The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-04-15
suggest. four lines of develop

'"iS VI iI!oie. Inc CROWN or
rural graded schools in IL of
your Sd districts illustrates my
meaning.
Communities like Maynard,
Cedar Rock, Reunion, and per
maps others are in need of better
school facilities, an additional
teaching force, a local tax, or a
longer session. The trustees
and taxpayers of these districts
should prepare at once to take
advantage of the rural graded
school law during 1866. Since
this law requires a four-nill tax,
these districts are simply sleep
ing on their rights as long as
they refuse to vote the four-mill
levy.
2: The County Superintend-
ent's office should be strength
ened by the addition of a travel
ing teacher. This teacher should
be a woman. Her chief duty
would be the aiding of Young
and inexperienced teachers in
organizing their classroom work.
She could also help in co-ordi-
mating and correlating the grad
alton and promotion of pupils in
the various schools.
Two years ago the County
Superintendent prepared to give
a 7th grade certificate to the
boys and girls of PickenS Conn
ty, but found that the 9TH grade
in many schools differed in work
and attainments. These differ
ences are caused by the over
crowded classes, ,unskillful teach
ing, and weak organization in
the schools. A woman super
visor of classroom m e thodsI
could not only correct this diff
Guilty, but would help to bring
better service, especially in the
country schools.
There should also be an in
dustrial teacher to direct the
classes in sewing, cooking and
like subjects. This work can
be done at the lowest cost and
with the best results when prop |
erly connected with the county
Superintendent's office and the
public school system.
The girls and mothers of Pick
ems county should demand this
Improvement The schools can
never do full service until in
dust1ial training has been ade-
quately provided for.
3. The third need is the erec-
tion of more and larger school
buildings. The admirable prog
ress OF recent years emphasizes
the advantages Of a modern
sschoolhouse in every district
OolenoY, Dacusville, Ruhamah,
Roanoke and a dozen others H.
lustrate my meaning. I con
lgratulate you upon the standard
you have set in your school
buildings, and upon the pros
poets for further improvement
in a half dozen more districts
this year.
4. Closer attention should be
given to enrolment and attend
ance Of pupils. The shifting of
population on the farm at the
end of the year, and in town
throughout the year, seems to
make double enrolment of chill.
dren a serious problem in many
schools: A child ttending
school ten days, can be enrolled
only once during the year. The
teachers of Pickens county
shoul scrutinize this situation
most carefully. Wherever dou-
BILE enrolment occurs, the aver
age attendance of pupils is COR
respondingly reduced, because
the same name on two enroll
ment lists mean an empty desk
In one school. This practice
forces the percentage of at
tendance far below the average
for the state. The result is dis
paraging to the county, although
it is understood by those ac-
Quainted with the local situation.
| - NNOlJ lllctu COulU OWN MS
own home and could send his
children to his own community
school this defect would not eX-
ist. Teachers and trustees
should see to it that school rec
ords are properly kept in this
connection.
The new compulsory attend
ance law will be of service in
many districts. 1t simply means
that the people of each commun-
ity may decide for themselves
whether they wish their children
between the ages Of eight and
fourteen years to attend school,
In the country such boys and
girls will be required to 20 four
months; in town these bows and
girls will be required to go the
full term.
[ know the democratic, inde.
pendent and progressive spirit
of the people of Pickens county.
4 RI LIZ