The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-04-03
Wednesday, April 3, 1883.
IL the Graded School Il Failure "

torial and the letter each ask us to give rcil-
sons for the belief that the graded school IS
failure.
The graded school was given thorough
trial in Abbeville. The chHtlrcl ddl not make
as good progress mtler The gratiea &yStcm, ana
the plan was abandoned ut the end OF the
first year.
While we know very little OF the practical
business of teaching, the following are some
Of the reasons which induce us TO believe lh'''
tho graded school system iSn"t only iaiIur''
brt Il very r<n.">'i" c> >i'"tmehl:
J. T;,C hyi2I:',.' :,s:" ,:.'.''i IT, al ih' c''''
dren are graded back to ,iiCdluctity or c'et -
the standard of .he dullcst.
2. The dull and less apt scholar makes icSS
progress in q graded school for the reason
that he has not the same perst nal atleh'ioh
from the teachers.
3. The teacher in graded school cannot cA-
ercise the same control OF scholars.
4. The teachers usefulness is impaired or
lessened in the effort TO teach many scholars
by machine methods, instead of by giving 10
q few scholars his sympathy and personal at
tentlon. .,,o o,,or
acter, capacity, and idiosyncracics OF thc III
dividual scholar he cannot SO Thoroughly
enlist the chiid's sympathy and allection' 'li"
therefore fails to move the scholar to that &C.
gree of effort which Is necessary to success III
an ordinary school.
6. In graded school it Is impossible TO cur
tiyate that mutual personal affection ana
personal regard that should exist. Educa
tion cannot be impaired to children simpl!
nd &c armies reviewed..
: The great differences between the salaries
of superintendent and teachers are source
OF dissatisfaction. Because Of this dlssatis-
faction teachers do not make inc same eioi''
as they otherwise would do.
Having given at length, some Of the rea-
sons which lead us to believe that the gradcu
school can never succeed, as method OF
teaching, we may be pardoned if we go !ur-
ther and give some OF the reasons Which lc'o
us to believe that the graded school is ncccS'
sarily q financial failure:
!. By the very organization, the superintcn'
dent, and presumably, the best teacher. Is
made sort OF generalissimo, whose princl-
pal duty it is-not to teach anybody's child
and II he does pay any special attention 10
any child, he lays himself liable to the charge
of partlality-but as we understand. in large
schools, his chief business is 10 look after the
teachers, and to appear periodically, or occa'
sionally, or on set occasions, in the class
rooms, and before whom the earth must keep
silent, and the scholars and teachers alike,
stand In reverential awe.
2. The treasury then, is depleted to the en-
act amount of his salary, while rendering
but little or no service as teacher, only claim
-tbn Sh
know their business.
5, With full corps of teachers, supple
nented and overridden by the enormous pay
Of supernumerary superintendent, tile pre-
fits on the services of the actual teachers are
inadequate to pay the expenses Of the schoo!
and bankruptcy must come to all such insti-
tutions as have not liberal endowment, or
strong grip on the public treasury.
4. AS cumulative evidence that graded
school is not practical financial success, WI
believe that nobody has ever attempted to
establish one on its own merits.
5, In the effort to establish graded school.
we do not remember to have known Of an
instance, where 1t was proposed to establish
II except on the condition of a large sratuity
from the public treasury or other source,
thus practically acknowledging at the beglr-
ming the impracticability of the graded sys'
tenn.
It has been said that q wise judge Will rem
der his decision, without giving his reasons
1t may be that the reasons which induce thu
conclusion, which we have reached, are cr-
raneous, but nevertheless the fact of the fail
ure of the graded school system cannot bC
successfully disputed. We cannot explain
iaI, oil,
are balanced yet we know it is so. We ma!
IT,. be ai,.n to aScrihr the scientific reason
why peYprt;i,. mo,nu is / fulur", sill SO"
know that it is q failure. We may not know
the mechanical disturbance that stops oul
watch, yet we know that it is often stopped,
and whether or not we have pointed out the
real cause for the failure Of the graded school.
yet the fact remains.
Is the Register convinced? Have We satisf
ed our correspondent?
P.S 1t may be that the outside aid which
is always given TO the graded school, is really
the cause OF failure II seems to us that char
ity schools and charity churches seldom sue
ceed.
schools. In the town CT Greenwood we have
good examples Several years ago, some
young ladies moved TO Greenwood. bui:t a
magnificent structure at the cost OF thousands
aid, opened the doCrS of their school 81
their own account for female students ON the
stipulation that they should pay the charges
ar remain away from the school. ilr rtS!l;
is, a female institution of learning which il
not only an educational success, but Il nllan.
s.ial success, and an honor to the tu.:n. and Il
monument to the ability and practical SINS"
OF its founders
On the other hand, just across the street in
the same town, there stands a beautiful brick
building erected within the last two 0r three
wears by 4 stock company in which every cit
IZen was interested. 4 board Of trustees WAS
organized. q teacher or Il corps OF teachers.
undertook control Of the school. Ti" school
busted" in less than no time. and ii:c "'hOl
mrs, builders and trucStccs arc daZCa. They
don't know what struck them.
Now, we mean no diSrcSpcct to any school
trustee, and we mean nothing PERSONAL but
we think the teacher who could make an
educational and financial success uf Il large
school while subject to the control and dicia-
tion of an efficient board of trustees, could
perform miracles, which would make those OF
record In Il good old book, whicn is 10 br
found In most OF our houses. appear rs moth
ing.
40 business, and no Sch0o! under the sun,
will ever be Il success, where! the teacher, or
manager. has not full and absolute control of
the business. An able, active and Jealous
board OF trustees will break down amy school
no matter whether it Is conducted on III"
graded plan, or run like grange
store. on the cooperation system
where nobody is responsible for anything
and where nobody pays for ranything-eNccpl
being among the gudgeonS who, twIc"
with Others stood sponsor for the Abbcrillc
school, and as often paid the bills.
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