The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-10
REFORM SUGGESTED.
NOMINAL PAY FOR USELESS OFFICERS.
Some Plain Statements About the
Public School System in South
Carolina. II
Seneca Free Press;

Seneca Free Press. -
OF this among first class teachers, there rs :.
one opinion. "It is the curse OF the country"
We believe that we never consulted gem
ed himself otherwise. This system disOrgan.
izesrhS good schools that the people WOULD
have If free schools had never been heard Of
boosted and k eep alive by politicians and in
terested p:rrtiSalis. They SAY 1T is a creature
Of the cOnstitutfon, and cannot Re set ASIDE,
by the legislature; but the legislature kneY
came to exeAlpting factories from taxation.
We have no desire to trnnsgress the BOUNDS
of the constitution, If any OF its clauses arg
the legislature does have the. power to. raise
or lower the salaries Of school commissioners
and the superintend lent of education: have
been practical teacher FROM the time our
bogus school system was put in ePerattons.
about Is years ago, and experience haStaught
me to persistenty oppose II. I never kneW NJ
school commissioner to do any good for the
schoo! In which was engaged. always. or.
ganiZed them for me, and / suppose TINS ~
the experience of every teacher who Is
worthy Of being called teacher. -
| Now here Is what we propose. Without any.
evasion of the constitution: Reduce the SAL
AIRY of school commissioners to $l0O and give
| the Office to some partical teacher. He can
meet with his fellow teachers once montn OF
oftener If necessary, examine their reports,
talk with them about their work, and give
them encouragement to adopt the most pro-
gressve and practical pars. =
teachefis prohibited from holding this othceS
We suppose it was done because all schoof
teachers were taken for thieves, by our law
makers, or because they belong to the class OF
laboring men, ergo, the offices must be held by
somebody else. The master mechanic ~
placed over mechanics and machinery, the
best lawyer is made judge. of the court, the
finest preacher is made Bishop In the ch nrchS
the best talent in any department Is always
placed at the head, until you come to the free
school system, then the chief office must he
given to some other profession. :r&%
| The first requirement should be that ne IS q
first class teacher. This thing OF visiting tha.
schools is all nonsense. The trustees have to,
sign reports and pay certificates, and the
treasurer pays out the money. making the
by the public. The schools last. upon Ass
average, three months, yet the dead-head gets
$500, while the working teacher, and general
ly the better scholar, gets, S15 for his three
you will get the work OF q better man In the
office and save $500 to help educate your chtl..
dren. T., -
Again when we come to the State Superin-
tendent we see 81, ,0c0 paid out and what Is 1T
for? If any man In this assembly knows OF
my good eyer done the State by that office,
he will please hold up his right hand. Col.
Coward Is all excellent mar, too good U mar
to lose his time in Columbia. We do nos
know whether he still teaches his military
school at Yorkvlle or not, but there is where
lie has rendered his county good service. He
can hire some printer to get out his pampI.
let for less than 500. We do not blame these
eminent says: Sit there and hold that Office
and will pay you SO much money, but We
want the laws changed SO that the pay for
useless offices viii! be only nominal, where
the office cannot abolished. 80