The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-08-04

Principal Tate Tells an Inter-
eSting Story About the
summer School of the
South at knOxviIIe--IfS Pur-
pose and its Work,

| Mr.. w. X. Tate, principal of the
Memminger Normal School, has
Just returned home from Knoxville,
Tenn. where he spent six weeks in
the Summer School of the South.
Mr.. Tate is firm believer in the
wisdom of the summer school idea
and in its possibilities as a factor in
the improvement of the teaching
force and general educational con.
ditions of the South.
After the last word has been
spoken" said he, "on compulsory
education, local taxation, school
uildings and furnishings, libraries,
laboratories. the fact remains that
the primary basic force in any school
is the teacher ALI other condi-
tions and facilities necessary, and
desirable as they are, are but tools
whose effectiveness depends directly
on the training and the spirit of the
teacher who uses them. In ,recog-
milton of this principle many of the
most progressive school boards in
the South are paying part of the
expenses of teachers who wish to
improve themselves, and so render
their services of greater value to
their employers. In my opinion,
money cannot be appropriated to
more productive purpose.
1t speaks volumes to the credit of
South Carolina teachers, with their
mcagre salaries, that seven hundred
OF them have given a month of their
vacation and great part of the
years savings to self-improvemcn
by attending the State Summer
School at Clemson College. Many
others have gone outside the State,
and others have attend the county
summer schools.
| The Summer School of the
South, at Knoxville, has just closed
its fourth annual session. In many
respects this has been the most sue
cessful year in it's history. The
total enrolment reached 1,S41, of
which our own state furnished be-
tween so and 60. Thirty five
States and Territories were repre-
scented. Most of the teachers were
from the South, but the reputation
of the school grows yearly and 1.-THE
Northern barbarians,' as they are
popularly designated on the Hill,'
are coming in. increasing numbers.
The faculty this year numbered
eighty persons, and was gathered
from all parts of the United States.
1t is the policy of the superintend-
cnt to get only the best for each de-
partment, and as a result the School
has had in it's faculty more teach
ers of national prominecc than any
other in the United States. This
simmer about one hundred and fif-
ty different courses were offered.
This gives the student body a wide
range of selection, and an opportu-
nifty to study just the thing needed
in his own work. In addition to
the regular courses the lecture and
musical programme this summer
was unusually strong. Taken all
in all, it is without doubt the best
summer school for teachers in the
country, and one of the strongest
educational forces in the South.
Just before the close of the scs-
sion the trustees of the University
Of Tennessee offered the buildings
and equipment of the University to
to the Summer School for three
more years, and there seems to be
no doubt as to the continuance of
the institution.
Much of the credit for the sue
cess of the enterprise belongs to the
very efficient superintendent, Prof.
p. p. Claxton. AS a token of APP
preciation of his services the stu
dent body presented u handsome
silver service to Prof. Claxton on
the closing day of the school,"
News and Courier.
Il