The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-11
ON SCHOOL LAW REVISION.
Supt. Swearingen Receives Letters
from National Commission.

ScnOOl commissioner, that the revised
laws recommended by the commission
appointed at the last session of the
approved practices, and that they
will result in marked improvement to
the school system Of the State" Mr..
! Brown writes:
Hon. ]. Z. Swearingen, State Su-
perintendent of Education, Columbia,
South Carolina-My Dear Mr.. Swear
ingen: In reply to your request, l
would say, concerning the Report of
the Commission to Examine and Re-
wise the School Law Of the State"
''The changes recommended by the
commission are, so far as 1 have been
able to examine them, and so far as
they are shown in the summaries, all
in the line of approved practices, and
If adopted. 1 believe they will result
in marked improvement to the school
system of the State.
THE constitution Of State boards of
! education is a matter about which
there is a wide divergence of opinion.
In some States the State board is the
highest educational authority; in 9TH
ers it is of equal rank and Importance
with the State superintendent, and in
still others the board is an advisory
only. School systems are harmonious
e, ly and successfully conducted under
all these methods of organization, and
it is not my purpose to advocate any
one method in derogation Of the 9TH
ers. But since it appears that the last
named form has been chosen for
South Carolina, it is not only logical,
but right and proper that the State
| Superintendent should be allowed to
name the men who are to aid and ad
wise him. Such provision is not
new, and 1t has been adopted with
success in other States, particularly in
West Virginia.
THE strengthening of the county
| organization is a distinct advance,
and l sincerely hope that the provis-
ions in this connection will be adopt
| ed. The county superintendency is
an office Of great importance, and any
action is wise which has the effect
| of increasing the dignity of that Of
| flee or the efficiency or the holders
| thereof.
| Your recomm endations are in the
right direction, and are, perhaps, as
much as can be secured at this time.
But other States have done much
more to make the office a purely pro-
fessional one, and have no doubt
that, after few years experience
with the law you propose. it will be
found desirable to strengthen it still
further and to eliminate the re-
quirement Of one years residence in
the State. l know Of no reason why
a. county should not select and en-
pioy the best man available, Just as
| large cities are accustomed to do. The
minimum salary (s1.2O0) is less than
many States provide for like service,
and that, too, will probably be increas-
ed when the good effects Of profess
sional supervision have been observ-
ed. 1t may he we'll to state in this
connection that in New Jersey coun-
ty superintendents receive uniformly
| $2,OOO per annum, and are paid by
the State.
THE policy of State aid to weak
districts is wholly commendable,
and is especially necessary in South
Carolina in the absence Of a State
tax, collected on the basis of valu-
alton and distributed on the basis Of
school population or school attend
ance.
THE latter method of making the
strong to help the weak prevails in
many States; where there is no such
tax, direct appropriation to accom-
pllsh the same end are necessary to
uniform system Of schools.
THE new definition of enrolment
Tor the purpose Of distributing school
moneys Is undoubtedly an improve
ment, and it would be still better if
the total number of days present
OF all pupils could be used instead of
the average described. The use Of
the average attendance basis means
that school maintained for thirty
days will receive exactly the same
amount as a school OF equal size
maintained for two hundred days.
The total attendance basis would of
Ter an incentive to longer term
which does not appear in the average