The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-02-27
Roosevelt Candidate
For The Nomination
SUPERINTENDENT INTERESTED
Writes Interesting Letter and Makes
Valuable Suggestions fcl Better
III ut of K 3f:4 Schools.

CdL1OQ mas TSeCelFSu d 1eLIV1 IL AoAa
Hon. J. E. Swearlngen which is the
result CT a statement published in The
Herald and News on the goth, copy OF
which was sent Mr.. SW earingen. Mr..
SWearingen's letter is of considerable
interest to the people Of the county
who are interested in the betterment
of the rural schools, and we hope that
they will read what Mr.. SWearlngen
says. He has a fair conception of the
needs of the country schools and II
the people could be awakened to a
realization of the situation, improve
ments could be secured, and schools
bettered without increasing the taxes
appreciably, and the great need to
bring about condition desired is to
arouse the people to the necessity for
these improvements.
The following is Mr.. Swearingen's
letter in full and it contains matters
of great interest to the people of this
county and to the people Of the entire
State:
Columbia, S. c., Feb. 21, 1912.
Supt. E. H. Aull,
NeWberry, S. c.
Dear Colonel: Permit me to thank
you for your courtesy in sending me
a copy of The Herald and News of
February 20.
The need of an educational awaken
ing in South Carolina is apparent to
every thoughtful student of present
conditions.
The facts about our schools and our
school system are not known to the
people. The Widespread unrest in
education is no accident, because
teachers, patrons and trustees recog-
nize and admit many serious defects,
which they have been unable to cor
rect. Your plan for full and open dis
cussion deserves support and success.
Newberry county, like every other
county in the State, needs school i'm
proNement. The program might in
clude some of the following topics:
l. Cooperation between boards of
school district trustees and the county
superintendent of education in the
employment of teachers.
2. Better school houses and a sew
en-months' term for rural schools.
3. Continuing boards of school dis
trict trustees to be elected annually
by the residents of each district for
term of one, two and three years and
regularly thereafter for three years.
4. The appointment of a woman
county supervisor of normal methods
to work under the direction of the
county superintendent for school bet
terment.
5. The adaptation of the course of
study to the needs and environment
of the pupils.
6. More general and more intelli-
gent instruction in agriculture, domes-
tic arts, domestic science and SANTA
tion.
7. Liberal State appropriations for
public school buildings, term exten-
sion, high schools, teacher training in
high schools and summer schools for
teachers.
8. Increased local taxation for
schools, including the abandonment of
the effete township method of assess
ing property and the introduction of
the policy of taking tax returns by
school districts.
9. A better definition of enrolment,
so as to stimulate teachers in the class
room and to increase attendance
among pupils.
10. The definite establishment of
school district lines so as to conform
to the law and the constitution.
II. A correlation of elementary,
high school and college activities in
order that our system Of education
may become more useful to all the
people.
Much time, thought, labor, energy
have been expended in the effort to
repeal the constitutional tax of three
mills and to place a compulsory edu-
cation law on the statute books. The
e ~ =