The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-09-19
Correspondence Ne,s, and Courier.
W1NNsnoRo. August %. 1873.

/
! Correspondence Naes and Courier.
W1NNsBoRo, August %, 1878.
AS the question of graded schools ia
being agitated in number of the towns
in our State, and as information is sought
as to the mode of inaugurating, conduct
ing and supporting them, few thoughts
on the subject may be of interest to your
readers. Let me premise by saying that
this article is not intended for those who
arc already familiar with the system
through the medium of the admirable
institutions now In operation in Charles
ton, but for Others who have heretofore
been accustomed only to the oid-fash-
Toned, unclassi6ed schools. A graded
school, in general terms, is one in which
| all the pupils in the came grade study
the same lesson, and each pupil studies
| every branch embraced in the Curriculum
OF his grade. But in the popular accep-
! tation at present in South Carolina, it
seems to mean in addition school sup
ported partly by public funds and partly
6y private means. The method of classi-
tying and conducting graded school can
Do learned from works on the subject,
such as Wells on graded schools, or by
the excellent schools in Charleston. In
this connection the writer would return
his Acknowledgements TO III. p, Archer.
Esq. of your city, for valuable sugges.
tons on this very subject.
AS to the plan of organizing such a
school in any of the interior towns of
the State, few facts concerning one
that is already in good working order,
may furnish some useful hints. In Jan.
uary of the present year, tho people of
Winnsboro determined to utilize the
| school fund coming to the district of
which the town is q part. Up TO that
time education was confined chiefly to
private schools, of which there we're at
least half q dozen, each dragging out q
precarious existence, while q considera-
BILE number of children were not in at
| tendance on any school. The public
| school trustees rented the buildings of
the Mount Zion Institute, containing one
| large and two smaller class rooms. A
male principal and two lady assists IS
were employed. The school was thrown
open TO pupils Of both sexes within the
scholastic age. The English branches
and arithmetic wero taught free of charge.
1t was stipulated that pupils in the higher
mathematics, ancient and modern lam
guages and the sciences should pay O
monthly fee of two dollars and a half.
Three grades, reaching as high as the
'EIhird Reader" and embracing pupils
OF both sexes, were placed in one room.
The remainder Of the school was divided
into four grades. The boys in these
grades were seated in the main room,
under the supervision Of the principal,
while the lady assistant had charge OF
the girls in another room. Separate
Fairgrounds we're arranged for the sexes,
and no trespassing was permitted. Both
sexes recited together, the classes being
marched from room to room under moni-
tors. (Where the rooms are contiguous
the monitors are not needed.) The
sehoel opened in February. and all par.
ties interested awaited the result. One
hundred ard ffty-seven pupils were en-.
rolled the first month, and this number
was maintained during the session, the
actual attendance averaging about one
hundred and thirty. OF these, between
twenty and thirty were instructed in the
extra branches. The experiment. aes
thus far, succeeded admirably. The
school, owing to the excellence attaina.
BILE through increased numbers, has been
batter than any of its predecessors for
years, and it has been found that the
presence of the two sexes in the same
class is most beneficial, each stimulating
the other 20 renewed exertion. Parties
living in the country are making prepara-
tions to send their children to town, and
the increase will be still larger next year.
1t Is confidently hoped that in time
Mount Zion Institute will again become
iionrishing academic school, with the
pubic schools as q permanent feeder.
The result will be beneficial, not only in
an educational point of view, but also as
regards the material interests of the
town. Every pupil retained at home
means a saving of q certain sum of
money to be otherwise expended.
During the first five months the school
was supported from the public funds.
For the next session it will receive three
hundred dollars from the Peabody fund,
and the citizens will subscribe two or
three hundred more, thus securing ct q
private expenditure of few hundred
dollars, years instruction of q hundred
and fifty pupils whose tuition fees under
the old system would have amounted 70
more than three thousand dollars These
gr,.ded schools solve the problem of edn-
cation in poverty stricken South Carolina
Without them, thousands will grow ur
in absolute ignorance.
The above is the result of the expert.
ment in Wnnsboro. What Winnsboro
has done, other towns can do, If the peo
pie are in earnest and if cnnnrctepi
teachers are employed.
For raising the necessary funds. three
sources exist. The amount supplied by
the school fund should be for q school o
hundred and fifty pupils seyen or eigh,
hundred dollars. Three hundred or foul
hundred and ifty nay be secured from
the Peabody fhnt' he balance can b,
raised by extrs -.Ion and by priyat,
subscription. 1v maintain school O.
the above mentioned size at least eightcer
hundred dollars should be raised.
! AZ g tie :..ascer &C eh!ei.,ine, aid from
the Peabody fund information can b.
haa on application TO Superintendent H
s. Thompson. A few points connected
with it may, however, be mentioned here
The trustees of the fund will give three
hundred dollars to every public school O
one hundred pupils maintained for tel
months with an average attendance O
: eighty-fve per cent, or four hundred ant
iitty dollars for hundred and fifty pupil
the same time with an average attend
ance Of eighty-fve per cent, provided il
oaoii case thhss s:5t;s SS:cs::::ee:.. !a.ds f.on
other sources are double the amount asket
from the Peabody fund. Application
must be made at the beginning of tn
, year on blanks furnished by the Stat
Superintendent of Education. The prom
ised amount viii be paid at the end O
the gear on proof that all the condition
have been complied with.