Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-23
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1911.

assertion that no other county board
ever held them to stricter account
than we did, and at the same time we
hope and believe it was done in such
a way as to command the respect and
confidence of practically every one OF
the teachers. There Is certain
amount Of discretion or common
sense necessary In administering the
affairs of any public office and so long
as the spirit of the law is strictly up
held 1t matters not so much about the
letter. If, for instance an examination
included seven different subjects and
me applicant found it impossible to
complete more than five within the
limited time allowed / would have no
hesitation in granting a certificate II
the work done on the five branches
was of such a character as to convince
me that the applicant could have made
the required per cent II more time had
been given.
AS to those teachers who had held
first grade certificates for years and
failed on the recent examination,
would say that Is by no means an un-
common occurrence and there are some
very good reasons for 1t.
In the first place the questions are
based on the text books in use at the
time and with the frequent changes In
ling the same subject, the eXamina-
tions are more test Of familiarity
with a certain set of books than OF the
real scholarship Of the applicant.
In the second place it has been the
policy of the state board to make each
set of questions a little more dftftcult
than the preceding set and thereby
gradually raise the standard. conse-
ouently a teacher who could barely
pass one examination might easily 1all
by a few points on the next.
NV observation has been that our
teachers as a rule deserve every cent
they have ever been paid. They do
more hard work for less pay and no
thanks than any other class or WORK
ers, and 1 have no apologies to make
for any certificate I have ever signed.
Whether we call ii using lot OF dis
cretion" or as Mr.. Quinn puts 1t raise
pretenses" / have never signed one
that l would not sign again under
the same Circumstance. There Is q
way to be firm and just and at the
same time not tyrannical.
Membership on the county board or
education involves q considerable res
possibility and I otter regretted that
was not more competent to discharge
the duties thereof, but when we nave
done as we'll as we know how, that Is
all there IS TO IL. ENeTyDOuy 49, VI
ought to be, interested in the upbuild-
ing of the schools and the present
county board deserves the support OF
the people in all worthy efforts to bet
ter conditions as they find them, but
we fail to see what good purpose can
be accomplished by criticising the
work of former boards.
Now, as to the interview with Mr..
Knox. AS far as my administration Is
concerned, I deny flat-footed the ac-
curacy of his statement and hereby
challenge him to furnish the names OF
those Chester teachers who used York
county certificates to take Chester's
money for goods that could not be de-
livered. The utter absurdity OF his
statement Is shown by the fact that q
York county certificate is not valid in
chester county until countersigned by
the superintendent Of that county and
there is no law requiring him to sign.
II Mr.. Knox ever indorsed a worthless
York county certificate he was either
ignorant of the law, or lacked the
backbone necessary to refuse and con-
seuuently was equally as guilty as the
original signers.
John E. Carroll.