The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-01-24

HOW TO HAVE GOOD SCHOOL
> The Slate superintendent of Fduca
ton Says Much Depends Upo,
Good County Superin,enden,s.
The annual report of the State sinner
intendeLt OF education, Mr.. John J
McMahan, Is document of mon,
} than ordinary interest, and Is the mos,
elaborate report OF all the State rfIi
GERS. lie lays great deal OF stress or
the Importance Of mora ctlicic pt
county supervision Of the pub,ic
schools, and or this subject he saws II
substance.
Every successful school or system q,
schools ID the product of Efficient bust.
ness management and profess ional over
sight Tne history OF the graded
schools in this ate is evidence of the
good results that come from the en-
| ploy ment OF a competent .chool man La
| devote his .utire time and thought Ia
this system OF schools. Clemson Col
lege and W Winthrop each has It's presi.
dent, VINO does not teach, but oversees
| tho whole.
The country schools more than anv
other schools need capable busines,
management Their little funds, if
tney arc 10 accomplish m .ch, must bs
applied with skill. The plans above
suggested for obviating the difficulties
OF country schools require for their ey.
cution the unremittIng attention and
laoors OF superintendent of judgment
discretion and business capacity. When
hundred or more schools in county
have no other superintendent than the
one who is the head and business man.
ager OF the whole county system for
schools. surely there is work enough to
employ his entire time and more be.
sides. Even then the country schools,
numerous and remote, cannot receiye
anything like the close supervision
that tho city schools receive from a
city supe' intendent.
Bat the law has not recognized these
acts. The salary OF the county SUPER
.ntendent, outside Of Rlchland County.
ranges from six hundred dollars to
nothing in Bamberg County the dut.
les are devolved upon the auditor, The
usual salary is three hundred dollars
or four hundred dollars. The public
evidently regard the duties as insigniti.
can't and expect the officer to give most |
OF his time to his private business.
La Greenville, Darlington and Ander- |
son the city school systems expended |
last year $9,67O %, 81 ,O76 % and 81, 269 |
5e, respectively, and dtvo;ed 81 1920,
81 200 and $3.50, respectively, to he |
en ployment OF superinten ndent, who |
dad not teach, but planned and directed |
the work Of the year. The country
fchOols of many counties cost far more
money. 1t is the penny wise and pound
foolish policy, IL the best management
Is not provided for such large and exten
slve operations. IL is not by this policy
tnat railroads, cotton mills and other
enterprises are operated successfully.
System ls the prer, quisite to any ex
tended operation, unless waste and
ii financial loss are to be the rule, instead
OF the exception. System involves la.
borious ard intelligent supervision.
Inc otuer county officers are paid
more than twice the salary OF the SUP.
erinte endent OF education, who alone is
treated as of liLtle or no value TO the
county. The county. supervisor, who
mas general care OF tue poor house and
the chain gang, Is usually paid twica
Is much as the superintendent Of ed.
ucatlon, who has charge Of all the
children and who handles moro money
than the supervisor.
Besides the numerous executive du- !;
ties which alone could occupy, with q
great financial saving to the schools,
the entire time of the ablcst man, the |
county superintendent has bound less
field Tor work as an expert t, acher and |
the schools, not perfunctorily but for
intelligent observation OF defects, and |
for kindly private criticism and sug- |
RestiOn, by which the earnest teacher |
mey profit. he should direct his teach. |
ers In professional study an instruct |
them at monthly gatherings. Through |
his efficient work the whole BODY of |
teachers will gradually DC raised to a
higher plane and every child will re-
COVE better education Fer this |
work OF professional supervis ion more |
than one man could be employed at the |
0 ime time With profit 10 the schools OF |
the county. So much the greater rea.
son, therefore, to pay an AZ equate sal.
a"y and employ the entire time of the |
man who Is to attempt the multitude |
nous and responsible duties of county
8 lperintendent OF education.
Instead OF being the most insigniti
cant, the duties Of the superindent OF
education are the most important aud
are capable OF almost unlimited expens
ion. The man who will take charge of
the othce re8liZ tnat Office means
duty, and duty means work, intelipe ent
aid unremittlpg, and who will surrend-
or all other occupations for the time and
give himself to the upbuild.ng oi
the educational interests Of his
country, ls entitled to salary Sc
cond to none in the county. But it
Is not necessary to give as high
salary as some coun ufficers receive
We can get good men ana require good
work OF them for thousand dollars.
AS the first step in Il rational and de-
termined plan for the Improvement Of
the country schools | recomm end that
the salary OF each county superintend.
ent be hereafter not less than ono thous-
and dollars.
-Four modern dwellings,, which are
to Do the finest private residences in