The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-01-25

Garner, the production OF the best
article at the lowest price to the
public, honest dividends to honest
investing stockholders, an honest
board of directors, honestly devoted
to the best interests of the company
as an industrial combination. So,
in our Graded School system, we
have combination of schools, con-
Quoted by the teachers of the several
grades, in one or more main build
ings. The school work begins in
the primary department or first grade
and continues, in Union, through nine
grades. How much does it cost for
child 20 attend school for one year
in Union? Three dollars per child
is given by the State; so the child's
father has only to buy books and
send his child to the school building
and the parents work is done. Can
any one ask for a cheaper mode of
education? We are glad to find
promptness virtue taught by at
tending the graded School. In Pelzer,
last year, the Manufacturing Com.
pany paid $3.50 for punctuality in
school attendance.
Although the advantages of our
Graded School are as numerous
there is one disadvantage we wish to
call attention to-asking teachers
everywhere to consider it carefully
and accept the remedies offered for
just what they are worth. The dis
advantage in most schools is having
class interval of one year. Why
have year? In 1872 Hon. w. Il.
Harris, now Commissioner of Educa-
tion of the United States, urged that
the class interval be reduced to a
period of ten or twelve weeks. In
the Southern schools we have term
of nine months. Let this school
year be divided into three terms
with promotions and reclassifcations
taking place three times a year in
stead of once. Then a child would
not lose so much time; for instance,
child completing all the studies in
a grade, except Latin and Algebra,
can not, according to most of our
Graded School requirements, be
promoted % the next grade. Then
another year must be spent in this
one grade for only two studies. Why
waste the child's time in this way?
Suppose teacher has forty-two
pupils in her room. Let them be
divided into three classes of fourteen
pupils each according to ability, each
of these three classes being separated
from the class next above or below
by ten or twelve weeks work. At
the close of the first three months
the highest class is sent into the
sixth grade room, if it is the fifth
grade so divided, in their stead the
fifth grade teacher receives the most
advanced class from the fourth grade
room. We have inherited our sys-
tenn or Standard from England,
and let us profit by England's mis-,
take and not try to apply the cir
cumstance to the rule; for soon must
she learn that events and nations are
not always made to fit RULES. An
other advantage, aside from it's sys-
tenn in Graded School work, is that
the work done in most of them is
primary and only the best teachers
are being accepted. We do need
better primary work and when the
foundation is laid the avera ge Amer
ican child will educate himself. In
the management and discipline of a
GradedI School, children are con-
sciously and unconsciously imbibin g
that broader and deeper spirit Of
government which teaches them tc
value the opinions of others and see
the nobleness in all mankind.
The wonderous fellow feeling
aroused by so many children having
duties in common, causes them to
realize that selfshness is unworthy
and that the Golden Rule is, after
all, the one divine command. Those
of us who have the work in charge
may be sustained by the thought tha,
We are striving to teach little chill.
dren to think on Whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are hon
est, whatsoever things are just, what
soever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely and whatsoever
things are of good report"
CAROLINE DREwsILLA SoUTHARD
.