The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-29
FARMERS
UNION NEWS
Practical Thoughts for Practical
Farmers.
Conducted by E. w. Dabbs, Pres
ident 8. G. Farmers Union.)
Some Random Thoughts.

Po|uiidI COIluItlOIl IN the SchOOl af-
fairs of the county. 1t is that in two
schools, at least, and maybe in 9th
ers, the teachers decline to teach the
10th grade. Boys and girls, who are
entitled to the advantages of the free
school nearest to their homes have to
go to private teachers, or be sent off
to college before prepared, because
the teachers decline to teach them.
In one instance the teacher is re-
ported to have said that high State
official at a teachers meeting said
that no teacher in a one or two teach
er school ought to try to teach the
higher grades. What are the COM
mon schools for if not to teach the
children that are aroun> them How
many parents can afford private
teachers ior their advanced children {?
Or how many can send their boys and
girls to high school at the county
seat or to college?
/ believe in consolidation, and bet
ter schools, but l think the advocates
of high schools here run mad in dis
crediting the work of the one-teach-
er schools and in advising them not
to teach the higher branches. l know
OF boys and girls that have gone from
the one-teacher schools that stand as
we'll in college as any from the city
graded schools. The school age of
the State is from to 81 years, and
l submit that it is the duty of trus-
tees to require of teachers the quail
fications to teach boys and girls up to
the age limit unless they are sooner
prepared for college. The common
school is the poor mans college and
many boy and girl needs the addi-
tional year or two in the higher
branches Of learning that if not pro-
vided in the common school they will
IL prep" school or even a county high
school. They should be turned out
from the one-teacher school we'll pre-
pared for lifc's duties, and for a school
with two or more teachers to refuse to
do 10th grade work is objectionable,
to say the least.
County School Day has been so we'll
written up that only one or two sug-
gestions are in order: One is that
next year some arrangement must be
mace for the pupils who arc engaged
in scholarship contests to have a light
lunch served sometime during the
time they are at the Washington
school. The other is that some of
the patrons or trustees. or both, should
be designated to keep order during
the dcclaimers' contest and spelling
bee.
Judging by the churn de jhers that
the boys put on exhibition Friend
Williams must be doing effective work
for more milk cows. and has taught
quite number of farmers how TO
pound. 1t was really remarkable how
many churn daShcrs were on cX-
20, and | saw only
one lone singlctrce. | hope it is an
indication that moro cattle will be
raised, and more land devoted to
pastures and less to the plow.
Some of the hearings before The
agricultural committee of the house
Of representatives make very inter-
csting reauing When | have more
time will make some extracts for the
Farmers Union column. In the mean
time l commend a reading of the
hearings to any one who is In doubt
about the wisdom of the Farmers
Union demands for warehouses and
official grading, and staplng of cot
ton. There is also the strongest kind
Of testimony to the good that Sena-
tor smiths testing of cotton for It's
actual spinning value, has done and
will do when the people, manufac-
turcrs as we'll as farmers, make use
of these tests. Thanks to MIR. Lever
for copies of the hearings. and for an
invitation to appear before the COM
mittee today i'm the cotton futures
hearings. 1t was not convenient for
me 10 go. but | have done everything
| could to have better posted mem
hcrs &c the National Farmers Union
attend ond present our views.
How are the local unions prcpar-
irg for the Bethel meeting of the