The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-08-21
MIR. J. J. McMAHAN.
The State School Commissioner Makes
Live and Interesting Talk to the
Teachers attending the Abbeville
County Summer School.

County Summer School.
The teachers and teacher-scholars attending
the Abbeville County Summer School for
white teachers. were taken muchly oy sur
School Commissioner j. j, McMahan gppear
in their midst. They had all been looking for
and expecting him the week before, having
heard that he was in Anderson and Green
wood, but business called him TO another part
OF the State and he failed TO come at that
time. So the teachers and teacher-scholars OF
the Summer Institute had given him out and
OF course were very much surprised when be
not at disadvantage. For Summer School
carried on with the excellent prohciency
which has characterized this school al
through Its four weeks session could not be
caught unprepared by the advent OF any
visitor, even though he might be 40 other
great parsonage than the State School Com
missioner himself.
Mr., McMahan at the earnest solicitation OF
Prof. Gillian, made to the teacher-scholars
plain, pointed, practical talk. He started out
by saying that he had visited most OF the
Summer Schools this summer, ana that tnls,
with the possible exception Of the one OF
Laurens. was the largest attended one In the
State. That he had found much interest
manifested In the schools throughout the
of the schools would continue to be manifest
ed especially by the trustees OF the schools.
That the school trustees should help the
teachers bear the expense Incident 10 the az
and should even pay all the expenses when
possible. Was much pleased the other day TO
see the great interest manifested by the trus'
tees Of the public schools OF Pickens county.
Though they were nearly all hard-Worklng
farmers, they appeared to take lively inter
est in education, and was much pleased and
surprised TO have one OF the old farmers ask
him II he did not think education should be
com pulsory. He answered that 1t should be
for at least six months in the year, and up 10
the age OF thirteen. The great trouble OF
teaching In the country was, that most farm
ers wanted and would have their children In
The fields about four months In the spring
and three months in the fall. with q month' 9
rest in the summer at the "lay1ng-oy" season ,
thus leaving about four months during the
winter for school time: He said that II every
man, woman and child in this State had q
thorough education this would be the grand
% He @ spoke of the rapid progress in the State
OF the graded school system. Twenty years
ago 1t was not known In this State. To-day
every town OF any Importance ~ the State
had its graded school building. He spoke OF
how much pleasanter country life was be-
coming because OF the widespread fntroduc-
tion and use Of modern Inventions, such as
the telephone and electric lines. He said that
the University of Chicago gave eacn one OF
and thereby broadened their knoWledge, and
for this reason the University OF Chicago was
one OF the very best Institutions OF learning
in this country. He intimated that that
should be the lot of every school teacher, and
hoped the time not far distant when 1t would
be 80. He said the salaries paid TO school
teachers were too low when 1t was taken INTO
consideration the great amount Of lsonS work to be
Little two-for.a-nickel lawyers, for instance,
would get salary, Of from $500 70 5000 year.
while q hard-working smart school teacher
would get but $50 q month, or S2Io year.
Was one OF the great injustices In the equali.
cation OF wages. Every county should have
a superintendent whose business IL would be
to overlook the schools OF the county, but
auch q man would have TO te paid salary OF
81 900 or 81 200 q year. A State tax should be
levied for the support OF the schools, and IN
that way the rich towns and counties would
help along the poor weak onces. The school
year everywhere should be at least nine
months.
He closed by giving little "taffy" to school
teachers-especially school ''marms"-ln gen
eral and to these In Abbeville county In par
ticular.
Mr.. McMahan Is q smart, intelligent, hand
some-(so the young lady teachers thought,
and I egree with them)-young man, and
with credit fills the place TO which he has
been elected by the people Of the State; ,
w. II. M.