The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1899-07-27

COuIIaCtS, IL diIy CAtSS, Will ohs
agency or attorneys, as to services
for forwarding this claim are rescind.
ed, because of failure Of considera-
ton and abandonment of the work
by such agents.
Approved I'd day of March, A. D.
1899.
To School Trustees and Teachers.
Trustees and teachers who are
alive to the interests in their charge
cannot be Indifferent to the county
summer school for teachers, in it's
relation to the problem Of better
country schools-a more enlighten-
ed citizenship and more prosper
Gus people. No teacher with profess
sional spirit and ambition can afford
to disregard the opportunity OF bet
ter preparation for a life work which
entails so much of responsibility and
requires so much of skill. No trus-
tee that is mindful of his trust-to
provide for the good bringing up Of
the children of his community-can
be content to dwarf their possibili-
ties by giving them in this day of
progress a training that is second
rate. The more backward the COM
munity the greater is the need Of the
very best instruction. The worst
enemies of a community would be the
trustees if they would act upon the
principle, "Almost any teacher is
good enough to teach our little
school," Hardly is any teach
er good enough, and no teacher can
be too good! 1t is crime to put
over children a less skillful teacher
than the money available will Sc
cure. We have too much of "the
blind leading the blind"
It is folly to pay poor salary and
employ an ignorant teacher in order
that the school term may be longer.
1t is waste of money. 1t is a waste
of childhood's energies. If
the school room is to be dull and
stupid, better far that the child
should be out in the fresh air in con-
tact with the varied interests Of real
life, learning in the great school of
observation and experience. Poor
teaching may be worse than no
teaching.
TRUSTEES SHOULD PAY TEACHERS
EXPENSES.
The State board of education at it's
last meeting, May S, adopted the
following resolution to which the at
tention of all school trustees IS
asked:
"Whereas, in the opinion Of this
board, it is essential to the welfare
of our common schools that there
should be a general attendance OF
teac hers at the sessions of the coun-
ty school Institutes, be it resolved
that in order to express this desire
of the board the superintendent be
requested to address circular letter
to the county superintendents and
trustees, and 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 benefits resulting
to the teacher from self-improve-
ment, the greatest benefits will
accrue to the school children. If,
therefore, the teacher will give four
weeks to professional training in
order to become better fitted for sue
cessful teaching-in order to render
better service to the school, the
trustees should be willing to en-
courage a faithful servant by in
creasing the salary at least to the
amount of the cost to the teacher Of
board and lodging while attending
the professional school. They
should recognize the fact that q
teachers diligent and faithful work
is OF value to the nchool 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 small sum
to be paid by the school as an ad-
ditional 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 only few months in the year
The pitiful sum of $40 month is al
that is paid to some teachers, who
are yet expected to possess such al
education and to teach with such
painstaking devotion as to give tt
their pupils the mental training tha'
will fit them for the duties Of life
private and public. If the trustees
really want better educational ad
vantages for the children, if the,
have any appreciation of the need o
! a better teacher, they cannot doub