The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-07

c5tint; siuiberittsHdeht 81 tg4ibXtgn ihlgt
travel over an entire county. The super.
intendent Of schools Of Columbia Is elected
for q term of years by u stable board or
trustees. The county superintendent OF
Lexington must offer himself before the
Democratic primary and, at considerable
expense to himself, make the race for the
| office, and throughout his term OF office,
must continually trim his sails to the
changing winds OF popular opinion, which
often prevents the adoption OF Il consist
rnt educational policy. This county is
typical of the entire State. ,
is il any wonder, then. That the rural
schools are backward? With all our inter
est and our protested declarations that
the country and The country school are
the buIwarks Of democracy, we have not
given them Il chance.
Allow me to suggest for general discus
sion. a scheme of county supervision.
First-Lct the people elect a county
board of education composed of three
members. At the first election let one man
he elected for two years, another for four
veal and the other for six years, and
thereafter let one be elected every two
years. This will insure q stable board.
If it is desired the board may be made tc
consist of five men rather than three, but
elected in a similar mannor.
Second-Let this county board OF educa,
ton select the county superintendent OF
J schools, just as the city school board sc,
lects a city superintendent. They should
be allowed to select the best man for the
work to be done, regardless Of where he is
to be found.
Third-This election should be for
term of four years.
F~ourth-The county superintendent
should be paid n salary which is sufficient
to enable him to devote his entire time
and attention to the supervision OF the
schools. No county in South Carolina cal
afford to pay q county superintendent o
education less than 81 800 per year.
Fifth-The county board OF education
should also be authorized to employ {
county supervisor of instruction, whose
duty it shall be to visit the country school:
and to show the inexperienced teacher!
how TO teach and organize their schools
This official should work under the direc
ton of the county board and the county
Superintendent, who would be left free tt
devote more of his time to the admins
trative duties Of his office, such as tn
voting of special taxes, the consolidation
of schools, and erection of proper Scll0o
buildings. The numerous requests Whlcl
have como from the county Supellnten
dents for the services Of an experimental
supervisor to be placed in one county Q
the State for the coming year, is an indl
cation that such help would be appreci
ated.
Six-The county board of education
should be empowered to levy a Specla
county tax, not to exceed l mill, to be de
voted to the supervision Of the rura
schools. Under the constitution the sa!a
ries of county school officers can not b
paid from the 3-mill tax, and they. are il
consequence dependent on legislative ca
price. The county should be in O. position
to control the funds for supervision.
AS 1 stated above, I should be pleased t.
have this scheme of supervision made TN
basis of general discussion by those in
terested in education.
.. W.. K. Tate,
State Supervisor Elementary Schools
Columbia, S. c.