The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-01-08
SOME EXCELLENT SUGGESTIONS
Plans For School improvement BY
Superintendent Mcl1ahan

Hon. John J. McMahan. State Supt OF
Schools:
The length Of school session is the
most conspicuous fact by which the
school work is judged. Each one feels
satisfied with the school term as long
as his own neighborhood school is do
ing we'll and the average for the State
is no worse than last year. 1t cannot
be too much impressed upon each leg
islator. however, that If his neighbor-
hood school lasts nine months Tor even
six) it is an exception. and that the
State average and even the county
average charitably covers, as with a
blanket, the nakedness of the back
woods country school. Tabl one Of
the statistical part OF this report will
show the length OF session and many
other facts for each school district in
each county. An examination Of these
details would astonish men who have
the schools in the State are satisfac-
tory Such an examination is not usu-
ally made. This is unfortunate. Surely
the consciences of legislators would be
aroused il the facts were brought home
to their minds. By averaging separate
ly for the schools inside and those out
side Of incorporated towns we come
nearer to an idea of the difference In
schools within county.
Some averages are here presented in
tabular form. He shows that OF the
2.602 white schools in the State, the
average number Of weeks OF school
session is 81 weeks; Of the 2,1l1 colored
schools 14.27 weeks. The white schools
in the county have an average length
of session Of 20.3 weeks and 2S.8 weeks
in towns. Colored schools 1876 weeks
in the county and q weeks IL towns.
In some of the counties the average
length of the sessions OF white schools
is as follows: Pickens 1876; Hampton
1877; Spartanburg 1873; Horny 1875;
Charleston 34.4; Fairfield 29.9; Chester
28.5; Richland 249; Williamsburg 1873,
etc., etc.
TEACHERS SALARIES.
teachers salaries:
1.-THE quality Of the teacher is Of
more consequence than the number OF
weeks he teaches. No report can prop
erly set forth the qualities Of the
teacher, but the salaries received for
the session or year will afford some
basis for judgment. l regret that |
have not the data for seperate aver
ares of salaries for town and country
teachers in the State and in each coun-
ty. In table 2 the average in each dis
trict is given, but the schools OF one
district are not always exclusively In
town or in country.
"The average annual salary OF
teachers in the State in 3S counties re-
ported is White teachers. $195.2S;
negro teachers. $79.41.
I'm Horny county white teachers
averaged s94.49; some received nothing
In Williamsburg the average was
$1O4.30. While the average in Chester"
field was S126.11; there were five dis
tricts having 90 teachers whose aver
age salary was less than $40. In Saluaa
the average was $130.42. District NO.
26 had seven teachers averaging $7.1S.
In Lexington the average salary was
$171.77; yet four teachers. each In
district having but one white school
received less than 500 each.
LOCAL TAX CANNOT SUFFICE.
A favorite defense against the de-
mand for a legislative appropriation
to the public schools Is the specious
argument that the extra tax which
each district is permitted to vote Is
the way to good schools, and that each
community should be left to apply this
remedy for itself, levy local tax.
This tax cannot be depended upon
by the legislature. 1t Is voluntary. and,
therefore, will not be levied until
community is alive to its own needs.
The darkest places will remain in dark
ness until light comes in from without.
Moreover. some school districts where
the people are willing to make sacri-
fees for education are yet so poor that
the heaviest tax permitted by the law
still falls short Of yielding the amount
required for a good school. The list or
districts with a voluntary local tax is
an honor roll South Carolina seems
to lead all other southern States In the
proportion Of such districts, to hear
total Of districts. The truth Is, how
ever, that the richer community usu-
ally levies a moderate tax, which
Yields a large sum of money because
Ol tue ClC "CoiSh Ia tAAS
while the poorer community is willing
to pay largely Of its means. with but
an extra 3-mill tax, or even the max
imum 4-mills. in addition to its regular
revenues, such district still has only
an inadequate school fund
SCHOOL EXPENDITURES PEk
PUPIL.
The average cost Of schooling per
pupil is of great significance, II we
should take as the basis of comparison
the individual schools Of certain coun-
try districts and of cities or prosper
GUS towns. But there is considerable
significance in the comparison OF the
averages for certain counties and there
is some interest in the comparison OF
the average for the State in success
sive years.
The average cost per pupil has been
as follows: 1899, white s4.9s, negro
s1.42; 1900, white $3.50, negro Sl:So;
1901, white $5.S2 negro s1.3O; 1902,
white s6.01, negro $1.53. Qn 1899 SIX
counties were not fully reported, four
in 1900 and two in 1902
Az efforts TO secure q State appro-