The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-07-06
RaplY To A. a C..

intelligibly must quote the greater part, IL not
all. of his article. His first paragraph is as
follows:
"Mr. Editor Please give in your next paper
tho law in reatin TO employing teachers in the
free schools. II is thought by some that the
school Commissioner has the right to appoint
ana the trustees to employ any one not hold
ing certificate, whenever in their opinion the
necessity for school exists. understand this
has been done in several instances, and to the
INJURY, 1t is said. Of teachers holding certificates
from the Examining Board
The burden OF his complaint as expressed in
the above paragraph is, that teachers have been
allowed to teach without certificates. This is
true and the only strange thing about it is that
a. Is. : has just found it out. 1t occurs in this
way: Only two examinations are allowed dur
ing ;he year-o1e in January and the other in
July. Teachers find it very difficult sometimes
to attend the January examination, on account
OF bad roads, bad weather or high water. In q
few cases of this kind have allowed the teacher
to teach the Spring session without n certificate,
with the understanding that he will get no pay
unless he gets certificate at the July examina-
tion, and will be paid only according to the
certificate he may get at that time. IL. there
{Sfe nfsf fsffhef u fdse de his vrsb, 9Rg tjs-possbs
impossible for the public interests to suffer,
because the children get the teaching, and the
teacher takes the chances for his pay. Sup
pose did not pursue this course suppose
would refuse to allow him to teach the result
would be to deprive that community Of q school
during the very best part of the scholastic year
simply for the sake of being considered nice
and exact and martinet-like, while the little
children would be suffering for teaching and
wasting precious time. Mr.. "A. Is. Co. with all
such course as have last mentioned would
be either wise or profitable.
Again, il sometimes happens that community
does not organize and select teacher until after
the examination hos passed, and that community
may select teacher who had not until selected,
thought of teaching, end consequently, has no
certificate. In such n case would allow him
to teach until tho next examination, ard have
done so in few cases-ths teacheraaking the
risk hcrcinbefore mentioned Now how can the
community suffer? 1t is simply the old rule of
trying article before buying. In the ordinary
business transactions Of life, it is considered an
advantage TO have the privilege of making test
before investing our money, and am unable to
understand why it should not be so in the mat
ter Of employing teachers.
Again, do not hesitate to issue q certificate
am we'll satisfied that he is q laliied for the posi-
ton. \ formal examination is not the only way
of judging teacher, and. in fact, it is often the
least satisfactory, and whenever l become salts
fed otherwise that teacher is qualified issue
a certificate 10 him. l know this s not popu
lar way Of doing, and opens the door for nerv.
ous fault finders to raise the cry of "partiaity''
and "favoritism" and all such horrible names ::
but am in the habit Of ADOPTING my own
course and Of pursuing il without regard to pop.
ularity or other consequences. l will add,
however, that very few certificates, compare.
lively, are issued without n formal examination
This may serve as q sort of restorative for the
nerves Of such rs are about to despair of the
republic. "a. B. C.'s' next paragraph is as
follows:
"In conversation recently with a gentleman
living in Santuc township he told me that his
wife had good school last year, holding n
certificate from the examining board and en-
ployed by the trustees that Mt the second ses-
sion lady not having n certificate set up u
school near his wife. without the consent Of the
trustees, and got her pay from Maj. Townsend,
notwithstanding the trustees refused to endorse
her illegal claims"
Now this is oil true except the allegative that
that "wifc" had good school, (she having
had an average daily attendance of only nine
pupils during the whole Of her Session) and
except, also the allegation that the second lady
had no certificate (she having had one at the
time, and had held one and taught in that
neigAborhood for several previous years., and
except, also. the allegatn that she set up school
without the consent of the trustees (she having
been expressly employed by them.) and except,
also, the base insinuation that she sGrrcptitously
obtained the signatures Of the trustees to her
paper, in order to get her pay: the trustees who
employed her having promptly approved her
papers Mt the close of her school, and they came
to my hands in the proper condition. From
this the public may judge of the number of base
falsehoods contained in the paragraph above
quoted, and how recklcssly "a. Is. c." hurls his
vile ISLANDERS at the character of better people,
utterly regardless of the truth falsity of his
charges. "a. r. C's." next paragraph reads as
follows:
"My informant said there was money enough
to run one school eight or ten months, bnt the
funds were divided between the two, 10 the in.
jury of the entire school, and in violation, as he
thought of the law. lIc said the matter was
before the Grand jury in March but that the
foreman said they had no jurisdiction in suc
violations of law"
Ten months Just think of that! Or even
| eight months "a. B. c. has unntentionaly
passed high compliment upon me. know ht
did not intend to do it, and it will hurt hin
when he finds it out. Why, the average free