The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-11-18
DEUCATE PEOPLE
FROM q To 70

Trom Saturdays News and Observer
The last day Was the most fruitful Of
| the three DAYS of the State Conference
OF County School superintendent.
Many valuable suggestions were made
| for changes in the school law BY Su2t.
| w. G. Clements. Of Wake, and others.
A splendid address on Rural Libraries
by Supt. w H. Pagsdale, of Pitt, seemed
| to strike the key note OF the whole situa-
ton, declaring that before anything OF
| consequence could be done, the people
, from the ages of = to 20, must be edu-
| Gated. ard that the rural library was
| the only way il which this could be ac-
| complishcd.
/ important resolutions We're adopted,
stating the greatest needs OF the puolic
schools. One section, which was offered
| by Supt. j. c. Scarborough, OF HEREFORD,
| provides for the appointment Of Deputy
State Superintendent, to strengthen anG
aid the work Of the state superintendent.
Shortly after the conference was called
to order yesterday morning, Supt.
w. Catlett, of New Eanover county
gave his experience in County Teachers
| Associations. Teachers Libraries anG
Courses Of Study for Teachers. He said
he could not conceive of a county sup
erintendent without teachers meetings.
The superintendent must see to it that
the teachers are fulfilling their duties as
they should be fulfilled.
He said that he had started libraries
in his rural schools % soon IS ne be-
came superintendent. At all his vista
tons he talked with the children on the
necessity and advantages of reading good
books. and the teachers caught the in
spiration at once. Now there is hardly
a school in the county, white or colored,
that has not at least a nucleus OF a lib
rary. He preferred to have the children
brought up with the idea that they them
selves must provide their own libraries,
rather than that any assistance should
come from the State.
On the subject of courses Of study for
teachers, Sunt. Catlett laid great stress
on the general reading that ought to be
done by all who teach.
The next topic for discussion was the
Employment OF Teachers and Govern
ment of Schools" Supt. J. A. Butler, OF
Ircdell. led the discussion. lie said he
was very glad that the old method @
employing teachers had been done away
With, that of the applicant going to the
members Of the committee separately.
Now the application must he made before
the committee in executive session.
Supt. Butler suggested that it would
be a better plan for the application to
be made first to the county superin-
tendent, or that the committee ask the
superintendent to make recommends
tions. In any event the superintendent
should have something to do With thc
placing OF the teacher in the school for
which he is best fitted and Where he
IS most needed. The superintendent
should not have arbitrary power n the
matter. The speaker laid stress upon
the Importance of a school government
saying he thought the first week ought
to be devoted to getting the school under
proper control.
Supt. Peele, of Martin, agreed witt
Supt. Buffers idea in regard 10 employ
ing teachers, but he said the great dill
Guilty in his county was the scarcity o.
good teachers. They had to accepi
almost any one they could get.
] Supt. Harris, of Stokes, said that n: