The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-09-08

Young men aCG women VINO c:icnot rs.iu
aud write: Satisfied, wnea it IS Known
the average salary O! The teacher Is no:
equal 10 The pay @! unSkilled labor: No,
ladies and gentlemen. with = condition
which permits thousands OF our o.En
race 20 suffer for the lack OF intellectual
oourishmen,, and merit does not get is
Just reward. you cannot be satisfied.
There mus: De something doae-!t i: =
condition, not = theory we are confront
inc. remedy must be discovered, our
presence indicates this. it is I healthy
sign for better things.
There are several matters IA our
school system that is 6efec.ive-oae Is.
in point 0! attendance. some provision
mast DC made by legislation or other
wise 20 correct the apparent indiacr-
enre abou. school attendance, some way
mus, be found 20 have daily and regu-
lar school atl n->sancc. Then 100. some
way must be devised 20 secure more IN
tellec,ual power IN the teachers. we
are not obliviouS 10 the cause OF these
defects. but we come 20 confer with
each other. we know they exist, and on;
OF the multitude Of thought the dialcul-
ties may be removed.
There is 4 bright future for South
Carolina. il vii! be FASTENED when I'll OF
our people shall be able 20 cope with.
aud master difficulties that confrcct
them. and | firmly believe, once the
white masses OF this S,ate are aroused
20 the seriousness OF the educat!oa2!
problems awaiting solution, the same
he.oisn which has manifested itself 20
ever: call for patriotic Guty-taat spir-
il OF determination 20 :hrow OF oppreS-
sion. when ou. people rose from the
ashes OF humiliation, and il defiance OF
= despo;;c government. drove the de-
s:,oiler from power, w:ll again, with
ten-:old force. manifest itself 20 break
the bandaseS and shackleS OF ignorance
and 4 grand educational triumph will be
their reward.
ignorance is foe TO be dreaded. we
need fear the dangers OF an unen!iCht-
eued. sid sn uneducated peoples hos
tile army may commit oepcecations.
and possibly block our progress tempo
ra-il:. bu, ignorance unless arrested.
means staSnatioo, paralysis, mentally.
morally and physically: unless we as =
State do not wish 20 fall behind other
States 10 commercial. political. literary
and scientific attachments we must make
it our first care 70 see that our educa-
tional machinery is up-to-dase il its ap-
poin,menss and construction. and man
aged with the highest intelligence. How
is this 70 be done? Only oy en:rus:ing
the handiin. ci the machinery 20 duly
qualified men and women, with :" aocl
teaching IS al Inspiration, and an idea!
pot = position for temporary aovan-
tage.
II this rally does nothing more for The
State, as beginning, than 70 create q
demand for improving the foundation
work in our schools, the agitation vii!
not have beer in vain. The foundation
must be properly and firmly laid. 1t is
= mistaken idea, some have, that teach
ing beginners can be entrusted 70 any
BODY. It is sad and dangerous mis-
take. and 700 much stress can be laid
upon directing attention 70 this defect
II: our public school system. | contend
we need the best teaching material that
can be secured, for the beginners, and
unless the mos, painS-taksog and intel
lisens care is taken with the beginners,
the foundation will be careiessly laid
and its bad effect follows the child
through lie. Therefore / would sug-
sest 20 trustees 20 look carefully after
this, and above all do not seek teachers
for the little children because they can
be secured for small salaries
Il is my opinion, the very best teach
inc can never esace the mischief Of q
defective early school training, the first
impressions made upon child,s intel
lecpslasts always, so repeat, the frs,
soa great need which I Trust this move
men. will cause 10 be supplied, IS a moro
iuSicious Judgment on the part OF srsls-
tees in selecting teachers for the prl-
mary work.
Notwithstanding our efforts for High
School training. we must all agree, q
thorough mastery o! the IS f s. IS nee
essary 70 good scholarship. AID YET, how
often do we find that very little stress IS
laid upon these essentials, very little
attention is paid 20 spelling and arich-
mesic after the child has advanced 70
the higher branches: it is frequently
taken for Granted these things have
been learned. when taey have not, the
fact is, when . boy or girl undertakes 70
stand an examination il IS here they fall
down. Why? Because the early branch
es were no, properly taught them. |
think Is long as = bcS or girl attends
the public school, they should be reeair-
ed, at stated intervals 10 review a.. OF
the work they have gone over. Thorough
teaching should be required BY law.
Shakespeare speaks Of "a tide IN the
affairs Of men which taken az its food,
leads on 70 fortune, equally true, aye,
more true is il o; children. The first
years a: school are the full tide OF their
best opportunities. No amount OF study
can ever make up for lost time. The
foundations OF our educational building
must oc laid 70 last
Superintendent, Joiner OF North Car
olina il his report 10 the general as
sembly says: There is more education
81 value, more acquisition Of power and
OF correct intellectual habits in :
thorough mastery OF 3 few subjects than
in superficial knowledge,-a mere
sma:cering Of many. The one Lays the
foundation for real culture, the other
lays the foundation for nothing better
than vereeriug. This IS my idea en-
ac:ly, there can be no education withou:
3 foundation.
There should be system .or memory
training in our public schools. The
practice OF memory is very importaa;
factor in child's future life, knowing
the rules, tables-we;ghts and measure
meuss by memory is not given the at
ten,ion it should have. Defamation IS
an excelen, training school for the
memory. writing OF essays should net
oe neglected, but how many public
school teachers require these things.
There are TOO many men and women
drawing pay from the public funds
whose idea OF teaching. is 70 hold : tex.
book &c hear lessons, they DO not in
s.ruct, or assist the child 20 understand,
they are content with The recitation
whether the same is understood by the
child or not: their thoughts are more on
the hands OF the clock. than the mind
o: the child they are being paid TO train.
II is 10, a!~aYs the case, that 2 pertec,
lesson. means the lesson IS fixed upon
the child's mind, j, may have been su-
perGcially obtained. and the careless,