The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-01-17

capita vi pCpulatloH, Or all aggregate
of 1900 100000 annually. II is Il
principle now well recognized that the
safety of the government itself re.
quircs that it give its citizens the Op.
portunity to fit themselves for an in
telliyent discharge of their duties to
the State.
Encouraging reports come from the
schools and colleges of our own State,
indicating that they have entered upon
an era Of uneNamplcd prosperity. And
yet much remains to be done to IN
crease the efficiency of our public
schools. The first essential is teachers
of high moral character and adequate
professional equipment. Our teachers
have better opportunities for profess
sional training than ever before, and
they show higher average of inlell-
gencc and professional fitness; but
they are too often poorly paid for their
services, and the best results cannot be
expected until the schools, instead of
advertising for bids from teachers,
offer adequate pay and demand good
qualifications.
The complaint IS made, and not un-
justly, that our school system is not
we'll artlculatcd; that no provision has
been made to ill the gap between the
common school and the college, and
that the college must therefore main
tain Il preparatory department. While
it is true that very few of those who
enter the common school ever reach
the high school aud fewer still the col
lege, yet those who desire to tit them
selves for college should have .hc OPP
portunity to do SO in their own schools.
This deficiency has been met in many
of the towns and III some oE the coun-
try districts by the erection OF graded
schools; but in most Of the country
schools inadequate preparatory train
ing is offered. The result is that many
of the country pupils who desire TO
compete for scholarships in the State
colleges or who desire TO enter college
arc ut manifest disadvantage, and
must either employ some one to coach
them or must attend Il preparatory
school or graded school in town, at a
considerable outlay for board and tut
ton.
The Importance of lcvying an addi-
tional tax for the support of the country
schools cannot be too strongly urged
upon our people. This will enable
them to employ competent teachers for
longer terms; i, will enable them to
give their children elementary and pre-
paratory training at home; and it will
tend 10 check the abnormal flow Of
population from the country to the
town; it will be beneficial from every
point Of view. While it is pos
sible for the graded schools to become
too mechanical and inelastic, the ire
gularity in attendance at the country
schools renders it impossible to have
graded instruction or systematic work.
Since the State offers free education in
order that its people may be fitted for
the duties Of citizenship, it is worthy
Of consideration whether, within pro-
per limits OF term and age, it should
not require attendance at The schools.
The ideal is well articulated system
extending from primary grade to col.
lege; al least one well equipped school
in every community, accessible to
every citizen OF school age; a term Of
at least eight months, and the require.
ment that within reasonable limits,
the community avail itself of the adj
vantages offered by the public; coun,
ty board of education removed from
local prejudices, charged with the duty
of assigning teachers to vacant schools
and Of inspecting the schools. AT q
later period each school should be
equipped with circulating library and
should be prepared to give technical
training in tie industrial arts. We
are far from the ideal, but our schools
are making gratifying progress; and
the whole subject has been much en-
barassed by the race problem. We
should address ourselves faithfully tc
the development of the system. "The
glory Of founding educational systems
cannot he ours; but the effort for i'm
provemcnt, by building wise practice
upon sound theory, is within tho reacl
of each one Of u.s." Whatever yor
effectively do for the improvement oI
our educational system will bo 80 mucl
f wisely contributed to the welfare OF
the State and the advancement of civi
llZation.
: The rcpo:. he State supcrntcn
, dent OF cducatlOn VIII acqualnt 20,
fully and in detail with the condition
, and needs of our schools.
4 This report contains full and in
c telligent discussion Of the whole sub
ject Of the common schools and thOs
. things which are necessary to max
@ them more efficient. In the ostima
1 tion of the State superintendent one o
8 the most pressing needs of the coun
:, try schools is better supervision of tn
Il work done. This Is very importan
t matter and cannot be too strongly i'm
Q pressed. To secure it, however, it
G necessary to have and to spend NOR
# money, so that mon trained for tn
G work could be employed. The salar
l. of county superintendents ranges froI