Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1913-03-06
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
VISITS FORT MILL SCHOOLS

schools in Fort Mill township
and if you can find the necessary
space l will be glad to have you
publish some observations on
conditions as / found them.
am writing, not in any spirit
of criticism. of either teacherss
trustees or patrons, but 1 shall
be perfectly frank in calling
attention to the needs of the
schools. with the hope that steps
will be taken to improve con-
ditions very materially in the
near future.
reached Fort Mill early Tues
day morning and drove at once
to. the Massey school in District
No. a. The trustees for this
district are Messrs. J. F. Lee and
B. F. Massey. Miss Aida Their
rell is the teacher in charge.
The school house is built Oh the
old style with no regard for
scientific lighting or ventilation,
but it is comfortable, has borch
in front and is equipped with
good desks and fair amolhnt of
blackboard space. The outside
is painted and both building
and grounds are reasonably well
cared for. | was glad t9 see
well arranged program of daily
recltations on a separate |black-
board and there were other
evidences of systematic work on
the part of the teacher.} The
annual school term is only four
months and somethin9 should
be done to lengthen it. I A four
months term does mott give a
child fair showing in his
preparation for the battle of life.
This is one of thel few districts
in the county (which has no
special levy for school purposes,
and if a b mill taN were voted
enough could be Msecured from
the State extension fund to
increase thfs term to seven
months,A' and add some needed
equipment in the way of maps,
library, etc.
The afternoon was spent at
the Flint Hill school six miles
above town. A few of the
patrons were out to meet me,
and we had quite an interesting
discussion of school affairs. Flint
Hill is in District No. 80. Messrs.
w. H. Windle, w. P. Epps and
w. B. Medlin are the trustees.
Miss Myrtle Smith has charge
of the school this session. l am
told, and believe, she is doing
faithful. conscientious work, but
it is impossible for her or any
other teacher to get the best
results under existing conditions.
The school building is miserable
the outside patched up and un-
painted, the inside walls black
with age-very few desks old
fashioned plank blackboards = no
maps or globe-no library its
venerable roof leaning toward
the beautiful church, as if in
meek apology for it's very exist
ence. If any one thinks | have
over-painted the picture, let him
go look for himself. The hope
full factors in the situation are
the SO or 60 bright-faced, in
telligent looking boys and girls,
the magnificent new church,
showing what the community is
capable of doing, and the general
air of, prosperity, prevalent on
the farms and around the homes
of the citizens.
Flint Hill needs a new build
ing, and from the expressions
heard | am encouraged to be-
lieve that / will soon be able to
write a very different story.
With this accomplished other
improvements will follow in
rapid succession.
On my way to the next school
it was my good fortune to spend
the night in the home of Mr..
and Mrs. S. P. Blankenship
whose hospitality made me fee
that even the life of a county
superintendent has it's compen.
sations.
If you find this useable I will
say something next week about
the Gold Hill, Eureka anc
Riverside schools.
John E. Carroll,
Co. Supt. Education.
Yorkville. March 3.