The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-24
THE TRUSTEES SCHOOL AGAINST THE NEW
SCHOOL.

SC1tOOlI.
The people of the East side of Hard Labor
Creek think they need q school. a school was
established to supply the demand. 1t was es.
tablished where it would be most convenient
to the children. About twenty children are
now and have been daily In attendance since
it was opened. They deem the distance ana
had rond Il bar to their attendance ut White
Hall, and hence school for their accommo.
dntion ~ kept open at private expense.
1t Is unnecessary to say that there Is feefns
in reference to this matter. 1t is also unnec-
essary to say that it is deemed a hardship to
be compelled to pay from private funds, the
teacher of these poor children, when aneigh-
boring teacher, with much smaller NUMBER
of richer children Is In the pay Of the govern.
ment. They feel aggrieved that should have
been urged against them as reason for
refusing their school. that they are "rent-
ers,'' and we presume In the history OF
public schools that this Is the first time that
any Trustee has ever been bold enough to
place such reason in writing. 1t Is true that
many of the children are not rich, but they
think 1t poor reason to urge a.ainst Lfelr
education. They appealed to the School Com
missioner, because they thought he was the
proper person to hear their complaint, and to
rectify their wrong. These poor people are
not familiar with the forms of law, and they
are entirely dependent upon the officer OF the
Government whose duty 1t is to hear their
complaint and to settle among them all mat
tcrs pertaining to the education Of their chill
dren.
They fully realize that they are POOR. They
need not be told Of It. They also fully realize re
remained in his office during nll the weeks OF
this contention, and that he did not 60 TO the
neighborho0d thathe might be fully Informed
as to the Justice of their petition. They also
feel that because Of their lack Of familiarity
with such matters that they were not able to
present their case in writing as fully and az
clearly as they could have done If the Schoo!
Commissioner had given them III that ~. personai1 Soi
warrant him In giving. The law says: "He
Shall acouaint himself as far AS practicable
with the character Of each school,, ana YET
without going amongthe people, and acqua1nt
Ing himself with the facts and the merits OF
their case, he orders their school to be dis
continued.
The law directs that the Boards Of Trustees
shall have power TO "call meetings OF the peo.
to the school interests thereof" Has any
such meeting been held? If so. did the peo
pic Of the East side of Hard Labor have no
tice A.? Have the Trustees regarded the wishes
schooi made any EFFORT to see
that the Board Of Trustees have acted, MS the
law requires, in manner "so rs TO best pro
mote the educational interests OF that local
ity, or has he allowed the Trustees to locate a
school where it would best accom- mOdnte their
own children, without reference to the con-
venience Of others?
Where such important issues as school are
Commissioner to investigate the respective
Claims OF the children, and confer with the
people, that concessions and compromises
may be made, SO they may reconcile their
differences and come to satisfactory conclu.
sion or is it better for the peopleto be conf
PEELED to submit to the dictum Of petty Trus
tees, even If they he disposed to exercise
"their brief authority" with ~ tyranny
which is both unjust In act, and offensive in
manner?
IN CONCLUSION.
This. we think is q brief statement of some
of the maiu facts. but If we have erred OF
omitted any substantial fact going to Justify
the Board of Trustees in refusing pay to the
teacher Of the School on the East side of Hard
Labor, we shall be glad to make all proper
amends, and us we disclaim any intention tc
do any wrong. we hope, If any man shall be
better informed than ourself as to the situa
tion, that he will give a clearer and more cor
rect statement. We merely wish to be con-
vinced of our error or to be heard on the mcr.
it's of the case.