The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-11
REPORT ON HIGH SCHOOLS.
PROFESSOR HAND REVIEWS THE
SITUATION.
The High School Law Is Declared to
Have Had Very Beneficial Effect
on Educational Work in South
Carolina.

high school inspector, has submitted
his third annual report to the high
school board. The report is issued
as Bulletin No. 13 of the University
1t Is pointed out in the report that
the benefits of the high schools have
been more immediate and far reach
ing than was expected. In summariz.
ing the results it is shown that the
high school law has increased the
number Of high schools, the number
of high school teachers, the salaries
of high school teachers and the num-
ber of high school pupils. 1t has been
the means of establishing high schools
where there were none before and OF
increasing the efficiency Of those al
ready established. 1t has been the
Means of increasing local school
levies in a large number Of districts
and of levying taxes where none
were levied before.
Other results as shown are that
during the past three years nearly
100000 has been invested in school
buildings, completed and in the
course of erection, ranging in cost
from $4,000 to 10000. Many of these
were built to accommodate high
schools, and owe their existence to
some measure Of the high school law
In numerous districts the school
term has been heightened from one
20 two months in order to meet the
requirements for high school aid.
In fully two-thirds of the State
aided high schools the teaching force
in the common school department
has been increased to meet the re-
quirements Of the State high school
board, especially is this true in the
rural high schools.
Inspection OF Schools.
The inspection and classification OF
the high schools have already done
much toward the defining Of a high
school and differentiating between
high school in name and a high
school In fact. 80.
Continuing the report says: "The
popular mind Is beginning to distin-
guish between the work of the gram
mar school and the work Of the high
school on the one hand and be-
tween that of the high school and
that of the college on the other hand.
Ultimately the accurate classifica-
tion Of high schools will automatical-
ly classify. the higher institutions fed
by the high schools-a consumma-
tion devoutly to be wished.
I'm reference to reports on high
schools 1t is stated that the first at
tempt at report Of the high schools
of the State was made in January
1907, two months before the passage
of the high school law. To secure
data for this was a very arduous and
uncertain task. Mr.. Hand was fore
ed to trust largely to data gathered
by reports from the schools doing
more or less high school work. Lat
er Investigations showed glaring in
accuracies in the data, and it may be
admitted at once that the inaccura-
cies. almost without exception, were
on the side of favorable showing
to the schools. This was rather to
be expected. AS instances, pupils
under the most liberal Interpretation
not belonging to the high school had
been counted; schools reporting two
high school teachers often gave part
time of one or both to the common
school; more than one-third the
school counted the seventh grade as
part of the high school; schools
with half dozen pupils in elemen-
tary Latin styled themselves as high
schools; schools not doing the work
OF good three-year schools claimed
four-year courses. However, TAX
ing these reports at their face value,
marked advance can be shown"
Increase in Schools.
In 1905, there We're in the State 95
public high schools; in 1908, under
more rigid classification there were
1913. In 1909 there were 154, the
smallest Of which has one teacher
giving all his teaching time to not
fewer than Is high school pupils.
The State high school board recog-
nizes nothing below the eight grade
or eight school year. as belonging to
the high school.
AS to appropriations the report to
the board has to say that for the
school year 1907-190S the high
school appropriation was $4,000; the