The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-01-02
PROF HANDS PLEA
TO BETTER SCHOOLS
SAYS TAKE OFFICE OF sUPERLS
TENDET OUT OF POLITICS.! Y!
Would Have Head of System Chose
by a Board Elected
by People.


State board of education which
would choose the State superintendent
Of education and take the office out
of politics, Prof w H. Hand, State
high shool inspector, levels his guns
on the present plan as the plaything z
of the cheap politician and the pawn 4
of tae demagogue.
"The cheap politician and the two
by-four statesman may le depended
upon to. oppose any such plan on the
specious plea that it would be undem-
ocratic Should such plan be adopt
ed they and their kind would have one
fewer pawns in their little political D
game in election years. Such a plan
would emphasize fitness for the Office
instead of stump bun .ombe and cam
paign bargaining hope and glory
of the cheap politician and dema-
gogue" is one of tite flashes from Prof. Z
Hands withering fire on the present
educational system of South Carolina.
The Biggest Business. A
Says Mr.. Hand: Considering
amount Of capital invested, the
tude of the undertaking and I'll
port of the results, education is b
the biggest business of the moc
State. Year by year the capital is
creasing ard the business is growing
Year by year the need of trained lead-
ership is emphasized At present
there is admittedly too little efficiency
in our school work, financially or prQann
| tfessionally speaking. School lahances
are directed largely by men ~ no de-
monstratiye financial acumen or train
ing and the organization and ad-
ministration of schools are often
directed by men of no professional
! equipment.
! $40 State can hope to have good
schools until it has a good school sys-
TEN. No good system can be had, un-
, less il is uninterruptedly presided
over by a competent head, by man
with a national outlook and of ap-
proved executive force. He must be
seer, a builder and leader. In an :
age waen big business is on the con-
slant watch for just such men. it is.
nothing less than childish to hope to
secure and retain the services of men s
| OF demonstrated ability to direct the
education Of a State for the beggarly
salary now paid by this State to its
superintendent of education. Hun
dreds of people honestly believe his
salary ample and liberal. Are think
ing men willing to permit suo1 narrow
notions to prevail? 1t is but COM
monplace to say that there are many
citizens ready to take the e''nn~ir- -o"d
ency at the present salary. There are
doubtless not a few wiling to take it
at half that salary, but does the State
desire such men at any salary? Say
what we please, the State is in tie
open market for competent men to ill
it's Offices; the State must compete
with other positions of responsibility
and remuneration.
A Slender Reed.
What State, determined to have a
good permanent school system, can
afford to depend upon a political pri-
mary to get and to keep competent
man at the head of this system? What
American State has done so for any
length of time? AS matter of plain
fact. at the biennial State elections Of
this State, what per cent. of the total
voters manifest any Intelligent con-
Germ as to who is to be elected su-
perintendent of education? 1t is safe
TO say that fewer than one half care.
By the time the average voter has CIV
on attention to his favorite candidate
for governor and lienteuant COVER
nor, he is ready to vote for anybody
or for nobody for superintendent of
education. Is not our system Of pub
lie education largely matter Of po-
litical chance? With weak or bad
administration of public education
who can place the responsibility? Is
any system sound when weakness Or
corruption can not be located and
somebody held responsible? Can our
people have no more concern for the
MANAGEMENT of more than two and
one-half million dollars of their taxes
CONTINUED ON PAGE ~.