The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-20
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM,

MIR. EDITOR: AS it has been intimated to
rs by the School Commissioner of this
County that there will be. in short time q
Convention of School Trustees and Teach
ers, called to take into consideration the
propriety of petitioning the Legislature to
make some needed changes and amend
ments in the free common school system of
this State, we would, therefore, very re-
spectfully ask your permission to make a
few suggestions in reference to what We re-
gard as alterations, sufficient in their ma
ture to claim the attention and serious con-
sideration of our wise and patriotic Legis-
lators.
The first and most prominent which we
shall make, is more elevated standard of
education in our public schools; and this,
evidently, can be attained only through the
medium Of a higher grade ofteachers. And,
sir, in saying this we are not to be under
stood as advocating q system of public
schools taught entirely by classical teachers.
Far be it from us to advocate any such uto-
plan scheme, for we regard the idea that the
masses can ever all be given classical edu-
cation as highly chimerical, existing only in
the disordered Imagination of visionary the
orists, who are never able to reduce any of
their proposed schemes to practice But,
sir, we do mean to be understood as advo-
eating system whose teachers, upon ex-
animation, shall be found qualified to "fill
our present bill' of first grade teachers.
We would ask upon what ground can the
propriety or necessity of employing sec
ond or third grade teacher be shown when
q sufficient number Of first grade eSosSsSShhers
can at any time be employed to take charge
of all our public schools? Is it for the
special accommodation of certain indi-
viduals, keeping up system of favoritism,
in order to enable Mr.. AS wifes great un-
cle's third cousins son to get position as
teacher in the public schools because for
sooth he Is willing to teach at very low
figures?
But, seriously, we cannot perceive that
this system can be advocated upon much
stronger grounds than this, for it is any
thing else but promotive of the true in
terests of education. Where is the induce
ment to cause young men to qualify them
selves for the arduous task OF teaching the
young idea how to shoot, when superficial
s1hatterers and incorrigible ignoramuses are
in many instances employed in preference
to them. So general has this custom pre-
vailed of late years, that we not unfrequent-
ly hear the ironical remark: 20 it is not
necessary for man to be a scholar to teach
school,"
Now, sir, permit lis to remark that there
has nothing been brought to bear since the
Inauguration of the present system of free
common schools that has so injuriously
dency to bring it into disrespect, as this
}.;n cvoton, Of too choro lBboro Co. tl,ot
good old corps of English teachers who
stood in solid phalanx and were so highly
appreciated in ante beltuns days? Numbered
with the things that were their ranks have
been, during the last six or seven years, con-
tinually undergoing gradual depletion,.
until at present they can scarcely muster
corporal guard. Where, we ask, are those
worthy old veterans of 'the birch and
ferule," who were the only instructors of,
perhaps, nine-tenths of the successful bust
ness men of this County? All, all driven
out of the school room and to the plow and
other like occupations, to give room to o
"new ISSUE Of teachers, large majority OF
whom should be under some competent
teacher, studying Webstcr's spelling book,
or else abandon the idea of teaching and go
to the plow.
Hence, it can be seen at o glance why our
system OF common schools, which we had
before the war, has been broken up, giving
us in its place system of one-horse schools
all over the country, presided over and
taught by incompetent teachers, because
competent teachers, knowing their own
worth, can not and uiU not teach at wages
ranging in many instances from IS to $40
per month.
In the second place, we would suggest that
the trustees of each school district be paid
reasonable amount of money out Of the
school fund each year for their services rem
dered. Let them be inducted into office by
taking an oath to perform faithfully and
truly their whole duty, US may be prescribed
by law. Make it their bound duty to visit
each school in their respective school dis
tricts at least once every month. And in
order to detect and prevent any fraud that
might be attempted by any teacher, the
day-book of every teacher should be closely
but carefully examined, taking memoran-
dunn of the number of days each child has
attended school, together with the number
of the school district in which the parent of
the child resides. Take the name of the
parent or guardian. Then the number of
days that each child attends should be null
tiplied by the per diem rate which the
teacher may be allowed, and handed over to |
the parent, 30 that it can be clearly seen
the teacher has given due credit for |
all public funds received. And for the fail |
ure OF any trustees to perform his duty as |
required by law, let there be penalty all
ncXed so as to insure his performance. |
And in the last place let tile schools be
opened on the first Monday in January of |
each year, and kept open in each school dis
trict until all the funds shall have been ex-
h bo,,.toa w H