The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-04

teachers inviolate md. to maintain
with others discreet silence concern
ing the shortcomings of the teachers.
It is expedient to report success, but
it is most unwise to gossip about the
failures and shortcomings of those
you are endeavoring to assist.
Some Difficulties to Be Met.
There are difficulties in our work
we must face frankly with the deter
mination to overcome them as far as
possible. Progress will necessarily be
slow. We are under the necessity of
overcoming the neglect and indiffer-
ence of years in the development of
the country schools. We must make
up our minds to let nothing discour-
age us.
The question of conveyance from
one school to another over the country
is rather important one. 1t will Of
ten be impracticable for the supervis-
or to keep horse and buggy of her
own, though this Of course would be
best. Most of the supervisors depend
on the people of the community visit
ed to convey them to the next school.
After spending day with one school
the trustees are usually willing to
take the supervisor to the next school
which she wishes to visit. In this
way the travelling expenses OF the su-
pervisors may be reduced to mini
mum.
The supervisor will be most sue
cessful who can best make herself at
home with country people and who
really enjoys the accidents and hard
ships incident to her work. When the
task is approached with the true pion-
eer spirit there is really great deal
of fun in it. In spite of the bad roads,
the cold and rainy days, and the other
things we are accustomed to call hard
ships, it has been my observation that
the supervisors without exception i'm
prove in health and strength and
broaden in human sympathy.
Suggested Lines of Work.
AS l said before, the work Of the
county supervisor will vary with con-
dition. The following are suggested
as among fruitful line of activities:
/. Assist the county superintendent
and trustees in finding good teachers
for the country schools. The trustees,
who are under our law charged with
the duty Of selecting teachers, have
little opportunity to make good Sc
lection. They are either limited to
the few teachers whom they know
personally, or are dependent on the
tender mercy of the teachers agency.
The best service which county sup
ercised can perform is to help the
county superintendent and trustees to
find a good teacher for every school in
the county. If l can be of any assist
ance to you in this respect, kindly
command me.
2. Encourage the trustees, the pat
rons, the school improvement associa-
ton to prepare the school house and
grounds for the opening of the school
session. The yard should be cleared
of weeds, the floors swept and scour-
ed, the windows. and doors repaired,
the furniture arranged, the seats
screwed to the floor, the blackboards
put in repair, the wells should be
cleaned, and the closets and other out
buildings put in thoroughly sanitary
condition. A card written by the coun-
ty superintendent and the supervisor
to the chairman of the board insisting
on this preliminary work, and follow
ed up by newspaper articles will go
far towards getting the school houses
ready for the opening.
Try to get every pupil in the district
enrolled on the opening day. Encour-
age teachers and trustees to make the
first day of school an educational ral-
Iy day and an occasion in the COM
munity. Farm work will keep many
children out of school during the first
weeks of the session. Try to have ev-
eryone of these present at least on
the first day when they may be en-
rolld and classified and may receive
the list of books for the session BY
home study many of them will DO
much toward keeping up with their
classes. Endeavor to get them to
school on rainy days when farm work
is impossible Many children are slow
in starting to school because the date
OF opening has not been thoroughly