The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-01-04
PUBLIC SCHOOL SCANDAL.
CERTIFICATION LAW FOR TEACH
ERS BEING VIOLATED.
State High School Inspector Cites In
stances OF Flagrant Breaches Of Act
Requiring Certificates.

the State high school inspector, in his
annual report comes to the conclusion
that the condition in some Of the
counties OF the State, if an investiga-
ton should be made, would be found
little less than scandalous."
I'm some Of the counties the flag
rant and open violation Of the law is
all but amazing. Indeed, in some
places, but little show is made Of en-
forcing law or respecting it,
Mr.. Hand says: 81 am loath to
criticise public officials. many Of whom
1 count among my best personal
friends. Besides, it is ungrateful to
criticise an official whose duties are
somewhat onerous and whose remu-
neration is contemplate. as is the
case with the county superintendent
of education in this State. Neverthe-
less. the certification OF teachers is a
matter of SO grave Importance to the
whole school system, that candor
compels me to discuss it here.
with a full realization of the
meaning of my words, / assert nv
belief that were an investigation
made of the administration of the
present law in regard to the certifica-
tion of teachers. the conditions in
some of the counties would be found
little less than scandalous. In some
of the counties the fragrant and open
violation Of the law is all but amaz-
ing. Indeed, in some places but little
show is made of enforcing the law
or respecting it.
1T is safe to say that in some coun-
ties one-fourth Of the teachers in the
public schools are teaching and being
paid public funds Illegally, since they
are doing so without valid certificates.
Many OF these teachers are entitled
to certificates upon diplomas which
they hold from accredited colleges,
but have never secured them.
Some Of this class have been
teaching for 10 and 15 years. There
are numbers Of others who have been
teaching as long as ten years without
certificates, and who are not entitled
to them. There are others still who
are teaching on certificates several
years out Of date.
'The nature of the above state
ments demands the citation Of specific
cases. Here are few: A certain wo-
man had taught continuously in one
county for more than ten years; she
had once been examined by the
county board. and her certificate had
been renewed from time to time:
finally her certificate lapsed, and
when she stood her second examina-
tion she failed on nearly one-half the
subjects given; she was given a GER
tihcate; however, to keep from
humiliating her family
Two women. in different counties,
had taught for years without certifi-
Gates, and neither was entitled to a
certificate; each was looked upon as
an indispensable in her home school;
there came a day in 1909 when GER
tificates were required. they and their
friends demanded certificates Con
general principles); they got the GER
tificates without any pretense of en-
animation.
"A certain man had taught con-
tinuously in one county for over Is
years without certificate; it became
necessary for him to have one; his
county superintendent, contrary to
the plain law, issued him one on a
diploma from a college in another
State. The same thing has been done
in at least four other counties this
year woman with a certificate
(not diploma of graduation) from
college in a neighboring State
was issued q certificate by her county
eQucatlOn, when
asked for his authority to grant it he
ignored the inquiry. A county su-
perintendent, in open violation of the
law. validated two certificates issued
by county boards in another State.
Another county superintendent issued
a certificate, not a renewal. for at
tendance upon county summer
school. l have in my possession a
copy Of letter from a county su-
perintendent telling school girl in
the ninth grade OF village school
that he wound grant her a first grade
certifcation on her school grades if
her teacher would Vouch for her
pedagogy; the teacher refused, | am
glad to add.
off