The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-08-19

over an entire county. The superlA-
tendent Of schools of Columbia is
elected for term of years by stable
board Of trustees. The county super
intendent Of Lexington must offer him
self before the Democratic primary
and, at considerable expense to him
self, make the race for the office, and
throughout his term Of office must
continually trim his sails to the chang
ing winds of popular opinion, which
often prevents the adoption Of q con-
sis:ent educational policy.
This county is typical of the entire
State Is it any wonder then that the
rural schools are backward? With all
our interest and orr protested de-
cl@:.::a.i: :..@. n" country and the
:,,,.:.;.y :>I.4! ."- ;he b;!iWarks ot
Democracy, We have not given them
chance.
Eliminating Politics.
Allow me 70 suggest for general dis
cussion scheme Of county supervis-
iun:
First. Let the people elect county
board of education composed of three
members. At the first election let
one man be elected for two years, an
other i2~ 5oUr years and the other
for six years. and thereafter let one
man be elected every two years. This
Will insure a stable board. If it is
desired the board may be made to
consist Of NE men rather than three.
Second Let this county board Of
education select the county superin-
tendent of schools just as the city
school board selects a city superin-
tendent. 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 selection should be for
a term of four years.
Fourth. The county superintendent
should be paid salary which is suf-
fcient to enable him to devote his en-
tire time and attention to the super
vision of the schools. No county in
South Carolina can afford to pay a
county superintendent of education
less than $1,000.
Fifth The county board of educa-
ton should also be authorized to en-
ploy a county supervisor Of instruc-
ton, whose duty it shall be to visit
the country schools and to show the
inexperienced teachers how to teach
and organize their schools. This Of
fetal should work under the direction
of the county board and county sup
erintendent, who would be left free to
devote more of his time to the admin
istrative duties Of his office, such as
the voting Of special taxes, the con-
solidation of schools and erection of
proper school buildings. The numer-
GUS requests which have come from
the county superintendents for. the
services of an experimental super
visor to be placed in one county of
the State for the coming year, is an
indication that such help would be
appreciated. =.
Sixth. The county board of educa-
tion should be empowered to levy a
special county tax not to exceed one
mill, to be devoted to the supervision
of the rural schools. Under the con-
stitution the salaries of county school
officers can not be paid from the g.
mill tax and they are in consequence
dependent on legislative caprice. The
county board should be in Z position
to control the funds for supervision.
AS I stated above, should be pleas
ed to have this scheme of supervision
made the basis of general discussion
by those interested in education.
W. K. Tate,
State Supervisor Elementary Schools.