The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-03-08

The educational rally planned by
Superintendent Of Education Thos. Il.
Gore, which was held in this city
Saturday, was unusually well attended
and was very inspirational in its
character.
The meeting was held In the audi
torium of the high school building
and the principal speaker OF the oc-
casion was Prof. w. X. Tate, super
visor Of rural schools of South Caro-
lima, brief talks also being made by
Prof. Davis Jeffries, superintendent
Of the city graded schools; Prof.
Jas. III. Hope, principal of the Gen.
trail school, and others.
In addition to the more than forty
teachers, there were twenty-five trus-
tees OF schools Of the county and the
faculty and student Of Clifford Sem
mary attended in body.
Prof Tate's address was quite a
fine one, being practical, suggestive
and stimulating. He referred to the
laws by which the schools in the ru-
raj districts can be aided In the
erection OF new buildings and better
equipment, and devoted considerable
attention to the proper construction Of
school houses and showing that there
should be an up-to-date equipment II
the best results are to be obtained.
as Ii is a. loss OF time, ard money to
employ teachers, at a good salary and
not provide them with the means for
hest applying their LESSONS.
Prof. Tate is a thorough wide-
|----ales.. -.-..aS was born In
East Tennessee abo1t sSrty-one yearS
ago. He was raised In Arkansas and
says It was not until he was thirteen
years old that he first saw a train.
He is man who has loved study and
is giving splendid demonstration Of
his abilities in his work throughout
the state. He is graduate Of Peo-
body in Nashville and was engaged
In educational work in Charleston be-
fore becoming supervisor of rural
schools year and a half ago. Dur
Ing the past year he has travelled
over $4,000 miles In this state, his
average trips in buggy being over
rs miles day.
He was quite complimentary in his
reference to the schools OF Union,
saying that the high school here was
one Of the finest in the state and
that throughout Union county are
some exceptionally good schools,
among them those at Sedaha, Cross
Keys and Kelton.
Supr. w. X. Tate's Address.
Mr.. Tate said in part:
We have at this meeting today rep
resentatives Of the three forces on
which we must depend largely for ed
ucational progress, the trustees. the
teachers. and the college students of
Clifford Seminary, who have honored
US by attending In body.
AS I have travelled over the state
during the past two years and have
found here and there a school which
stood notably above the average, I
have usually been able to trace its
success to the common sense, the
patriotic devotion, and frequently the
self-sacrifice OF some trustee who has
been able to lead his people. The
most important body Of men In South
Carolina is the six thousand school
trustees OF the State. II each men,
ber Of this body appreciated fully the
responsibility which rests upon him
and would study carefully the educe-
tional problems of his community and
the trust with an eye to
the coming generation, the rural
schools, of South Carolina would be
in ten years.
The trustee alone, however, cannot |
make the school. His work must be
by the faithful, con.
scientious teacher thoroughly pre-
pared for her work. The trustee may !
plan the work wisely, but the teacher |
must work the plan faithfully The
trustee may build house and fur
nish 1t with modern equipment; the
teacher must put into 1t the living |
soul. In fact. the greatest service
which trustee can perform for his
district is TO secure teacher who |
has the right spirit. who Is thorough.
ly prepared to teach the subjects in |
The curriculum, and who will identi-
y herself completely with the inter.