Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-04-24
Free Common Schools.
'ditors Kcowee Courier:

OF our county or State. With your permission
will give you few dots, and perhaps somo
porson more familiar with the machinery of our
school laws and schools will como forward and
assist in trying to awaken our citizens to sense
| Of our true position in education.
From the report of our State Superintendent
OF Education sec that "ffty seven per cent. Of
the voting population of this State are unable
to read the ballots which they cast" It is cur
rently reported throughout the land that South
Carolina has tho greatest per cent. of illiteracy
of any State in the Union. Perhaps but few of
your readers have seen the report of the State
Superintendent of Education for 1873. have
CLEANED some very important items from it which
will doubtless be read with interest:
The scholastic population of the State
white. 83,Sl3; colored, 1895; total, 228, 1913.
Inc scholastic population Of Oconce County,
white, 2.70G; coored 9o3; total, 1000. Whole
number Of children attending the schools during
io19-whito, 54.llS; colorcd, 62.l2I; total,
ll6,239 Number of pupils attending schools
in Oconee County during l878-white 2,l2l.
colored, 24s total, 1880; showing that IL $3.50
children were not in school last year. Oconee lind
1850 children not in school last year. Whole
number of tcachcrs-whtc, 2,O0l; colored
l,026; total, 3,ll7. Whole number of teaobers
in Oconeo County during l878-whtc, sc: CO.
Iored, {; total, 90. Total amount paid TO
tenchers during the year 1878, S26l,l7o.44
Oconee County paid $4.452.03. Average wages
paid teachers monthly males, $2822; females,
92o42 Average monthly wages paid teachers
in oconee County-malcs, $l4.08; females,
Sl037 Oconcc County pays the smallest ave
average monthly wages, viz-malcs, SG3. SO;
females, $40. Number of school houses in tho
State (exceping York County, no report)-log,
!,3G'; frame, d, leo; brick, 90; value, SS4O,-
ol4.63. Number Of school houses in Oconec
County-log. II; frame, a; value, S0,O25.
Sixteen OF the school houses in Oconcc County
are reported in bad condition. Number of
school houses owned by school districts in the
State, lao. Number of school houses owned by
school districts in Oconcc County, l. 1t appears
from the books Of the State Treasurer that the
sum OF $l9l ,10l.74 Of school fuuls app-opri-
atcd for tue years lS7I-'75-'7G remains unpaid
oconee County's share is put down at 81 1887 81
From the books in the School Commissioners
otilce Of Oconcc County il appears that there is
due the tcnchers Of this County for services
actually rendered for the years lS7I-'75-'7G-'77
the sum Of $G,597.S2. The salaries of the
School Commissioners Of the State for last year
amounted 10 SlG,2G5.50. 1t appears that four
teen Of the School Commissioners drew each
5000. The School Commissioner of Oconcc
County received for last year 1910. The School
commissioner Of Pickens County received the
smallest salary, viz: $277.50. There are thirty
Two School Commissioners in the State. Thirty
received each So per day. Pickcns County led
of in true reform style by paying her School
Commissioner l.S5 per day.
find problem in the salaries of School
Commissioners which I am unable TO solve
VIII you or some of your readers help me? The
average sessions Of the free schools in George.
town County in this State were one month
Number of schools 81. Number of tcachcrs 81.
Amount paid teachers, Sl,Oi7SI Amount
paid School Commissioner So per day for 200
days, 5000 School Law, Section 2S, saws:
"fhat each County School Commissioner shall
receive such compensation as the County Board
OF Examiners, as hereinafter provided for, may
allow him. not to exceed three dollars a day, 10
be determined by the County Board of Exami-
ners for each day actually employed in the
discharge of his official duties. His claim for
services shall be presented in the form of an
account against the County Board o: Examiners
and shall be verified by affidavit to the effect
that said account is just and true, that the
service therein named wns honestly and faith
fully rendered &C.: Provided, That the County
Board of hammers shall determine the number
OF days III each year in which said County
School Commissioner may labor in the perform.
ancc OF the duties required of him." SC. The
question is, where did the County Board of Ex-
amincrs expect the School Commissioner to
"honestly and faithfully labor 200 days in the
discharge of his oficial duties" when it appears
that the schools were in session one month
during the scholastic year.
In my next Twill give you my views on school
matters of our county. The above extracts
were taken principally from the report Of the
state Superintendent Of Education rs foundI-
tion for future remarks. r.
DISEASE THAT WRrcKs THE SYSTEM
Every function is dcrangcd, every nerve un-
strung, every muscle and fiber weakened by
fever an nguc 1t is. in fact, disease which
if unchecked, eventually wrecks the system.
In all its types, in every phase, It is dangerous,
destructive SIupor, dclirium, convusions,
| often attended il, and cause swift dissolution.
Bnt when combattcd with IIostcttcrs Stomach
Bittcrs lis foolhoId in tho system is dislodged and
every vcstigc of it cradicntcd That benign
nnti.fcbrilo specific md preventive Of the
! dreaded sconrgo is recognized not only within
our own boundaries, but in tropic lands far
| beyond them, where inicrmticnts and remit
tents are fearfully prevalent, TO be sure anti
| dotc TO the maarial poison and n reliable means