The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-01-14

ers and the men who in one way or
another devote their time and en-
ergics to educational advancement
ever eat.
The high cost" apparently does not
reach the immune teachers, else why
is it that teachers salaries do not
obey the rule and, even if haltingly,
follow on the upgrade behind the high
cost Of living as it mounts the hill or
expense?
Recently the State Board of Educa-
ton found it necessary to go into
special executive session because Of
the designations Of the county super
intendents Of Abbeville and Laurens
counties.
Both men resigned because the pay
they were receiving was utterly in
adequate compensation for their SER
vices.
The superintendent of Abbeville
has been working for the munificent
salary of 800 a year.
The superintendent Of Laurens did
just fifty dollars better per annum.
Many skilled laborcrs, who at the
best have but a bowing practical ex-
pcricncc with the Rule of Three"
more than double the financial re-
| turns which these supposedly highly
educated men have been receiving
from the agencies Of the State for
the use Of their brains.
| In all the public schools in South
| Carolina there are just two men en-
gagged in the public school work who
receive as much as $4,000 year for
their servces-these. the supcrin-
| tendcnts Of schools Of Charleston and
| Columbia, respectively or the coun-
ty superintendent, the majority re-
ceivc less than 81 900 year, the high
est salary. paid to any Of them being
that paid to the superintendent Of
Florence, who receives $780,
| The matter comes to this: That so
long as We pay the men and women
employed to make the theory Of pop
ular education a fact in accordance
| with the wage scale Of unSkilled
labor, we arc necessarily hypocritical
in our protcstation Of regard for pub
lie education.
There arc two obvious and outstick-
ing horns to this question:
First, if tho teachers and the county
supcrintondcnts arc worth no more
than they arc paid, then they are
worth nothing whatever to the
schools. We arc trying, in that case,
TO do fine work with bluntcd fingers.
Second, if the State is permitting
men Of high intelligence, and learning
which represents a capital Of years
OF study and preparation, to sacrifice
themselves for pittancc, the State
will not only eventually lose their
services, after having used up the best
Of their powers, but it is being in the
highest degree unfair to itself and
dishonest to its citizens, as it accepts
services OF large value without valu-
able return.
AS Il general thing, it is a pretty
safe political rule, that the salary will
find the candidate ready to accept It,
| Politics, as it is known in practice, is
| sufficiently a farce to warrant the ex-
| pcctatiOn that as a general rule, the
man who draws the salary is being
paid doublc-rcgardle Of the amount
Of the salary itself. But this does not
apply to the schools or to teachers.
Personally, we do not understand why
any one should consent to teach under
present conditions. But we realize
the Importance Of teachers, and we
think that better opinion everywhere
will hold with us that it is shameful
thing to pay starvation wages to COM
petcnt folk who volunteer for life
work Of sclf-sacriiice.-Thc State.
About that 100 pardons and paroles
granted by his eXcellency, Gov. Bleasc
on Thanksgiving day,-it was fine, we
have no doubt, and most acceptable to |
the convicts, all Of whom, VIC trust |
will find it possible to turn over new
loaf and commit murfor and h,Irplory |