The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-30

MSSSTS LUILOTS . LII luC lo'o
"The Herald" appeared the following
communication:
THE SCHOOL ELECTION.
Editors Herald: On the 31st inst,
an election for four School Commits
sioners is to be held, and it behooves
every man to do his duty on that oc-
casion. We certainly need a change
in the management of the graded
school of our city. A gcodly number
of the patrons of the school we under
stand, have been forced to discontinue
their children on account of ccntln-
gent fee. If there is not a sufficient
amount of money raised by taxation
to run the school nine months, why
not cut the salary Of the superIntend-
ent and first assistant? The lady
teachers, who do the bulk of the work,
receive only $50 per month, while the
superintendent and his male assistant
receive Sill and SIS respectively. Is
there any justice in this This can,
should, and will be corrected If the
citizens will be true to the principles
of Justice and elect men who are in
favor of the principles set forth IN
this article. PAUL.
Sumter, S. c., May n
While not a cadidate for reelection,
I reply. as the article reflects on the
present school Board.
In regard. to the salaries. The Sup
erintendent's salary is the same as was
when the school started five years ago,
viz: $1,000 per. mum. The male as
sistant receives not SIS, but $50 per
month for nine months, or the large
salary of $540-being less than paid
for most of the clerks. One of the
lady teachers receive S5o-and the
balance $50 per month, not that they
are not worth more, but that we have
not the money to pay them. The
Board does not believe that they pay
more salaries. than like schools in the
State and are informed that in many
the salaries are higher, for instance
Darlington where the Supt. receives
l 800 per annum, Chester, $1,000,
Winnsborolsl 81, 200, house rent free. As
to the contingent fee, u charge is
Is cents per month, nearly every
graded school in the State makes this
charge and it varies from % cents to
$500 per month, It is made in Union,
Rock Hill, Laurens, Orangeburg, OAR
lington, Florence, Cheraw and most
of the. other towns.
The Board is not aware Of its having
kept any scholar away from school:
The teachers were instructed that II
any family could not pay to report it
and this was announced to the schol-
ars all assembled in the Assembly Hall,
as the members of the Board, several
Of the teachers, the "King's Daugh-
tiers" Daughters of Israel, "and others
had offered to contribute. And IN
fact several have been kept there IN
this way, so that no poor child should
be deprived of going to school.
Your Board looked carefully into
the situation before charging the con-
tinsent fee; and saw no other way to
make both ends meet. AT. the close of
the School Iast.yearit found us over
Six Hundred Dollars in debt; so that
after examininginto our finances the
question was shall we run till June, 8
m0nths,b charging 25e. orclose April
lst. There:Was no other alternative.
we COuC4U0SU At was UCSG tOOltRA6 VAS
fee anfgiYe school the full term of 9
mouths, which we have done and be-
lieve that the patrons of the school ap-
prove of our action.
I am now retiring from the Board
where I have served from the COM
mencement of the Graded School sys-
TEN. I have labored hard to build up
your school, and have had the aid Of
as good and conscientious men on the
board as this or any other city possess
es. We doubtless have made mistakes,
who does not? But we leave it to the
public to say how school matters were
when we took charge and how they
are now. Furthermore, of what bene-
fit the school has been to the city In
morally. Respectfully,
ALTAAoNT MOSES,
Chairman.