The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1911-12-21
EVEN PAY OWN POSTAGE.
But With These Pitiful Salaries They
Must Put Up Bonds as High as $50.
ooO-Average Territory 10 a Hundred
Square Miles.

energy and thought into his work. In
one Of the fertile and prosperous coun.
ties Of Kentucky not many miles from
Cincinnati. o.. had an interview with
q county superintendent whom I knew
20 be q 'liVe wire" occasionally. NY
first question wasi
How responsible does the public
consider your position7"
DO you mean as measured by ny
salary or by the bond am asked TO
sive7"
"Your bond"
We'll. have TO give a bond Of $50.
900. You see, have $4,000 to pass
through my hands annually 20 finance
the forty sis schools that are scattered
over the county. Besides. the school.
houses with their equipment are an in.
Vestnie-. Of about $4,000"
"Vou say scattered over the county.
How much territory does Il covert"
This 10 rather . small county, but
my schools that ! am forced TO visit
cover a territory Of a hundred square
miles, ard they are on many kinds OF
4 - - AhfhN RFoPooNtioU 70
perVise the work Of sisty-fve teachers
in forty. sis schools. 10 say nothing Of
the office work and the inspection that
is necessary for repairs and new build
inas-
I was silent for q moment. thinking
Of the probable salary that would be
paid q manager 90 take charge Of a
business with s55.ooo in the plant.
. sntina $4,000 q year running eS-
p-ns,s and covering q territory Of a
hundred square miles I smiled and
asked quietly;
what salary does this county allow
you for your work as county superin-
tsndentf"
Five HUNDRED AND TEN DOL.
LARS"
90 the county and state allow you
an adequate expense aeeount7'
He pulled q pocket notebook from
M, desk and smiled rather bitterly as
he said;
They DO not even pay for the stamps
Or stationery in my office work. Let
me run over this for q moment and
chow you how Il goes. must keep
horse and buggy or eanno, get
about. As this county has never taken
over the turnpikes ! must pay my own
toll. n am Ear from home in winter
time mus, stay all night at some
hotel. Al this makes my expenses for
the pas. year $3.50. leaving me AZ the
end Of the year $3.50. That's LESS
THAN A DOLLAR A DAY FOR Az
soLUrE WORKING TIME"
what 10 the highest salary paid
county superintendents In the state7"
Fifteen hundred. and they are few
and far between. There are lots OF
them on the s4oo and 5000 basis. and
Il simply means that the fellow has to
do tif. Insurance.. farm a little. take q
plaoe in . store, make q living IN some
/ way and then use what time he can
spare for the schools"
1T SIMPLY MEANS THAT OUR
| RURAL SCHOOLS ARE NOT MAN.
AGED AT ALL. THEY ARE MORE
COMMONLY MisMANAoED.
Education for the mass Of the peo-
ple is an Investment and a business
| proposition. With q carefully edu-
| Gated population a state or eommu-
,;,v can move forward in desert. any
where YOU place them. With an w.
Iit.rate population the finest country
On the alobe cannot force them to
make GOOD Brains, trained brains, Is
IN. insistent call Of the twentieth CEN
,urv. Does kentucky hear that callr
Business and prosperity follow brains'
lavvlessness and poverty follow Hitter
.ov. Kentucky will be out OF step with
an. onward sweep OF the hurryins
twentieth century so long as she al
laws thirteen children out OF every
hundred TO grow into manhood and
WON a nhood robbed OF the divine right
81 BEING able at least TO read and to
| write.
4, order that Kentucky may occupy
nI,ee in the forefront in the matter
:. education, a movement has been IN
| ,uourated for the improvement OF
county schools
I,a;tterenee due TO a failure to APP
preeiate the real value of educa''on -
an. Of the very serious obstacles which
b,v. confronted every movement to-.
xard a higher standard Of educational
,.ork. In the last few years greater
;r,.res, has been exhibited generally
over the state, indicating in a decided
manner that our people we're shaking
of the Ietharsy Of the past and were
\ sspirine TO place the state on sound
progressive educational basis
Every citizen must rejoice over this
awakening, and all should now unite
in a continuous, earnest effort to atone
for NEGLECT OF the past II would be
useless task, in view Of this growing
anoreeiation Of the Importance and
vaIue Of education, to make any arsu-
msnt or submit any extended report IN
its behalf.