The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-10-09
HAND GIVES ADVICE
TO STATE EDUCATORS
URGES THAT WORK NOT
LAG THIS YEAR.
TEACHERS DUTY
At Beginning of Session, He Urges
That All Teachers Do the Best
Work of Which Capable.

I'll tho teachers in Anderson County
viii read this letter and ponder over
its contents" said j. I'. FELTON,, coun-
~ superintendent OF education, "they
will be greatly benefited and will be
able ~ discharge their duties more
faithfully"
The letter to which Mr.. FELTON, re-
fcrs was written by William II. Hand,
Of Columbia. in his capacity of State
Inspector OF High Schools, and says:
Dear Fellow Worker: The high
schools throughout the State are
about to enter upon their years work.
[ hope for you the hest OF which you
are capable, the unatinted support of
your patrons. the responsive efforts Of
your pupils and the warm cooperation
Of your teachers would not pre-
sumo to give advice but beg the
privilege OF Offering you encourage
ment and support in what you under
take. Here are 4 few things 1t might
be we'll to keep in mind
"Before any successful teaching
can be done the teacher must get a
personal hold upon his pupils and his
patrons. Wholesome cOmpnnionship
between teacher and pupil and re-
spectcd friendship between teacher
and patron forcshadow success. Strive
10 know your pupils In their daily life,
In their sports and in their day
dy.hc
must not be hermit
Give your pupils plenty of work
and see that they do il, hut do not
overload them. A fcw subjects mas
tered are better than many subjects
SKINNED over. Five subjects arc
enough for any high school cl1ss. The
best schools are coming to regard
sour major subjects enough. Skim
ming over work Is demoralizing. Some
OF the subjects which seem to lend
themselves especially to skimming are
history, literature, physical geography
and even Latin. Some teachers will
run through book of the Gallo war
In half the time it takes other teach
era but the latter will get twice as
much out of the hook Tarr's physical
geography has In 1t ample work for
sSh AiohLHo Will OdiIy TCCllbtlOuS, yCI
few teachers are unable to find
enough in 1t for moro than three reel
tations n week for nine months. Do
not work for units. Twelve units in a
three yenr course are enough.
Preserve a rational balance be-
tween the humanities and the
sciences. Five or six recitationsa day
n TIC languaEen and but one or two II
the sciences do not suggest a we'll
planned course. Manuel training Is ns
necessary to good education as mere
academic training. This work is grad
ually growing in this State.
There are few things every high
school pupil ought to be able to do:
To spell d1cently the words shaking
his vocabulary. to write a legible
hand. to read with some expression
to speak and write everyday English
creditably to make simple arithmetscaI
calculations neatly and accurately
and to have some knowledge OF . the
history and geography Of his own
counry. Until a pupil can do these
things 1t seems unwise to put him to
other tasks.
"The school studies are important,
but therc are more important things
than these. Character building comes
first, Manly and womanly virtues
come ahead OF academic studies.
Good citizens are needed moro than
good scholars