The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-11
Watchman, What of the Future.

When statistics show that the aver
ace school life of the North Carolina
child is less than four years, it is time
that thinking people were beginning to
sit up and take notice. The city super
intendent of large city school recent
ly made his report in which he cited
the enrolment of boys from the prl-
mary to the graduating class. An en-
rollment of nearly three hundred was
reduced to nine in the finishing grade.
Fully seventy-6ve per cent. had drop
ped out before the sixth year. All kinds
of explanation may be ofered-the
commercializing of the age, ETC. But
this does not suffice. The ease with
which boy can secure job in these
days may explain in part, but the root
of the matter is deeper than that The
public schools of this country have un-
dertaken too much They are proceed
ing upon false premise, and are there
fore arriving at false conditions. The
idea seems to be prevalent that the
public schools should prepare for col
lege. The curriculum is arranged with
this inview. If there was five times the
amount of money at the command of
the different boards, such a course
might hnd some defense, but until this
becomes fact, there is an imperative
demand for modification of the present
plans. Almost all cities now have elev-
en- grades, requiring eleven years for
graduation The last four grades are
small in comparison with the other.
They are the grades in which the most
expensive teachers are employed, the
salaries being nearly, if not fully, double
those paid for teachers in the under
grades Thirty-fve and forty dollars
are paid to the third, fourth and fifth
grade teacher while the eighth, ninth,
tenth and eleventh grade teachers are
drawing from seventy-fve to one hun
dred and seventy-fve. The first named
are trying to teach from forty-fve to
sixty pupils while the upper rooms have
an attendance of twenty to thirty. The
lower grade teacher has simply an op-
portunity to hear lessons. Teaching is
practically out of the question. Mem
ory is the only faculty to which appeal
can be made. The pupil soon tires of
this hundrun1, and stands ready at the
age of ten to thirteen to throw up his
job and spend life in what promises
more practical things We ask no man
to take Our word for this. All we ask
is that any one interested make an ex-
animation of the facts, study the sys-
tern, consider the expenditure, and then
determine what is the duty of the State.
The report of the State superintendent
shows an average expenditure of one
and 65-Ioo dollars for each child in the
lower grades while for higher educa-
ton the State of North Carolina is
paying nearly two hundred for every
pupil that attends its State institutions
in addition to what the pupils themselves
have to pay.
The prime object of all government
is the greatest good to the greatest num-
ber It is therefore timely that the peo-
pie should consider. If the State would
reach the ideal in self government, this
great mass must receive the best pos
sible instruction in those things that
make for the highest citizenship. We
desire to be one to raise our voice in
their behalf. We plead for better,
a more experienced teaching force for
these lower grades. We plead for more
teachers and fewer pupils to the room.
Cut out your Greek, French, German,
science, and ologies, and take the money
SO uScQ anu uSVOlc II 10 lllS lHOIC pl d.
tical things, that involve the daily life,
the earning of a livelihood. Cut out
the fads, and give US more arithmetic,
more grammar, better spelling. Instead
of the compulsory study of the dead
languages open up business course
that will help to make bread winning
less serious problem. Our schools have
been run long enough along the lines
of the politician The crying demand is
for craftsmanship, men who will see
things as they are, and frame their con-
duct thereby The great masses are
waiting for some one to give them the
facts Our schools are the hope of our
State. 1t is the duty of every good man,
every thinking man, to study conditions.
We have stated - facts as thew are