The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-04-22
POLITICS AND THE SCHOOLS.
Supt. Evans Discusses Mr.. McLaurln's
Fling mt Teachers.


Fling Mt Teachers.
To the Editor of the News and
Courier:
Save the short paragraph on COM
pulsory education, in which there is
a prcSumptuOuS criticm OF school
teachers, Senator McLaurin's platform
published in The News and Courier on
Saturday could have been written In
one word, Bleaseism. His remarks
on public education, however, lack
the merit Of Blease positiveness.
The note of arrogance-the pre-
sumption that he knows better how to
teach children than those who have
devoted their lives to the work is
characteristic Of the prescnt-day pol
itician in South Carolina.
He says that he is mot opposed to
it on principle, and the time may come
in South Carolina when policy of
compulsory education is proper, but
it is not now"
Scotland, which is almost the exact
size of South Carolina, but does not
possess onc-fourth the natural re-
sources, maintains population three
times as great. Many Of the greatest
statesmen, philosophers and scientists
the world has ever known were born
not the result but the cause Of Scot
lands fame and prosperity. The
scheme formulated by John Knox:
that education shall be universal, free
and compulsory between the ages Of
five and IA years." is still the policy
Of the nation. The schools as we'll
as the men Of the country justify their
boast: Our leading industry is educa-
ton"
Japan, little Asiatic state not half
i so large as California, maintains a
population Of forty-scvcn millions
more than six times the number per
square mile that South Carolina sup
ports. Yet this little country has
made greater progress in the last
forty years than any other nation
Education is compulsory now, and 9S
per cent OF the children are in the
public schools. This is the direct cause
Of Japan's progress. If these little
yellow people can accomplish such
marvellous results in such remark
ably short time, should not Il man
who aspircs to the govcrnship Of tho
once proud commonwealth Of South
Carolina, and who feels that he can
rcndcr the state valuable service he
ashamed to say, "thc time may como
in South Carolina when policy oI
compulsory education is proper but
not now?"
The state though rich in natural re-
sources is financially poor: and poor
she will remain as long as she pays
so much for incompctcncy in Office
and so little for the education Of hcl
children; and so long as her politi
clans are afraid to advocate a com
pulsory education school law. Edu
cation is the cause and not the cffcc
OF substantial prosperity in republic
Yet this candidate for governor say:
the lime may come when a policy o
| compulsory education is proper bu
4 not now" If the time has not come
! for compulson in a state which stand:
next the lowest in the column of illit
cracy, when will it come Shall W,
: wait Till We drop below Porto Rice
and the Philippines?
Senator Mcl.aurin perhaps think
! he is saying a smart thing in th'
criticism: "That we need more teach
4 crS who really teach. school is il
session from o'clock till about 80
y hearing rccitations, then the childrcl
} 30 home to be taught" "If the par
!, cntS are ignorant, those children hav
y no teacher" "A teachers compulSor,
D education law would greatly advanc
\ the cause" The assertions here quot
ed are scarcely half true. The onl.
J daily session from 9 till not later thar
4 2:30 is general in the South cities
This was the length Of session, too, II
J ST. Louis under the direction Of vii
4 liam Torrey Harris, the greatest pub
lie teacher Of his time in the world
The same rule obtained under his dis
D tinguished successor, Louis Sodar
I and it is the same now under Be-
y Blewctt
D AS to parents having to teach thei
d children at home: For some time
7 have taken note Of the parents VIII
complain that they have to do at HON
a for their children the work the teach
crs should do at school. AS a rul
y they arc people who are not capabl
D Of teaching anything. The works c
I the school never suit them; the les
sons are either too hard or too cas-.
A and they encourage dis0bcdicnce an
Z lawlcssncss by their reckless abuse
y the school and the teachers in til
presence Of their children. The wis
Parent advises with his child's teacl
er, insists on his child'S carrying o,
= the directions Of the school, and see
"a, that he takes a moderate time ft
u study each day. In the primary grade
Sa home work Is not necessary. But
=, the grammar school children shou
- have a certain time in which to stut
~ alone "a certain time for indcpcnde
u work. For many of the children, pa