The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-09-10
THE SUBJECT BEING SCHOOLS.
Some Good Suggestions as to the
Management and Support Of Our
Schools.

The public school question is beginning Il
receive some consideration at the hands o
the people, and this in itself IS hopeful sign
The best way 10 bring anything that con
Germs the public to perfection Is by agitation
in friendly spirit, and from unpreI u1ice'
hearts. Much has been spoken and writer
about the public schools, and nearly eHer'
one has some Idea peculiar to himself, henc
! no one will be surprised il we say something
| too:
! We are deeply interested in this matter
! practically as well MS theoretically-and W.
are very snlicituuS as to the final success
| the system We do not think for Il momen
! that the already small salaries or The teacii
ers should be reduced. No teacher or any on,
! in any other profession will do good WORK lo
| the pIttance Of twenty or twenty-five uollaI'
a month; more especially when they are Il
be employed for only three, four or hF'
months in year. ,
| There are several reasons why the system
has not given satisfaction. The foremost o.
these is the misconception by the genera
public as to the purposes for when ~ was IN
stituted. They think that the public money
should educate their children. But not SO
1t was intended to osupplement-toa assist those
in moderate circumstances, in the great ant
important work OF giving our chiluren II ioun
dalton upon which TO build an education.
Another reason is that the netghbors are
divided. Some one or more of the more pros
porous In each community Is unwllllnS te
help his less fortunate neighbor, and the
school fails for lack OF patronage and cooper
alton.
low their children to associate with those O
the poorer classes, notwithstanding the fac
that their only sin is poverty, forgetting the
old addage, that
"Honor and fame from no condition RISE"
And this is why you see so many well .to-dc
farmers leaving their homes and farms i'll the
hands of renters, and settling In the towns
They fail to help their neighborhood school
foai Z ha ,f their
desil 10 get them into society, and, at loss
70 themselves and the country, move 10 town
and in this way many become enatnored o
town life, conclude that it is not pleasant TO
i've in the country, populate the towns. Gre
ate an idea in the rising generation that 70
live on farm Is degrading, and bring the
honest tiller of the soil into disrepute.
The educators have seen and felt these
building up Of first-class schools in the towns;
and then only The most fortunate can reap the
benefits Of these schools. Tuition Is high
school books arc high, social line is drawn,
and if the poor man has more than one little
fellow TO educate, he has TO content hlmsell
with Smattering for each.
AS we have said, do not reduce the salaries
But let each neighborhood cooperate and es.
tablish school. Select teacher that knows
something about children and how to govern
them, and one that can teach-not mute
whose sole duty is to hear the children reclte
Let the neighborhood ascertain how ong the
public money will run the school, and instead
Of drawing all the public fund in four months;
draw one-half Of each months salary, and
supplement it by another half, and thereby
double the length of the school term.
The main advantage of this p an, aside from
the heightened lerm Is TO be found In the fact
that we can more easily pay one dollar pei
month per child than two dollars per month
after the public funds are expended. Not on
ly so, many who now stop their children al
the expiration OF the public school term
would allow them to continue, and In few
years well-established school In that local
ity would result.
AS stated before, this is an important mat
ter. We have no choice, so to speak. we
must educate our children, even il they gc
half fed aud half clothed-eved II they are
debarred from the society Of the refined. The
issues Of the late war have placed US In this
dilemma. Intelligence will rule. The chill
-dren OF the colored brother enjoys these ad
vantages about thirteen months in year
aud ii Is because of their CO operation.
Let us not only think, and speak, and write
but let US act. Let us go to work at once, and
success will crown our efforts. and we will be
called blessed by succeeding generations, be
cause 1t will create n wholesome effect upon
the rural people, elevate farm life, make oni
homes happy, and bring peace and plenty 10
all concerned. AM1CuS.