The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-07-27

l
pies advocate. We republish, hoping
that it may be read more extensively.
HOW MAY COUNTRY SCHOOLS BE MADE
BETTER.
Mr.. EDITOR: There is feeling wide
ly prevalent that our country schools, as
as rule, are not what they oug int to be,
and the question is often asked: How
may they be made better7
1t is the object of this article, in a
measure, to answer this question, and as
the time is 80 near at hand when teach
ers must be employed and arrangements
made for opening the schools for another
year, we hope every individual who is
interested in the country schools will
give the matter his careful consideration.
If ne expect to hold our proper place in
the grand procession of the worlds pro-
gress ne must have better common
schools. In discussing this subject we
will notice:
l. The manner of employing teachers,
and will say that it is radically wrong.
a community feels the need of a school,
and after some little effort, probably
finds teacher who promises her services
on condition that the school is sufficient.
ly large to pay her. To ascertain this
she is requested to write out her articles,
in which she agrees for a definite num-
Der of months to teach at q certain ra;e
per scholar. The requisite number of
scholars are subscribed, and the patrons
congratulate themselves that almost
without any effort on their part they are
going to have a good school, thinking
that about all that is necessary for them
to do is to send along the scholars at the
time which will best suit their conven-
ience. But the school does not at all
prove success. At one time it is e1.
ceedingly small aud weak and lifeless
and listless; at another time is overflow
ingly full and q Babel of confusion and
so irregular is the attendance that in jus.
tice to the pupils hardly any two can be
retained in the same class. To expect
satisfactory results under such conditions
would be a most unreasonable presump-
ton. This state of thing arises from the
fact that patrons think that just so they
fill out the time they subscribe it makes
no difference how they do it. Let US
illustrate A subscribes two scholars to 8
school for term of eight months. The
school opens In November or December.
About the first of the following May the
school vacates aud is resumed in July.
Previous to vacation the school has been
in session about FIVE and one half
months, and during all this time A has
not sent to school day, his only excuse
being that he has had 30 much for his
children to do that he could not send
them to school. To make up for this
lost time he sends half q dozen children
the remaining two and one half months,
and this about makes out his time
When he has done this he hatters him.
self he has done his duty to his children,
his teacher, and his community. With
such plans and such notions no wonder
country schools are often failure. From
what we have said above, which must be
admitted as true by those who are at all
acquainted with the working of country
schools, We must come to the conclusion
that there ought to be some other plan of
employing teachers. The one that COM
mends itself is the salary plan. 1t seems
to US to be one that is both sensible and
Just. The teachers services are worth 80
much month, and she should receive
what her services are worth as we'll as the
laborer on the farm or the clerk in the
store and if she does not receive plenty
of material to work on it is not her fault.
But if this plan were adopted we do not
believe she would lack fer material.
If, for instance, a community we're
able to afford a school of FORTY pupils,
and it were to cost as much to have only
twenty pupils in school as the forty ne
believe the forty would be there, since it
would be evident to every one that the
larger the school the cheaper the tuition
would be. That this is not mere theory
bat facts, we might mention several
schools in our County that have adopted
this plan of employing teachers, and in
every instance, as far as we have been
able to ascertain, has proved a grand
success
2. We cannot reasonably expect salts.
factory results in our country schools it
makes no difference how faithful, untir-
ing and efficient the teacher may be, Or
however regular the attendance of the
pupils, unless we have good scool houses,
and rightly arranged as to light and ven
tilation, proper accommodation for seat
ing pupils, etc. Some country school
houses are extremely open and cold in
winter, and withal badly lighted from the
fact that the windows are too few and too
small, while in the summer they are 30
oppressively hot that it is next to impos'
sible to stay in them. Moreover there is
not a shade or screen to intercept the
binding and dazzling rays of the sun as
they come streaming through the win
dows, and shine with full force and glare
right into the eyes of the pupils. Then
instead of comfortable decks with con
7enient seats attached, there are few
long benches, without backs, it may be.
some too high and some 200 low, con-
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