The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-08-07

Supt. R. W. D. Rowell, Bamberg S. c.
Dear. Sir: A close examination o.
your annual report for the schools
of Bamberg county during the scho-
lastic year 1928 induces Ine to
make few comments by way Of con-
graduation.
The enrolment is the largest get
reported for the county. In the six
white town schools and twenty-five
white country schools, 1850 boys
and girls were taught, an increase
of Is, or nearly 6 per cent. over last
year. This increase is reported as
6s in town, and u in the country.
If these figures are correct, they show
a growth of s per cent. in the six
towns of the county, and of only 2
per cent. in the country districts.
The average attendance was 9S3-
50 per cent. of the enrolment. This
per centage is higher than the average
for the State at large last year, and
indicates a situation which ought to
be stimulating to other counties. The
per centage of attendance for the
scholastic year 1911-12 in Bamberg
was barely $50 per cent, hence an i'm
provement of 9 percent was made
during 1928.
1t is interesting to note that only
four districts maintain more than one
white school; Three Mile No. 4 has
two, Fish Pond No. has three, Hut
to No. has two, and Buford's Bridge
No. z has two. Oakland No. Is main
tains no white school, the trustees
prefering to transfer these children
to the Lees School. This indicates a
healthy consolidation of schools
throughout the county. The weak
est school seems to be at Midway,
where ten pupils were enrolled, and
five were in average attendance. The
population of this town must be
steadily diminishing, for this is a
striking contrast to it's negro enroll
ment of 142.
The second weakest school appears
to be in Fish Pond District No. 5.
Here 13 pupils received instruction
for a term of 80 days from first
grade woman teacher who was paid
S12O for her services. The levying
of a local tax of two mills by the
voters of this district indicates their
intention to secure better facilities in
the near future. 1t would be fine
accomplishment if these four districts
would follow the example of their
neighbors in maintaining only one
strong school for the children of each
district.
The only brick schoolhouses in the
county are located at Bamberg Court
House and at Denmark. The re-
naming &c are Of wood, and five of
these are not owned by the public.
The school sites most frequently
measure one acre, although 1 hope
the trustees may hereafter adopt the
policy of locating school buildings on
not less than four acres. The board
at Govan has already introduced this
custom with wisdom and success.
The teaching was done by nine
men and forty-fve women. 1t is
most gratifying to note your elimina-
ton of third grade teachers. 1t
would mean much for your schools
if every Board of Trustees would
employ only those teachers who hold
first grade certificates secured either
by examination or on college diplo-
mas.
The report for last year showed a
teaching corps of 81, two of whom
held third grade certificates. The
loss of three teachers is fully compen-
sated in the increased efficiency of
those who remain. This diminu-
ton, however, seems to be due to
the discontinuance of two weak
country schools, and is, therefore,
another sign of progress.
The average number of pupils per
school was SO, while the average
number of pupils per teacher was II.
Only one country school at Hunters
Chapel had this enrolment, because
6S per cent of the pupils are report
ed in the six town schools. Bam-
berg had 2S2 and Denmark 1919, CIV
ing 33 per cent Of the children of the
county to these two schools. If some
local condition contributes to this re-
suit, / should be glad to learn its
causes.
Only four schools ran less than
six months. Three of these were
located in District No. 5, anG one in
District No. Z. I should like to see a