The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1909-09-30
To Trustees Of Marion County

In making out the annual report
of this Office to the State Super
intendent of Education, I have
found some startling conditions of
carelessness on the part of the
teachers. 1t seems that neither
the teachers nor the trustees real
ize as they should the Importance
OF these reports. Their greatest
Importance ofcoursc lies in the
fact that the money raised BY the
constitutional three mill levy is ap-
portioned according to this report.
In addition to the fact that it seems
almost impossible to get these re-
ports from some of the schools,
when by virtue of much coaxing,
entrcaty and prayer, some scanty
report IS at last obtained, it is
found on inspection TO be very
beggarly indeed and in some cases
ignorantly incorrect.
Now this is seldom the fault of
the trustees, except in so far as
they are to blame in being hood
winked into electing an incompc-
tent teacher. In fact it is not the
fault OF the trustees at all, for in
some cases the teachers arc COL
lege graduates and hold first grade
certificates, cases of this kind are
Just as numerous as they are
amongst the negro teachers.
There is no excuse for this except
unadulterated carelessness on the
part of the teacher. 1t is to be
expected that negro teachers with
their limited education, should
make mistakes in making out their
reports, but for an intelligent white
man or woman to send in report
like some of those sent in this wear,
there is not the shadow of an ex-
cuSe.
Now we have decided to see that
these reports are made out correctly
this year and as means to this
end, | have sent cut new registers
to the teachers. These registers
have new form for the annual re-
port and it is to be hoped that they
will be used for drawing money
and for making out the reports.
Furthermore no teachers warrant
will be approved unless the month
ly report is correctly made out on
the back of the warrant. In addi-
tlon the banks of the county have
been asked to refuse to cash anv
warrants which have not been ap-
proved ut the Supcrintcndcnts
office and every BUSINESS house
should take notice of this. When
1t IS lnconvenient for country teach
crs to come in person, they may
send their warrants to this office
and checks will be mailed to them.
There is another matter that
would like to call to the attention
OF the trustees, which IS the GER
tificate question.
There are some certificates that
are not worth the paper on which
they are written. While some
teachers holding these worthless
certificates taught last year, still
they may not be allowed to do so
this year. The certificate referred
to here is the one that has been
renewed fr. n year to year and is
to begin with, of a low grade.
There are also certificates that on
account of the utter lack of ability
as teacher on the part of the hold
er may be revoked.
The question of certificates has
heretofore been very loosely con-
Quoted throughout the state but
there is a general movement at
present for stricter enforcement
OF the law, in order that the child
rem of our country may not be
basely imposed upon by ignorant
teachers. This is the beginning
OF the year and it will be necessa-
ry for the trustees to look into this
matter very carefully.
JOE. P. LANE, Supt. Ed.