The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-05-25
To the SchDOI Board.

The State Superintendent of Educa-
tion in replying to letter from the
Union board of school Trustees i'm regard
to his opinion of the Importance of
selecting teachers that have had pro.
feSSiOnal training in normal schools, say. ::
| am glad that your proyreS i've CITY
schools are now 80 alive to the value of
normal training. The progress of ed e.
ucation in the different States of the
Union is measured largely by the per
cent. of teachers trained in normal
schools. In Massachusetts,, Pennsyl-
vania and other States with we'll estab-
lished public school system, superb
schools, the teacher without previous
normal training is the exception. DOWN
South the majority of our teachers, on
the other hand, are without such pre-
paiatiOn. But since the founding of
winthrop and the increase in the scliooi
money, there has been marked progress
along this line. In fact, the training
school in Columbia was established by
the Columbia Board of School Trustee,
because of the sense Of need of trained
teachers. Mr.. johnson secured the aid
of the Peabody Board and thus began To
afford to the State teachers with normal
training. From this training school,
Winthrop College was finally developed
Now, although a very small proportion
Of country teachers have had normal
training, the great maj )rity of CITY
graded school teachers have had such
training. Indeed hardly ever does a
Board of Trustees Of graded school now
add new teacher to its force unless She
has had a thorough courSe' Graduates
Of Winthrop and Of the Peabody Col
lege in Nashville Ito Which Scholarships
are granted from this State by the Pea
body Board) now p:elominate in the
graded schools of South Carolina, |
believe. The old time practice of elect
ing teachers out of regard to personal
considerations, .cat residence, etc. is
little known now in towns, though it is
still the curse OF some country schools.
The principle is followed that teachn
IS work requiring the highest skill and
special training and that the great in
terests at stake demand that persons be
employed with an eye only to their quail
itications for the work to be done.
The fact remains, however, that the
normal colleges have not been able to
supply enough teachers to take all the
places in the schools or in even the best
schools. Moreover, some teachers, with
out normal training at first, have them
selves, studied the principles OF teaching
and with natural aptitude, have reached
d nigh standard of efficiency, although
sley we're not privileged to 60 to normal
college. A competent Superintendent
If schools. supplies normal instruction to
his teachers, and improves their efficiency.
The Summer schools are designed to
give this needed training too. | hope
bye the bye that your Board will this
year aid its teachers to attend the school at
Winthrop. They eyretlected credit OH Union
last year, and we should be sorry if they
are not with us this year. The trend of
educational policy is to avoid choosing
any but professionally trained teachers.
In modern school there is no room for
u novice. Children are too precious to
be exyerimented on.
Moreover, even experienced and skilled
teachers, and teachers with normal train
ing, must continue to study apd improve
or should get out 0f the business and
give place to those that will recogniZ
the obligations of the profession. The
policy OF Trustees will have great in
Hence upon the attitude and the conse-
quent efficiency OF the teacher. Let us
remember that the teacher is the school,
Very truly,
JOHN j. MCMAMAN,
State Supt. Education.