The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-06

lIiuIcD . LII COIlNllClol lltLllSDolI AN liS
ducts OF the field; but the teacher inluses EN-
crsy into the mind that transports the
thoughts and wishes of men over mountains
| lnd under seas Oh cords ot wire: lllc factory
wcavcs lints and fibres into cloth; Dut INC
| ~tclclcr directs The mind that weaTcS Llc inc
| urIrs of lie and government; tic miner ulSs
down The q~uilIricS of the hills, but The teach
CT gives courage and aim TO the mind that
gathers up the laws Of the universeah Daiius
| INTO The massive masonry ol Sclclicc.
Shall not Tic teacher, therefore,. DC pald
more than those, us his work Is higher: IT,
he That gives TO us what
youth instructs, old age delights,
.iuorns prosperity, and when
OF adverse fate We feel the blight
Twill comfort II SOlilce us tllGn.'
AS u general rule, men prepare themselves
with IL care and th0rUughncsS propOrtioncd to
the rcwuru OF The profession i'll view. lli;tdc-
uualc compensation drives competent tciIcli-
crs into other cmploymentS and leaves th!s
important field 10 men OF low Or medium ca
mlClty. Education, like the trades IN one
sense, is regulated Uy the common law that
what You get Is IN proportion 10 what YOU
pay for II. With present low prices, but lew
urrSolS OF high cliuOWmcnlS VIII engage IN
lcuchingaS Il PERMANENT business. IN future,
us lIOW, most Of Our male teachers Will be
young men VINO have Just completed II college,
COURSE, Or are in process thereof, iiru VINO
STOP on their way TO other professions only 10
Incaisrriy rcp!cniSh IN exhausted purse.
Hence no special preparation Or iluilpttDlllty
is sought by them as wonlu be Tor Il pcrlhl-
nclit business. II prices were higher, inucll
tine talent would stop here. To proceed us at
present will destroy hotl private and public
schools.
HOW TO MAKE TIIEI WHAT THEY SHOULD
BE.
1t is not more important than difficult TO
say how prices can bc improved.
The firS. step, | :tIrr satisfied, lies with the
County liD:lru Of Examiners and Tic Boards
- a, Sf. 4 I,,.,- NJ ilu pJ. tII SrSft.In i'm IFS
application to society. The former uctcrii-
ines how long the schools shall be open; the
HITTER; the rny OF t., t1;. vH"rr:, H. Is ,S wi,ii an t' ,nr
crease the pay. Ii Is an error to try to accom-
pllsh too much work with too little money.
it Is wisdom in q Shil-wrcckcd vessel TO put
It's crew ON short rltions, but not wisdom to
put teachers on short pay because funds are
small. They can desert the vessel and leave
it In the wr5ck. The sentiment OF men gem
orally must be toned up. Tive action of these
Boards will lead the public mind in whatever
direction they move. $3.50.
Every township, or school dist riot, Is laid
of into separate school bounds, within each
OF which, Is Il given number OF children, ana
Il given amount OF intcili@eIcc. These lacts
are we'll known to the boards Of Trustees,
and in fairness require that prices should va
ry. No person should be required to teach
nifty pupils Tor the same he would get tor
needed To teach in Il highly enlightened com.
muuily is greater tll;ul in II less enlightened
one. iln,ay be that they both demand the
services OF first class teachers; hut still the
Labor is NOT cuunI,-why should the pay be
cuuul? Two statesmen or hOUk-kccpcrS OF
Juual CAPACITY may seek olnpioymcn; In the
same town. bat ii does not follow that their
wages Will he the same. That depends upon
other circumstances altogether. | know of
no law t!iut lorbidS the grading Of schools as
well us teachers. Why not have At minimum,
medium and maximum WAGES for each grade
Of teachers? Let inc illustrate: We have
three school communities In the same town.
ship, y, l. and C.. y has fifty. pupils and
highly cultured patrons. i has fifty and me
dunn culture. has turty pupils and mcdi-
culture. We have also three teachers
with iir$i class certificates. To him who
te ,ctic$ in y, give maximum wages; To aim
who teaches in Is, give medium wages; To him
WiID teaches in 4, give minimum WAGES. II
Il sccuIu ci:,sS teacher gets the school Ill a,