The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-05-21
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT.
How School Improvement Associations
Can Cooperate for School
Development.

education. Schools in South Carolina
have been developed in local communi-
ty Improvement, in county conscious
plans and in Statewide undertaking;
and in each development the school
Improvement associations have played
their part.
In local organizations the truth of
the old adage, "an idle brain is the
devils worsnop" is illustrated. The
way to keep each member active and
interested is to give each her work to
do. AS many committees, with as
many members as are needed to give
each woman and man duty to per-
form, are often appointed. Through
the arrangements made by separate
committees the members cooperate
with pupils, trustees and teachers; the
children are helped directly by giving
social functions either at home or at
school, by arranging cooking classes
in home kitchens, where a member
teaches the girls to cook the dish
for which she is especially noted, and
by visiting or remembering in a spe-
clay way the sick children Of the
school. In cooperation with trustees,
bands of women have circulated peti-
tions either calling for special school
tax elections or asking for compul-
sorry school attendance.
Not only have they, by their tact
and willingness to discuss the propo-
sition with each qualified elector, car
ried elections, but they have built
school houses.
At meetings of active and associate
members committees are appointed to
solicit material, work and pay for a
new school building, which is soon
forthcoming. If these women school
workers get after the trustees We soon
find the school term heightened to our
noped-for seven months at least. Men
know not, and know that they know
not, when a teacher is efficient, and
are often very glad to have quiet sug-
gestions from school improvement in
diYidual workers in regard to the elec-
ton of a teacher whose boarding place
can also be arranged more satisfac-
torily by the ladies of the community.
When the mothers Of the children real
ize that too many children are seated
in one room, that a new building or
equipment is needed, OF that the
teacher should receive a larger salary,
the trustees are only too g4ad to CO.
operate in remedying the defects. By
direct cooperation with the teacher
the school improvement association
may broaden the course of study by
teaching the girls to serve refresh
ments at the association meetings, and
by demonstrating on the school plot,
or showing a class a new method
learned by farmer.
The school work may be further
stimulated by regular school visits
from Appointed members Of the asso-
citation. Only through such visits does
the house or the yard committee rea-
lize the need of school room or play
ground equipment.
The members of an organization who
discuss regular attendance and enroll
ment are in duty bound to support the
teacher in her plea for better attend
ance, even going so far as to visit or
send their children to interest absent
or non-attending children.
By cooperating with the teacher
her school entertainments are made
more attractive by practices with a
committee of women, and often by re-
freshments furnished by members of
tie association.
In summer the teacher may feel that
the flowers in the school yard and the
books in the library are used, and not
abused, through the Gelp of appro-
pirate committees who open the school
house at least twice a month. The
teacher knows that the members of the
association are her helpful friends,
and they work together in a unified
effort to educate each individual child.
Each county has certain undertak-
ings which the county organizer Of
school Improvement associations may
we'll ask her organizations to support.
Members are invited to attend any
teachers meeting and certainl! to see
that the teacher is provided with a
means of transportation In a joint
meeting a county school Improvement
association may be organized to meet
at least once year during the annual
teachers institute.
A community dinner for Fair and