The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-27
TEACHERS DEPARTM h Mt.
ARTHUR KIBLER, EDITOR.
Normal Schools.

We do not oppose any kind Of
moral intellectual training. We
would not speak against anything,
the object Of which is to prepare any.
one for his especial work. Tho doc
tor, the lawyer, the minister, the
book.keeper, and men Of other occu.
pations receive a different training
for their different pursuits in life, and
no doubt they are thereby better pre-
pared for their respective duties.
For doctor to commence practice
without having attended lectures
would be considered ridiculous. For
q young man to apply for the posi-,
tion of book-keeper without having
given the subject Of accounts time
and study would be ignorance mex.
cusable. Some might argue that the
teacher likewise needs an especial
training for his work. This would
hold good only to a limited extent,
for there is vast difference between
the teacher and men Of other occupa-
tions. During his entire school days
the teacher is training for his work
under supposed experienced educa.
tors. lie listens day after day and
week after week, for years, to the in
struction of practical teachers. The
boy earns during his school days
about school discipline and the the.
ory of teaching. He is receiving q
normal training, so to speak, for
years before he reaches manhood.
With these advantages then, what is
to prevent him from taking charge Of
school after he has completed the
course at an academy, high school,
or college? 1t is not right then to
compare the preparatory training of
the doctor with that Of the teacher
for the former has had only little
preparation before going to n mcdi-
cal college, while the latter is pre-.
pairing for years before he goes to q
normal school.
South Carolina spends annually,
hundreds of dollars for the support
Of two normal schools during the
summer, one for white teachers, the
other for colored teachers. We ask,
in the name Of reason. Of what benc-
lit are they to the teachers Of the
Statcp There is also normal instruc.
tion given at the State University,
perhaps dozen lectures n month,
and Of how much benefit arc they?
We feel assured that the rudimcnts
Of q thorough education are best Sc
cured in the colleges and academies
of our country-such M education as
the normal school does not profess to
give.
Let us remember that it is better
to have an education, than to be
taught how to use it before it is ours.
Newbcrry County is one of the few,
if not the only county in the State,
that has n thoroughly organized
teachers association that meets reg.
ularly. This is something Of which
the teachers may we'll be proud. TO
feel that we are rs enthusiastic on
the educational question as any
county in the State is encouraging
indeed. We all know and feel that
school work is more prosperous than
it has been for years, and that the
interest manifested Is gradually on
the increase. If We move onward as
successfully in the future as VIC have
in the past few years, we will, at an
early day, have the schools of our
county equal to, if not in advance Of
those Of any county in the State. At
the present rate Of advance the town
Of Newberry will, ere long, have the
graded school system in full opera.
ton, which will be Of the greatest
benefit to the town.
The county board have ordered
shat the public schools in the county
he opened on next Monday, the 1st
of November. 1t would be well if
every school in the county had a
teacher ready to commence work on
that day. Teachers and children
have had long vacation and should
be anxious to commence the duties
Of another school year.