with the
expenditure OF this fund appropriated t. him
s2i2 so, paying the poor teachers but s37 SO
This is the worst case which has come under
nv observation, but there are numerous In
stances where the county has been mulcted OF
large sums, in the name Of parties who never
received the money, and who know nothing
OF the existence OF the certificates drawn in
their names until informed By myself. Alto
gether doubt whether the board OF county
Commissioners" Of this county. who have won
so unenviaple a notoriety, can be justly charg-
ed with any greater frauds than have been
perpeuAted in this office. II our sister coun-
lies have suffered In the same way, thousands
of dollars must have been Illegally taken from
the State treasury, by the very parties whose
duty 1t was to watch E0st vigorously over Its
expenditure. .o, - AT,
disgraceful condition OF affairs, Immediately
determined not to authorize the opening of
any more schools in the county, or to add IN
any way to the Indebtedness OF the office. until
the Legislature had made an appropriation tor
school purposes, and had an opportunity OF
determining how much work could be attempt
ed; devoting myself meanwhile to collecting In
formation in reference to the wants of the
county and maturing some plan OF operations.
With this end In view. divided the county
into sixteen school dish.ets, the numbers and
boundaries of which correspond with the num-
bers and boundaries OF the several townships
into which the county was divided year or
two ago. / also entered into correspondence
with gentlemen in the several districts, with
the view of inducing them to act as school
trustees, and of learning the educational ne
eesslties OF the people. The county board OF
examiners was also organized and prepared
for the examination of any persons who might
desire TO offer themselves as candidates for
positions in the county schools.
On the 9th OF March last, the Governor OF the
State approved the act amendatory OF the
schotl act passed last year, which went imme-
diateB into operation. It was sometime be-
fore copy Of this act could be obtained, and,
in the meanwhile, the Legislature had appro-
priated $50, 900 for educational purposes, and
adjourned.
As soon as copy OF the act uaS procured,
the board of examiners met and proceeded 10
organize the school districts, by the appoint
ment of three school trustees In each. This
duty has been performed with an eye single
to the Interests Of the several districts, and
the beard think they have succeeded in en-
Lifting the sympathy and active cooperation
of many of the most intelligent and Influential
citizens of the county. Their names will be
found appended to this report. Thei- appoint
mehts date from the sth OF April utimo, and
hold good for two years from that date.
On the Sd of May received a letter from the
State superintendent of educ'tion, informing
me that he had apportioRed the school appro-
prlation among the several counties OF the
State. and that Charleston County (outside OF
the city, was entitled to ss953 IS, and that
that amount had been placed IN the hands OF
the treasurer Of this county, sub1ect 10 Inc
drafts of the various bG.-rds OF sc hool trustees
Immediately divided the said amounts among
the several school districts Of the county, IN
proportion to the number OF children Oh schooi
age In each district, as the law directed, noll-
fed the boards of trustees Of the amounts 10
the credit OF each, and directed the scn0ois
to Re reopened as soon as teachers could De
procured, and such changes made as the ne
cessities Of the case seemed TO require. This
call was promptly responded to, and in many
OF the districts the schools were reopened,
and are now in operation, except in those
districts which have exhausted their share of
the appropriation.
Much difficulty has been experienced by the
trustees in securing teachers. Many of those
now employed in this capacity have never
enjoyed any opportunity Of preparing them
selves for the duties of their profession, and
although willing and anxious TO discharge
their duties acceptably, are entirely incom-
1Hent. This Is difficulty of great magnitude,
and one which seems to me, more than any
other to claim the attention OF the Legisla-
lure Some provision must at once be made
for the education of teachers. These we must
have or the whole educational system Of the
State come 10 naught. We need in this coun'