The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-02-26

state of the County. we do not deem
lit expedient at this time, that any
expense be incurred on account of
Office furniture.
In the Clerks office we 6nd no rec,
ords-all of them having been de-
stroyed by fire. He is not yet pro-
vided with all the books prescribed
by law, but we we're told the order
for, them had been SENT forward: We
find that there is NOT fled in this. of
fee a single copy of a bond Of any
person engaged in selling liquor in
the County. There is no roll of
Trial Justices and Constables in this
Office, but we were assured the rolls
would be made out as soon as practi-
cable. This being the first Court. in
which the present Clerk has served,
he has had no fines to turn over to
the County Treasurer
We find that the School Commits
sioner has given bond in accordance
with the law, and we believe him to
be an honest, upright. and well mean
ing official, but Il sense Of duty to the
people of this County, whose impair
tial champions we claim to be, com.
peIls US to say that in our judgment
the present incumbent is incapable of
performing the duties of .his Office in
the manner prescribed by law. The
law provides that there shall be Q
Board of Examiners in each Coun-
ty consisting of the School Commits
sioner (who shall ez odfcio be Chair.
man. and TWO other members who
shall be appointed by the County
School Commissioner, but no person
shall be appointed, member Of the
County Board of Examiners. who is
not competent to teach a first grade
school,. Now, we take it, the law
presumes that thS School Commits
sioner, inasmuch as he is the Chair,
man of the Board of Examiners,
and in consideration of the nature Of
the duties prescribed for him, should
not only be qualified to teach o; first
grade school, but shoald be man o1
experience, of business capacity and
culture In order 10 be qualified tc
teach a first grade school an appli
cant must pass an examination in
orthography, reading, writing, arith
metic, geography, English grammar
algebra, history, physiology and nat
ural philosophy Our commissioner
stated he had never been to school
more than eighteen months, and could
not so much as tell US the meaning OF
physiology and natural philosophy
He did not know what is the sum ,oI
the, figure 8, or the product of the
figure 8! y2.1.Ea 'Z.'i:'Ea p.
In the name Of right, reason and
common sense we ak, how is the
cause Of education to be promoted in
1our midst when the highest oficia
known TO our educational system is
an illiterate, mnn? It is made the
duty of the School Commissioners to
give Recommendations il the art o1
teaching. How can this be-. done by
"a man who does not know the sum
! of the figure 81 The School Com
missioner is required by law to deliver
| q public lecture to, the people in each
school District of the County. What
kind of lecture upon education are
we to expect from man unacquaint'
ed with the most commonplace terms
of elementary arithmetic. We ask
in all candour, would o lecture from
such q one tend to "elevate the stan.
dard of education, or increase the
general interest OF, the people in pub.
| lie schools'?l We believe the Office OF
School Commissioner properly and
faithfully filled would give a fresh
impulse TO the cause Of education,
and would awaken an. interestin this
great subject on the part of the cun;
learned masses that would be OF in,
caloulable benefit to The County. We
sabmit that such results cannot even
be hoped for while an ignorant man
! is placed in position which can only
be satisfactorily filed by an educated
man. The subject Of education is
one lying near to the hearts of all
who love the cause of humanity and
civilisation, and for this reason we
have adverted to it at length.
We find on the lists Of teachers,
the names of persons known to be
incompetent to teach in the grade for
which they have been commissioned,
and there are names Of persons, who
while they may be qualified in so far
as knowledge of the branches to be
taught is concerned, are yet incompe'
lent with respect to the qualification
| of moral character. We made inqui-
ry of the Board of Examiueers con.
corning certain teachers whose repu.
tation for morality was not beyond
1reproacb, and we were told that
these teachers had promised to
amend. We respectfully submit that
ones character rests in what he has
been, and not in what he promises TO
be. We recommend to the Board Of
Examiners more care, discrimina.
tion and judgment in issuing teachers
certificates, and to the Trustees that
they employ mono but competent
teachers. ~ aa. ...
In the Office of the County; Com
missiopers the first matter to which