The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-09-16
For Improvement in Our Country Schools

s -
me to address this open letter to teach
ers, trustees and patrons who are in
any way interested in the success OF
their respective schools.
It should be remembered that each
community is more responsible for the
kind of school it has than is the county
superintendent, although he does all he
can within the limits of his sphere of
action.
The law places the election of teach
ers in the hands of the trustees, and in-
vests them with Inc power to direct the
affairs of the school, and only in a very
indirect way can the county superin-
tendent interfere with the local mau-
agement of any school, providing the
trustees are acting within the law.
It therefore shall be my purpose to
point out few things which have af-
fected the successful work of at least a
few OF our country schools, and which
can be avoided this year If taken hold
of in time.
l have found it the case sometimes
that because some teacher has previous
" taught in graded town school, or
taking pattern after that class OF
schools where the daily session runs
from pine o'clock until two O'Clock
have insisted on spp!ying the same
hours to the country school. There
are but few cases where this rule is
applicable. in the average country
school. Six hours OF actual school
room work is about the shortest period
in which the work can be done.
7 have also found some irregularities
OF hours here and there as I 60 over
the county in the, discharge of my
duties have visited some schools,
getting there as late as 10 O'Clock and
hnd that school had not begun. IN
other cases I have arrived at the schoo!
as late as one or TWO O'Clock, and found
teacher and pupils gone, and upon in
ouiry would find some excuse that l
could not consider as valid.
Irregular hours and irregular attend
ance is serious drawback to sor e
schools in the county. The trustees
and patrons hold the key to the situa-
ton. The trusteessand patrons should
insist on ao honest days work. sub
NIT that for the average couutry school
daily session Of six hours should be
required. Furthermore that no teach
er be permitted 70 keep pupils longer
than four O'Clock. | have found some
very conscientious teachers who labor
ed very hard to render good service
who claimed that they could not do
their work in a shorter time than seven
hours.
Taking all things into consideration,
it is my opinion that the average daily
session should be six hours. However,
it is up TO the trustees and patrons of
each and every community to determine
how long their daily sessions shall
be. If you want FIVE hours session
established, then decree that it shall
be. If you want six hour session,
then so fix it. If there should be any
laxity on the part fyour teacher along
this line, then you should 60 about the
matter in business like way to correct
the trouble, and not take it out in crit
icising the teacher.
The law provides that the trustees
shall visit their schools from time TO
time. If the trustees will do this, it
will improve conditions very mater
tally.
Every trustee who has not copy OF
the school law. should send to me for
one at once, then ascertain what your
duties are, and proceed to see where
you can do some effective work.
The patrons also have some very i'm
portant duties to perform, and by the
way, these duties are not that of stand
ing afar of anc criticising, but by
standing up TO the trustees and teach
ers and supporting them in all legiti-
mate ways to make their schools bet-
ter school.
Trustees and patrons alike should CO.
operate with the teacher in building
up wholesome, healthy sentiment in
favor of better conditions. Do not eX-
pecc the teacher TO pull the whole load
do your part.
Teachers are frequently criticised
for their failure TO make educated boys
and girls in few brief weeks. I have
had criticisms made TO me time and
again by parents because their children
diG not make progress faster. In some
of thes cases, | have visited the school,
and would make an examination of the
school register and would find that
those pupils had not attended much
over half their time while attending,
and that they were not enrolled for the
entire session.
The school terms as rule are short
er for the country schools than in the
town schools. Nov it requires pupil
attending our best graded schools about
ten wears to complete the prescribed
course, attending regularly for at least
eight months in the year. How then is
it possible in the schools that run for
about six months to give the same re.
suits, especially when the records show
that the pupils have attended irregu-
larly for about three or four months Of
| that short period? Is II any wonder,
therefore, that many pupils are simply
marking time, and soon become dis.
couraged. then drop out Of the schoo!
with very little education? Ponder
over these problems, and see where
the trouble lies. What can you, Mr.
reader, do to help improve conditions:
Are you parents doing your duty by
those entrusted 10 your care when you
keep your children out Of school unit
all the farm work has been done?
The purpose of this article is to
arouse patrons and all others interest
ed in the Improvements Of our common
schools TO see what can be done to i'm
prove matters.
Do not be q critic until you pu
your shoulder TO the wheel, and SCI
what you as an individual can do t
improve school conditions.
We are up against conditions thl
year that we have never had to NEE
before, and it behooves all of US TO be
gin to work for the very best that cal
be brought to pass.
| e. J. BROWNE,
ro,,,+,, Cnrt of L'6nootiop