The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-03-15
Teachers ColatHs.s,s

success OF our public free school sys--'
tenn and to q general awakening on
the subject of eauGetion we must have
at the head of the system in county
and, State an enthusiastic and ensr4
getic teacher; weu.known for his good
common sense, high integrity and
intimate acquaintance with the, work
he undertakes; animated with sfnRfe1
ness OF aim and = steadines of pursuit,
wholly in sympathy with our rural
citizens in their efforts to improve
their schools; thorouhiy ,cpnversant
with the laws and principlesof his art;
well acquainted @ith the basal prin-
cples i'll elementary and common
school instructions; divinely inspired
with ''limitless aims and eternal
'deae,' and, as Mr.. Calkins says of
the teacher, feeling more the inspira
ton of his work than the dignity of
his office. If the superintendent foil
much below this standard, then NAV
we expect the cry Of poor schools and
an Inefficient system; then may we ex-
pect q general languishing of commno
school instruction; then may .we ex-
expect the opposition to public free
schools to become more alarming
from day to day. A thoroughly live
teacher as superintendent can do
more than the preacher, the lawyer,
the farmer, the mechanic, or any one
else to infuse life and vigor into q
languishing system, to arouse the tor
pld energies of teachers and parents,
and to adjust his plans 80 skillfully
and wisely as to gain q vantage
ground which will insure the greater
efficiency of all orr educational sorces
The pay which the superintendent
gets, the duties prescribed bv law
and the grave responsibilities of his
Office nll unite to show that he ought
to be n man of one work. Section o06
enamerates the powers granted to the
State board of examiners. It seems
to me that it would be we'll to insert
IN this section another provision au.
thorizing and commanding this DO ,rd
to fix the monthly pay Of the teachers
in the public free schools, and to
make the pay for the same grade uni
form throughout tho State. The |
want of uniformity in the price of Ia
Dor under the same conditions is de-
mornllzing and discouraging in evcry !
business of life, aid school teaching
ls not an exception. But in addition
to the Incidental advantage of unifor.
mity--nnd to my mind this is no ,ln.
important there are
other strong reasons why the State
board should be authorized to fix tllej
pay of teachers. They aro already
empowered (n) to adopt rules for the
government of the free public schoolst
(b) to prescribe and enforce rules for
examination OF teachers; (c) to pre-.
scribe standard of proficiency be-
fore county boards Of examiners; (d
to prescribe and enforce n course of
study in the free public schools; (e) to
prescribe and enforce as far as l,racti
cablo uniform series Of textbooks; (f)
to grant State teachers certificates.
Now, with all these powers wisely
granted to the State board, why is it
that regulation so cs iential to the
success and completeness of the sva
tenn as the matter of pay should not
be properly intrusted to them. In
deed, the clement of pay is the, kew.
stone to the educational arch, without
which the whole structure is weaken.
cd and IS destined to fail. Where 10
the wisdom Of granting so many i'm
portant powers to the State board
nnd withholding one without which
the others arc but as "soundino
br"ssT The product of any number
OF positive Quantities by ono negative
produces negative result. Of what
avail is it for the State board to be
empowered to "prescribe rules for
the government of. the schools" and
"for the examination of tcachers," to
prescribe standard Of proficiency,
or course of study, or uniform series
of textbooks, or grant teachers certi-
flcatcs, if their whole force and value
Is to be nullifcd Try "starvation wag.s
es, fixed by commissioners and coun.
ty boards pandering to the selfinter
cstcd clamor for lower wages7
School commissioners, rs Il rule IN
our State, are ignorant men who