The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-06


of their counties. They understand
full well that the public does not
expect such fitness of them. That
is our. fault, not theirs. The public
mind does not think of county
superintendent as man of educa-
ton, experience, tact, and leader
ship in scnool matters. 1t thinks
Of him as a man who listens 10
neighborhood quarrels about district
lines, and about the appointment and
removal OF trustees, and who sits in
his Office one day in the week t.
sign teachers pay warrants.
In speaking thus Of incompetent
county superintendents, I have no
intention whatever of being personal.
I am happy to count my best frien IS
in the State many Of the county
superintendents. Many Of them are
comuetent and efficient men, sacrs-
ficing themselves on the altar of al
unappreciative public, for their re-
ward is contemplate. We ask forty
two qualified men to direct over
5000 teachers, to act as guardians
for $4,000 children, and to keep
and to disburse nearly million and
half dollars; we offer them an
average salary of 1854, an insult to
an official man! The city of Green,
Vile has conceived itself that it IL
economy to pay its superintendel II
$500 a year to Supervise the work
of "A teachers; while Greenville
county pays its superintendent $40"
to supervise 275 teachers. Sumter
pavs it's city superintendent $2,40o a
wear to direct 36 teachers; Sumter
county offers its. superintendent S9o1
to direct about $50 teachers. IT is
source of wonde rhow we have
as many efficient county superinten-
dents as we have. All honor to the
competent man patriotic enough t.
serve his county on contemplate
salary! But shame upon people
who compel patriotism to crawl IN
the dust!
know that we have some people
who claim that our schools are
already too much supervised. Tha'
depends entirely upon what is mealiI
hv supervision. If it means th*
constant meddling in petty details.
or the jealous interference with
teachers in matters concerning
only themselves, or the lnsls-
tency upon teachers becomlns
cheap imitators of a rad
fiend superintendent, then perhaps
we have too much. But II super
vision means the readiness and ab'l'
itv to assist the teacher, the power
to inspire her, the tact to prune
and refine and strengthen her, ant
the manhood to sustain her lano II
usually does), then dissent We
hemently. All over the State we
have young men and women Wh'
as teachers ought to succeed, .Du'
who are failing because they have
20 one to advise them and to sup
port them in the crucial moment
of trial. This is especially true IN
the rural and village schools. Is II
any wonder that the young teachers
flock to the towns?
The rural schools must have bel
ter supervisions. Nearly seventy pc,
cent of the white school children
of this State are in the rural schools.
They are entitled to as good and aS
close supervision as are any otner
children. Proper supervision Can
not be given as long as we multipi!
the one-teacher schools with fifteen
pupils each, and permit the popula'
election Of supervisors at salary
of 1854. On a salary Of 1854, what
can a. county superintendent do TO-
ward the real supervision OF l5o
teachers scattered all over a COUNT
in perhaps 100 school houses?e
REQUIRE that the county superin-
tendent be an expert educator, let
him be appointed by a board anu
RESPONSIBLE to that board, keep him
in Office as long as he is efficient, anu
nav him an experts salary. We sha'
find the men prepared to do the
work. Then we shall stop fritterins
away the school fund, increase the
snnd. and we shall get results.
Sooner or later our people are going
~ como +o look at this matter some
what as did Hon. John ]. McMahah
in his report for 1909.
.,,,,Yr.ar II IJANn