The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1908-11-21
Our Schools--Extract from
State Supt. Martins Fourth
coming Annual Report.


olina has had seven different Stat.
superintendents of education. as fol.
lows:J. X. Jillson, III s. Thompson
A. Coward, ]. II. Rice, W. ID. NAV.
Held. j. j, AcMahan and O. B. Mar.
tin. Every one of these superinten.
aents has urged the legislature ia
maze improvements in our system, nj
county supervision. The net results
Of these appeals have been a obange
In the the name Of county school com J..
missioner to county superintendent
OF educatior. slight increase in the
salaries In some counties and an in.
crease in the length Of term from two
years to four years in Is counties
This condition affords another strit-
ing illustration of the necessity of a
general revision of our school law in
the interest Of system and un formitv.
Fhe people of the State are evidently
dissatisfied, in large measure. with
ehe existing method Of county school
supervision. AS an evidence of that
TACT, it should be noted that nearly
she-half of the superintendents were
ohanged at the recent election. Not
all were defeated. Some did not of-
Ter for reelection because they could
make more money in other lines of
work. Quite number were defeated
however. Some of these had held
ounce Tor only short while. Many
et these were not defeated because of
inehciency. Some OF the most com.
petent officers in the State failed at
reelection. 1t frequently happens
tnst zeal and activity are
not appreciated until thew are
understood. A four-year term for
county superintendents is certainly
preferable tn two-year term when a
good superintendent is once secured
believe that it is practically i'm
possible in our large counties for a
nan to give efficient service IN the
office and in the field upon the meapre
salary as is now provided. The ar
gument is frequently made that the
salary is sufficient for the amount 80
WORK done. This is certainly true
where man devotes the minor nor
tion OF his time to his duties to the
public and major portion to the
earning of livelihood in some other
way -
After considerable observation Of
sohool systems in various parts of the
country, am convinced that the best
system of county supervision for the
south is that which is in practice in
Richmond county and three other
counties in Georgia. The people there
elect member of the board of educa-
cation from each district. This board.
representing all parts of the county.
both city and urban, has general
charge OF the schools. This board
elects the superintendent. There is
only one superintendent for both citv
and country. The superintendent of
augusta gives as much attention to
the country schools Of Richmond Co.
as he does to city schools. or course.
1t would be impossible to adopt this
system at once in our State by the
legislature, because our constitution
provides for small districts and for
trustees in those districts. We could.
however, provide for county board
Of education TO consist OF one elective
member from each township or magis-
terial district, and devolve upon this |
board all Of the duties and functions |
Of the present county board OF educa
tlon, together with such additional
powers and duties as are not prohi- |
6ited by the constitution. THIS toard |
could elect the county superintendent .
of education and TX his salary in pro- |
portion 10 the amount of work required |
1t could be arranged for one-third of |
'he members OF tins board to be elected
every two yeUrs Under this plan there
would be little danger of damage to the
schools on account of politics. and still
the ultimate control of the schools would |
net be removed from the people. With
such an organization as this, it would
be possible TO enforce n c,mnplsory q,