The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-07-19
To School Trustees and
Teachers.


alive to the interests in their charge
cannot be Indifferent to the county
summer school for teachers, in its
relation to the problem OF better
country schools-a more enlightened
citizenship aud a more prosperous
people No teacher with profession.
al spirit and ambition can afford to
disregard the opportunity of better
preparation for life work which
entails so much OF responsibility and
requires so much of sklll No trustee
that is mindful of his trust-to pro.
vide for the good bringing up of the
children of his communlty-can be
content to dwarf their possibilities
by giving them in this day of
progress training that is second
rate The more backward to COM
munity the greater is the need of the
very best instruction. The worst
enemies of a community would be
the school trustees If they would act
upon the principle, almost any
teacher is good enough to teach our
little school," Hardly is any teacher
good enough, aud no teacher can be
too good (! II is a crime to put over
children a less skiiful teacher than
the money available will secure. We
have too much OF "the blind leading
the blind"
1t is folly TO pay poor salary and
employ an ignorant teacher in order
that the school term may be longer.
Itisav ste of money. II is waste
of ch;l pods energies If the school
rov. to be dull and stupid, better
far that the child should be out in the
fresh air in contact with the varied
interests of real life. learning in the
great school of observation and ex-
perience. Poor teaching may be
worse than DO teaching.
TRUSTEES SHOULD PAY TEACH.
ER'S EXPENSES.
The State board Of education at it's
last meetisg, May 5, adopted the
following resolution to which the
attention Of all school trustees is
asked
:Wbereas, in the opinion of this
board, it IS essential to the welfare
of our common schools that there
should be q general attendance of
teachers at the sessions of the county
school Institutes, be it resolved that
in order to express this desire OF the
board the superintendent be request
ed to address circular letter to the
county superintendent and trustees,
snG that the school trustees be asked
to make some provision to aid and
assist the teachers in their county to
attend the said institutes
This action of the State board is
based upon the fact that, however
great the personal beuefts resulting
to the teacher from selfimprovement,
the greatest benefits will accrue to
the school children Il, therefore,
the teacher will give four weeks to
professional training order to
become better fitted for successful
teaching-in order to render better
service to the school, the trustees
should be willing to encourage
faithful servant by increasing the
salary at least TO the amount Of the
cost to the teacher Of board and
lodging while attending the profes-
sicpal school They should recog
nize the fact that a teachers dlllgent
and faithful work is of value to the
school and that the school should not
allow all of the burden to fall upon
the devoted teacher In most of the
counties the cost Of board and lodging
for the four weeks would not exceed
eight or ten dollars This is sms!i
sum to be paid by the school as an
additional salary for the entire school
session in consideration of the better
service that the teacher will render
to the children. Yet, small as the
sum is. it falls heavily upon the
teacher that receives no more than
s25 or $50 month and is employed
for oaly a few months in the year
The pitiful sum of $40 month is all
that is paio to some teachers, who
are yet expected to possess such an
education and to teach with such
painstaking devotion as to give to
their pupils the mental training that
will ft them for the duties of life.
private and public If the trustees
really want better educational advan-
tages for the children, if they have
any appreciation of the need OF
better teacher, they cannot doubt
that eight or ten dollars paid extra to
secure this boon will be the wlsest
expenditure that could be made even
though the school term should 10
consequence be shortened