The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-06-28

+ We ought to establish. at least one
good high school in each county in the
state within the next twelve months,
and before another four years shall
have passed, there should be high
school within reach of every ambiti-
Gus boy and girl in South Carolina.
Scores Of townships in the state are
without single high school within
reach Of the pupils there. Those
who go to colleges sadly need better.
preparation than they are now get
ting. 1t is poor economy to send off
boy to do on some college campus
the work he ought to do at home in
the high school. It costs from 4 to 6
times as much to have this work done
away from home as to have it done
at home. We have great task also
to adapt the courses Of study in the
high schools to the economic needs of
our people. Those who do not go to
college stand even in greater need Of
high school advantages. They are to
go out directly into business life and
to become citizens of the state. If we
expect them to compete successfully
must offer them better high school op-
portunities. Is it fair or reasonable
to ask scores Of young men and wo-
men to go out from common schools
to serve the state as successfully as
the few who take the college and uni
versity trainingq
The time has come when we must
make a supreme effort to provide bet
ter salaries for our teachers and su-
perintendents. Too many Of our best
teachers are leaving the school room
to enter other lines Of work, not be-
cause they do not wish to teach, but
because they cannot afford to teach
for the salaries offered. There is such
demand in the business and profess
sional world of today for trained men
and women that we cannot hope to
keep efficient teachers in the schools
unless we pay better salaries. It is
folly to expect to secure the pick Of n
college graduating class to teach at
$50 month, when he can get $75 in
almost any other kind Of position.
Low salaries will secure to the schools
only cheap teachers. 1t is a matter Of
business competition.
While there has been some improve
ment i'll the salaries of county super
intendent, these officers do not get
enough to enable them to give their
undivided time and thought to their
work. The duties of a county super
intendent are something more than
signing pay warrants and appoint
ing district trustees. He is looked to
as the energizing force in the schools
of the whole county; to him the
young, struggling teacher turns for
help; OH his shoulders the people
place the responsibility for the sue
cess or the failure of the school of
the county. Six hundred and eighty
four dollars year will not secure
and hold such a man. It is strange
that town Of 5000 people finds it
economy to pay a town superintcnd-
ent from 81 200 to $4,000 to supervise
2 or 3 schools with from twenty t.
thirty teachers, while the county, III
| cluding the same town, offers but
$4O0 to $500 to the county superin-
tendent to supervise 100 schools and
more than 100 teachers. Our neigh
boring States in the South are waking
up in this matter. We must have bet
ter supervision if our schools are to
be efficient.
Any one with genuine desire to
do service to his State does not have
to travel far to see school house
to find conditions which cry out for
remedy. There has never been a time
in the history Of our State when
there was a greater need for the earn
est zeal and faithful service of those
who love her welfare. Every member
of every community can find some
thing useful to do The future of
South carolina depends in a very large
| measure upon how we meet Our res
possibilities now. j. II.
Suburban JOYS