The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-09-22
OUR SCHOOLS.
PAPER NO. 3.
PROF WILLIAM H. HAND Is
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defects in our school buildings are
small class rooms, low ceilings, in
sufficient window space, windows set
in front and to the right OF the pu-
pills when seated. tops of the win
dows too far from the ceiling, poor
heating, and poor ventilation. These
defects are found in the town build
ing and in the rural buildings.
We have some excellent school
houses. Among the larger towns
the buildings in Florence, Darling
ton, and Georgetown, together with
the latest buildings in GreenvIlte,
cellent in almost every detail. The
Spartanburg, and Sumter, are ex-
cellent in almost everything. The
Taylor school. in Columbia, is
another excellent building, but /
am forced to add that this is Calum-
bias only public school building
worthy of the name. A number OF
the smaller towns have relatively
excellent buildings, notably St.
George and SummeTton. Belton,
Brunson, Chesterfield. Fountain Inn,
Manning and Seneca each will soon
have a new building OF modesn type.
On the other hand. some of the
towns have very poor buildings.
There are in this State four towns
whose taxable property combined
was returned last year at 81 100000,
in round figures, and whose four
school houses for white children
would not sell at auction for more
than $1,000. OF course these build
ings cost much more than their pres
ent value, but they are almost worth
less to-day as school houses. In
these same towns are beautiful
homes, good stores. good banks, at
tractive churches; and even good
barns for the horses and cattle.
Can the citizens of these places make
themselves believe that they are not
discounting schools? They can not
make other people believe it, | am
sure.
The rural schooi houses are rela-
lively inferior to those in the towns.
Many of them are little better than
dingy sheds. unpainted, ugly III ap-
pearance, poorly lighted poorly
heated, and mserably equipped.
M"ny Of these houses are
not cciled on the walls or
overhead. When they are cei!ed,
that overhead is often so low that
the tallest boys can reach it Witl
their heads Not one building in
three has enough window space
properly distributed. The windows
are small and placed equidistan'
from the floor and ceiling. 1t is nc
uncommon thing to find room OF
children sitting with their faces
toward one, and even two, open win.
dows, while the room at their backs
comparatively dark. In 1905. the
State Superintendent Of Education
issued pamphlet giving designs
for modern school houses, which has
done much towards improving their
character.
Very few Of our schools are
e1nipped as they should be. Hun
dseds Of good desks have been put in
within the past five years, but there
are yet scores Of school houses seat,
ed with the most clumsy and un'
slightly and uncomfortable desks
known to suffering backs and limbs
The blackboards are too few II
number, made Of the cheapest mate
rial. and the surface is no '"7oo'
black. In many Of our school'
rooms is not seen Il map or d Chart
from September to June. Ever
the famous charts have been rele'
gated to some closet of plunder
Were it not for the genius OF my
friend, MIR. Hughes, Of Greenville
many Of our school houses would bf
absolutely without any kind of globe
The State has very wisely provided
hundreds of schools with small IL
braries. In most places these libra
ries are used much and well cared
for. but in altogether too many
places the books are torn to pieces
some scattered through the neigh
borhood, and some. lost. What ease
can be expected when the school
house stands open to every body and
everything.
A dirty school house is inexcns.
able, and is a disgrace to a comRu'
nifty. Here the teacher is chiefly
| responsible. Any teacher, man o!
woman, who keeps a dirty school
house is rather poorly fitted to, train
children. You can not readily re-
fine the tastes Of child who is
compelled to sit FIVE hours day In
the midst of filth and inter.
WILLIAM II. HAND.
University Of South Carolina.