The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-28
IMPORTANT TO TEACHERS.
Last Circular Issued by Capt. Nc
Mahan. the Retiring Superin-
tendent of Education.

Columbia, January 25.-Following
the action of the State board of educa-
tion at it's recent meeting Superinten-
dent of Education McMahan issued just
before retiring from Office an import
ant circular Of information for school
officers and teachers, setting forth ex-
plicitly the new requirements as to
time of examinations, registration OF
certificates in the county superinten-
dents Office, and the exclusion Of
Latin from the schools unless the
teacher has certificate Of qualifca-
ton to teach Latin. The circular is
given below, and the county papers are
requested by Mr.. McMahan to copy,
for the benefit of all persons concern
ed:
Office State Superintendent of Edu-
01S5oIri Columbia, S. c., Jan. 21, 1903.
To County Superintendents: The
State board of education at its meeting
on the 10th and 18th insts. adopted
two permanent regulations which are OF
far-reaching effect, and should be
known at once to every teacher and
trustee in your Jurisdiction:
First. That after February and
beginning May, 1903, there shall be
two county examinations for teachers
certificates each year, to be held IN
May and September and that hereafter
no teacher shall be employed in the
public schools of this State who has
not registered the certificate in the
Office Of the county superintendent Of
education and submitted proof to the
board of trustees.
The February examination will be
held as usual this year, and will be
after that abolished, so that no teach
ers' certificates eau be obtained, and
none can expire during the winter or
regular school term. The times for
examination will hereafter be in May,
at about the end OF the usual school
session, and in September, just be-
fore the opening of the new school ses-
sion.
You will note that no trustees con-
tract with teacher will be hereafter
valid, unless the teacher has first
registered his certificate IN the Office
of the county superintendent and sub
mitted to the board OF trustees en-
ploying him your statement to this
effect. Therefore no school can law
fully open and certainly no PUBLIC
money can be paid to teacher until
YOU have on record in your Office the
facts as to the teachers valid, up-to-
date certificate of qualification. There
will be. therefore, no excuse hereaf-
ter for YOU to relax in any degree the
strict enforcement of the law requir-
ing teachers to have certificates.
Second. That after July l, 1903,
the teaching of Latin in the Puollc
schools shall be forbidden except BY
teachers holding from the State
board of education special certificate
of qualification to teach Latin, and
that examination in this subject shall
be offered hereafter, beginning be-
fore July /, 1903-college diplomas
not to exempt from this examination:
Latin is not prescribed in the public
school course and is not usually to be
taught, but where the trustees and
county authorities permit 1t to be
taught the State board now directs
that there must be evidence Of fitness
of the teacher to teach Latin properly
and, therefore, this special examin-
alton is to be offered regularly hereaf-
ter, and this certificate must be held
by a teacher before he shall be permit
ted to teach Latin in any public
school. Let this new regulation be
generally known and see that it is
strictly enforced. There is great
deal of humbuggery in the pretence
of some teachers to teach Latin. Per
sons who know no better are being
imposed upon. \ capable teacher
cannot object to an examination and
certificate of qualification. The
teaching of Latin, however, should
always be exceptional in a public
school, and should not be permitted
where it would interfere with the
teacher giving full time to the regular
prescribed course.
John j. McMahan,
State Superintendent of Education.
ToSooo|, rroyuipv will bo on ;Y,por4