The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-24

Iour present system or education with
lout first making a full and frank
analysis Of what We have. We need
to know the strength and the weak
ness Of every timber in our existing
educational structure. For not until
the people are shown clearly the de-
fects in our present system will they
he wiling even 10 listen to plans for
its betterment. In matters educa-
tional We have been the victims of
at least three baneful agencies-self-
delusion. self-complacency. and self
appreciation. There Is no pessimism
In saying that the backward condi-
iton OF the schools in many a COM
munity is largely due to the unwar-
ranted and urmerited praise repeated
ly INDUCED in by those who really
know better or ought to know better.
Now. educational legislation alone
will not give us an effective school
system. Back Of any code Of school
laws must lie a firm grasp of the aims
and functions Of education, and. a
knowledge Of how to apply the means
to the demands of our civilization.
Yet, a comprehensive and symme-
trical school law must be the basis
upon which system Of education for
the state must rest. Any State sys-
tenn must find Its permanent express
sion in terms Of the statutes Of the
state. Our present school law. how
ever. comprehensive and symmetri-
eel 1t once may have been, Is, after
Thirty years Of amending and repeal
ing. a gorgeous piece Of legislative
patchwork filed with hiatuses, repe-
titions. and contradictions. 1t stands
a mute witness to our total Lack of
anything resembling a system Of edu-
cation. The repeated Attempts to i'm
prove the law by endless amendments
has only added to its confusion.
Between the years 1878 and 1898
approximately one hundred special
school districts were created by the
general assembly; the same powers
and privileges were granted to per-
haps no ten Of them. There are now
several Of these special districts in
which not a single resident knows
the privileges of the Acts creating
them. and in several instances not q
man in the district is known to be
aware Of the existence of such Acts.
In twenty-nine Of the counties
of the state the tenure of office Of
the county superintendent Of educa-
tion has recently been changed from
two years to four. while i'm the re-
naming counties the term is two
Years. Even In some of the latter
counties the tenure has been changed
from two years TO four. then changed
back to two. The salary scale Of the
county superintendent reveals al
most as great variety as there are
counties.
1 Many are the vain attempts to
bring some kind of order out of this
chaos. After the first week Of any
session of the general assembly, the
calendars Of the two houses show a
commendable zeal (but often a dearth
OF wisdom) on the part Of the mem
bers to do something for education.
Ihe main trouble is that most Of
these measures are entirely local and
often trivial. Instead of making for
system they are positively destruc-
tive OF system. i am not contending
Tor the system Of a machine, but for
a state system with the merits of
,coherence and effectiveness. We need
some wholesome legislation looking
beyond the boundaries of some school
district or even the boundaries of
some county. Ii Is idle to expect
educational legislation State wide i'm
It's application and constructive i'm it's
nature. until our people cease to fan
the discord and antagonism which
have been engendered and fostered
by demagogues between the towns
and rural communities. The whole
thing is undemocratic. primitive.
puerile, and destructive Of the com
mon good.
tTo be continued July 24.)
PALMETTO ITEM UNCHANGED.
shis states Share In River and Hur-
bor Appropriations Not Cut Dov ',
by Congress.