Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-08-31
FOR BETTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
superintendent w. IA. Tate Talks to
School Patrons.

copiSu W many or the weekly pa
pers Of the State. Mr.. Tate, .as
State supervisor Of elementary rural
schools, has a great work ahead of
him and the teachers of the State
expect him to be OF great nelp to
them by causing an awakening
among trustees and pupils.
Il have been much gratifed," said
MI. Tate yesterday, sat the prompt
response to my invitation to the
dS1}ss dS1kssss and the people OF the State to
)uss some Of the problems of the
rufal schools in South Carolina. AS
! stated then my conclusions, form
ed after superficial study Of the
situation, are subject to revision,
and 1T is my earnest desire to have
the hest thought OF the State concen-
trated on this subject, which is now
of paramount Importance in the cdu-
cational development Of South Car
olina. 1t Is only through free and
candid expression Of opinion that we
may agree on consistent program
Of progress.
II discussed the necessity for a
better county supervision, and sug-
gested some means by which this
could be secured. 4 number of let
ters have been received and several
communications have appeared in the
papers Of the State, suggesting other
neeaSHof the school, such as consoli-
SAtion Of schools, teaching agricul-
Nde, better pay for teachers. and
longer terms. ! agree that these are
important elements in progress, and
in the course Of time will have some
thing more to say on each Of these
these improvements can be made
topics. But, to- my mind, all OF
effective only with better system Of
supervision.
Last week | stopped for two
hours in Sumter, waiting on q. rail-
road connection. and took the oDpor-
tunity to see the plant Of the sum
ter manufactory, an institution of
which the whole State may we'll be
proud. Under the guidance Of Mr..
Mason, ! saw the process by which
the 500 parts which enter into the
telephone are made and assembled.
Cooperation Necessary.
81 was very much impressed with
the machine for making screws. A
small brass rod was fed automati-
cally.into this machine, where it was
turned III proper size and shape and
received the threads, and where final
~ the head was grOovcd and a screw,
ready for use, dropped into the re-
ceptacle below. The $50 employees
or the telephone factory might have
worked all day making screws by
hand, and the result would probably
have been enough imperfect speci-
mems for one telephone. Instead Of
attempting the work by hand, the
first task Of the manufacturer was to
perfect his machine.
'The first educational task for
South Carolina is aptly described by
this illustration. If we attempt, as
individuals, to do the things which
we realize should be done, the work
VIII iioNc Slo"lH ana lnc result Will
he at best Imperfect. Our first duty
Is to perfect our administrative ma
Chine
u "In South Carolina the county is
the fl cal unit in school administra-
ton, aad for that reason mention
ed improved county supervision as
the prime requisite to educational
rogress
'Whcn the efficient county SUPER
intendent Of education has been Sc
lcctcd in a manner similar to that
indicated last week. he should be
gvcn powers which will enable him
to unity the educational work OF his
county.
The Selection of Teachers.
e'At present, the county supcrin-
lGMrt OF education has nothing to
dNG"th the selection OF the teachers
OF the school districts. He does not
know what teachers arc employed in
the county until the pay warrants
are presented to him after the close
OF the first months teaching Under
the law, no teacher may be employ
cd who has not a valid certificate.
frequently the county superintend-
cht finds that the trustees have, per-
maps unwttingly, employed a
teacher who has no certificate. The
leacher, perhaps, was acquainted
with the provisions Of the law. The