The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-01-23
THE COMMON SCHOOLS.
State Superintendent's Plan tor
Efficient Management.

"hN NO"h'J eupeIlntenGcntS or eduCa-
tion,' which is in accord with the views
of State Superintendent McMahan as ex.
pressed in his annual report. The bill
is as follows:
Section /. That in July, 1902, the State
board OF education, upon the Joint re-
commentator Of the governor and the
State superintendent OF education, shall
appoint for cach county in the State, a
county board of education, consisting of
hye members, two to serve for two
years, two to serve for four years, and
II to serve for six years, and until
their respective successors have been
elected and qualified. The successors
OF the said members of the said county
board shall be chosen by the electors OF
the county for a term Of six years each,
two at the general election in 1904. and
every Six years thereafter two mt the
general election in 1906, and every six
years Thereafter and at the general
election in 1908, and every six years
thereafter Provided. however. That
candidates for these positions snall not
DC assessed in any p imary elections.
vacancies shall be filled by the county
board OF education itself, until the next
general election
Sec. 2. That each member of the
county board of education shall receive
Tor attendance on its meetings. III per
diem, and 3 cents for each mile of nee
cssary travel going to add from the
meetings, for not more than ten meet
lhgs IN any one year, the per diem and
mileage to be paid by the county treas.
urer out of the ordinary funds of the
county, upon the warrants of the chair
man or the board, audited and approved
as other county claims.
sec. 3. That the county board of cdu.
cation of each county, appointed as here
In provided, shall meet and organize bv
electing one Of its members chairman
and another member secretary pro tenn :,
ana shall thereafter exercise all the
rights, privileges, powers and duties
. ucVolVod by law upon the present
county board of education and county
superintendent of education of said
county, sevcrally or jointly, and may
use tn" seal now used by the county
superintendent of education until a new
seal shall be provided by the board OF
county commissioners.
Sec. d. That the county board of ed.
ucatlon OF each county shall provide OK
pert supervision for the schools of the
county, and for this purpose shall en-
ploy y man skilled in the science and art
OF teaching and of school management,
who shall supervise all the schools of
the county, instruct the teachers, coun
SCI inc trustees, assign teachers to the
SCHOOLS Tor which the boards of trustee. 9
nave not employed teachers by July LIST
or each year, and shall further serve ne
secretary OF he county board, make for
it its reports required by the State suocr.
~lntendent Of education, and perform
such other duties on behalf of the said
board as it shall impose.
Sec. D That the said superintendent
OF schools employed by the county board
OF education shall devote his entire time
10 the Inspection, supervision, care and
management Of the schools and the
sChool interests Of the county, under the
direction OF the county board IF cduca.
ton, the State board of education. and
the State superintendent Of education
anc In compensation for his services
snail receive such salary as the county
Doaro OF education may have fixed, moi
10 cXls-A 81 QUO a year, to be paid by
the county treasurer upon warrants OF
tn" chairman Of the county board OF ed.
ucation audited and approved as Other
county claims.
Sec u. That the present county boards
OF education and county superintendent
OF education shall be supcrcedcd and
their offices abolished as 500 as tho
boards herein provided for, shall m. c,
anu organize: Provided, however
mat the county superintendent of cd
ucatloh OF each county shall make to tho
state superintendent Of education the
annual report required by law for tho
s-hool year 1901 and 1862, and upon q
certificate from the State superintendent
OF education that such report has been
made satisfactorily, shall be paid by the
board " county commissioners the full
salary for the remainder Of the term foI
which he was elected.
Sec z. That all acts and parts of act,
inconsistent with this act be and the
same arc hereby repealed.
Mir. Thomas is quoted as follows in the
daily newspapers in regard to the meas
urc which was introduced by him anG
which is known to have the hearty en-
dorscment OF Mr.. McMahan
When asked for some exclamation 81
ms OIL relating to public education, Mr.
Jonh T.. Thomas, Jr, stated that IN,
main object OF the bill is the improve
menu Oh inc country schools. He saiC
thal since The beginning of the last cen
10y ~ h"u pGcomc a recognized I,axin
IN cV.iy clVilizcd country Of the worll
N"PNi 'ioiOu VI puOllC schools
Is absolutely essential to their successful
conduct. This princip C is recognized a,
hiuhuamcntal proposition by cverybod,
Interested III education throughout this
entire country. Dir. Thomas further saif
lhat thls principle has becn r]ecopniZcG
as inc true principle Of education in
South Carolina in its cities and towns
during the past fifteen years and cvcr
since inc establishment Of special scnool
alstrlcts In this State. A graded schnol
IN a special school district really means
that IL is u school directed and manarcd
Dy an expert, trained and educated For
the purpose. y
he said that the main object If bie
Dill Is to put the people in the conntrv
on an equal footing with he ncon,n ~
the cities and towns IF cvnart anho -
Supervision is absolutely necessary for
Ivy SCHOOLS and his necessity u%niycr.
ally recognized throughout the whole
GiVlll|ed world, then why, said Mr.,
lhomas, is not this same intelligent an.
PcIVlslon necessary for country schools
ro one would think for a moment of
Trying to make cloth or to p,anauc q
oank without the supervision of persons
framed In the business Of m~anufacturing
or banking. Yet some people seem TO
tninB that any person, Irrespective of
MS training or attachments, is fit to direct
inc training of the tender minds of the
chlldren or our State, which is admitted
10 DC a work requiring a trained i@ntclIi.
gence great discretion and tact and deli
cacy OF administration 1t is submitted
SAYS Mr. Thomas that tbo.o ou'