The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-03-28
Simmer School for teachers.

Auditor r. w. D. Rowell has received
the following from State Superintendent
John J. McMahan in reference to the
summer school for the teachers of this
county.
DEAR SIR:-A very small number of
teachers attended the summer school IN
your county last year. With the reduced
funds at my disposal this year shall not
be warranted in holding a separate school
for county where there will not be 4
considerable attendance of actual teach
ers. Before determining to omit your
county, shall ask you to do all you can
to secure pledges of attendance, taking
into consideration the following, which
must largely influence the attendance:
l. Number of teachers actually rcsId-
in YOUR county during the summer Vaca-
ton. You will know who of those now
teaching in your county will 60 home to
other counties when their schools close.
But there may he some teaching elsewhere
who will come to your county during the
summer. They or their families should
see your inquiry in the paper.
>. Number of resident teachers who
have actual assurance of being employed
for the coming school term.
In this connection it is painful to note
from last years report that most OF the
teachers attending your summer school
were at the time still without positions
without the assurance OF being further
employed to teach. With this discourag-
Ing outlook it is not strange that so few
went to the labor and expense OF four
weeks schooling further to tit themselves
for their profession. Under such circum-
stances, teaching is hardly to be called a
profession. You should exert yourself
at once to remedy this by urging upon
your trustees the Importance of contract
ing with their teachers early in July.
Even now if the county board and the
board of trustees agree, a teacher can be
given assurance of re-emplOyment upon
such conditions as may be desired.
;. Financial aid to the teachers that
attend the summer school. Trustees
should be urged to add to the first
months salary of the teacher in considera-
ton of attendance upon the school.
This ''prcmium'' might be fixed at $500
or $1,000. or the entire expense of attend
inr the summer school. Whether the
amount be large or small. any evidence
of appreciation on the part OF the trus-
tees would tend to encourage and stlmu-
late the teacher.
The summer schools arc of more im-
rortance this year than ever before, be-
cause of the newly adopted text books
which the teachers will be called upon to
teach when the schools open again. In
struction will he given with special refer
ence TO certain of these books which in
their up-to-datc method may present some
difficulties to some teachers. have sue
cccded in obtaining from the publishers a
special concession by which the teachers
who attend the summer schools can pro-
vide themselves with desk copies OF these
books for less than half the wholesale
price to dealers. 1t is a dcplorable fact
that Il large number of teachers do not
own and have never studied the books
which they 30 through the form of teach
inr. They hear" lessons which they
have not prepared or given any thought
to. Yet the best teachers feel that they
must give hours Of daily study to the
prenaration OF even the most elementary
lessons which they are to teach we'll
We should try this year to get the
teachers 10 own their school books and
to study them thoroughly. Then will the
teaching in the country schools be great
Is improved.