Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-09-27
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 8.

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 8.
There Is not a white or Negro child
in my district who cannot go to school
seven months out Of year If its pa
rents desire to send it. It Is true that
our schools are nothing like what they
ought to be; but compared with what
they were when first became trus-
tee, some 16 years ago, the improve
ment Is so great that I can hardly
make you understand the difference d
The speaker was Mr.. Joseph A
Smith, chairman Of the board Of trus-
tees Of school district No. 8. Mr.. Smith
became a member of the board Of trus-
tees during the administration Of the
late Rev. L. A. Johnson as school COM
missioner, and has been In close touch
with the schools of the district ever
since. It is a fact well-known by al
who make it their business to keep in
formed about such matters, that No.
has for years been one Of the model
districts of the county, and it was be-
cause of this fact that the reporter was
led to conclude that Mr.. Smith could
tell something about the conduct, pro-
gress and condition of the public school
system that would be interesting.
Yes, sir" continued Mr.. Smith
when became trustee 16 years ago
on the board with Mr.. J. ]. Miller and
the late James Shannon, we found only
50 in the treasury in February, and
this 80 belonged to the next year. We
were just one year behind in the mat
ter of funds. There was but one reason.
able excuse for school house IN the
district, and we had to run the schools
the next year on credit. The district
then included the entire township. we
paid the teachers anywhere from So tc
$40 a month, and they had to have
their pay certificates discounted from
20 to 25 per cent. before they could get
their money. Since then, we have
built some eight or ten school houses
at from $S5 to $125 each, and now, al
though we pay teachers from $12 to So
month, we have several hundred dol
lars in the treasury, and are full
year ahead with our finances.
LAS we'll as I can recollect, when we
first took charge, there were about Iot
children in the district. I am counting
white and Negro children. Although
we have lost good many by the cut
ting off of slices of the district-Tirzah,
Philadelphia, Lominack and Beershe-
ba-we still have something over 800
We have gained more than we lost, and
if the enrollments were made little
more complete, I think the aggregate
would run up somewhat higher. Had
the district not been cut down any,
our present enrolment would proba-
bly, be considerably over a thousand
And you know enrolment counts for
everything. Our money is apportioned
on a basis Of enrolment entirely-Ne-
groes as we'll as whites"
The various white schools Of District
No. are named and located as follows:
Gains Spring. school, 81 miles west
of Yorkville; Chestnut Grove" miles
west; "Union,"r4 miles north; "Gold
HILL" miles northeast; "Latta's," "a
miles east; WATSON" miles east, on
Fishing creek; "Miller's," miles
southwest; "Sutton's," miles south
west; Cotton Mill" at the York Cot
ton mills on the eastern outskirts OF
Yorkville.
Mr.. Smith talked Interestingly Of the
Improvement in the capacity Of teachers
during his experience. "A second grade
teacher now,"" he said, "is much more
efficient than a first grade teacher was
when first began to have something
to do with the schools. At that time,
about the only requirement OF teachers
was that they be able to pass certain
examinations. There were lots Of them
who were able to pass these examina-
tions. but who knew very little about
school teaching. Gradually, since then,
we have been getting in a good many
graded school and college graduates,
young men and women, especially edu-
Gated to teach, and as rule they make
good teachers. They seem to be able
TO do their work easier and better than
formerly, and the children make more
progress under them. But I will say
also that a first grade teacher Is not
necessarily better than a second grade
teacher. That is, I mean holders OF
first and second grade certificates. l
have had experience with teachers VINO
have never been able to take a first
grade certificate; but who, at the same
time, seem to make as goood progress
and do as good work as many holders
of first grade certificates. And 1t Is
the rule to pay these teachers, not on
a basis of the kind Of certificates they
hold; but rather on the basis of their
practical value. We find that this Is
not only right; but it is best"
Mr.. Smiths associates on the board
of trustees are Messrs. James l.. Moss
and J. C. Conner. The board works to-
gether without friction on all matters
concerning the welfare Of the schools
of the district, and the good work that
they are doing is deserving of high ap-
probation on the part of the public.
THE C. Sc NV.
A trip over the new line Of the Car
olina & Northwestern railroad from