The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-15
Schools.

The county and city schools are begin
ming another years work under more fav
orable auspices than have ever attends
such openings before. Educational rally
held in every county Of the state have hsI
the good effect Of string the people up t
a new interest in school affairs.
THE RURAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Asso
CITATION.
Has accomplished more by much thai
most people thought it would. Nearl,
every school In the county has done some
thing in the past twelve months TOWARD
improvement in one direction or another
In many places flowers, shrubbery etc.
have been planted in the school yards II
order to give them a more home-like anc
pleasing appearance. Again in many
places the buildings have been improved
so that today, while conditions are fal
from ideal, still they are better than they
have ever been at any time in the past.
THE ABBEvILLE HIGH SCHOOL.
Is the result of activities along educa-
tional lines in Abbeville. While the build
ing is not yet completed that fact will In
no way interfere with the High School
work. 1t will progress just the anne 1t
is proposed that the High School will pre-
pare boys and girls for entering the fresh
man class in any college In the state
This is what we want, this Is what we
will have. The High School will consist OF
four grades, beginning with the eighth
and ending with the eleventh.
The eigth, ninth and tenth grades will
be removed from the graded school and
there will only be seven grades taught
there. Greek will be added to the High
School course. Those pupils leaving the
graded school and matriculating in college
for a Bachelor Of Arts degree have found
themselves unprepared because some
Greek is here required in the freshman
class. The mathematical curse will be
broadened and extended to meet all re-
quirements. improvements, however, are
not limited to the higher grades. Here
to-fore the teachers in the lower grades
have been teaching two separate and dis
tinct schools. This has been hard on the
teacher and just as hard on the progress
OF the pupils in the lower grades. What
we mean Is this: The lower grades have
been so crowded that it was found impos-
sible to accommodate all the children at one
time, consequently the grades had to be
divided, half Of each grade coming In the
morning and half In the evening. So that
those pupils received only about half the
instruction they should have received.
This has been remedied as the removal OF
the High School leaves room for doubling
up several Of the lower grades.
TEACHERS SHOULD NOT LosEI SIGHT OF
THEIR DUTY.
To the school as a whole, most teachers
feel satisfied when they have discharged
their duty to the pupils in their OWL
grades, but this position is too marrow for
the teacher in the city schools. It Is his
or her duty to be ever on the alert for the
welfare of the school as a whole. Crit
cisms that come to their ears should be
weighed and reported. Unjust criticisms
should be refuted.!s
In the matter Of promotions the teacher
has a most delicate duty to perform
Sometimes the pupils below the mark but
80 heal lit that the teacher frequently
strains a point and passes the pupil. In
stead Of doing a kindness to the inexperi
enced pupil In thus promoting him, the
teacher does a palpable wrong. The pa
rent is thus deceived. The incentive OF
the part of the pupil to more diligence |
paralyzed. Making grades becomes al
"easy mark" and the purpose Of tn
school thus:far frustrated. :
Teachers should be very slow in form
ing opinions Of their pupils That eth
proper study Of mankind Is man" Is
good text for the the teacher to ruminatt
on at the beginning Of school. The teach
or should know something Of the tempera
ment Of each pupil under his care, other
wise he cannot do the best work. 1
should be the ambition Of each teacher +
make these schools the best in the state
No school can be greater than the teache
at it's head. No chain Is stronger than it
weakest link, and, to a certain degree, n
graded school is stronger than its weak
est grade,
THERE ARE LESSONS NOT IN TEXT BOOKS
to be taught and the teacher should req
lie this at the outset. The teacher tha'
limits his duty in the school room to heal
ing Rotations utterly fails to reach thu
mark expected Of the teacher. The littl
society in miniature represented by the pu
pills in the school room Is to be governe,
by the teacher, and In 1t will spring u
questions to be settled just as in the ssocie
ty at large, hence a wise head Is necessa
ry.
PARENTS HAVE DUTIES.
AS we'll as teachers. They should watcl
their children closely. They should especl
ally see to it that the older pupils stud,
their lessons at home. There are no chill
dren to such a degree precocious that 1t |
not necessary for them to study, and whel
the parent sees THAT the pupil Is idl
at home it is time to act. The,
should investigate-go to the school-roon
if necessary, see how the pupil recites
talk the matter over with the teacher AM
set the pupil right.
ONE GREAT MISTAKE.
That parents make Is discussing tn
frailties of teachers with their children
People used to believe in the divine RICH
Of kings-that kings could not eer. l