The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-04-07
COUNTY TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION
Held at Abbeville on Saturday.
Teachers in Attendance.

Association Wet Ill lHe Sooi AAooSS
on Saturday, April 3rd. The busi-
ness of the Association was attend
ed to during the first nalf of the
meeting. This consisted of plans
for Field Day, which is to take
place on April 18th. Mr.. Swearln-
gen, State Superintendent of Edu-
cation, talked to the teachers and
others present from IL to o'clock.
AS usual, his remarks were very
instructive and interesting.
Among other things he said, in
substance: First:-That progress
sive standardization of teaching is
needed, this has been found to be
objected to by the incompetent
teacher and by the teacher of long
experience who is required to have
a new examinations; second,
license law for different classes of
teachers is needed, this would
place the work especially adapted
to each teacher into the right hands;
third, that a school attendance law
is needed.
A South Carolinian once de-
scribed the people of our state as
extravagant, indolent, and incapa-
BILE. A visitor added-"and ig-
norant." This is challenge to
our beloved State, but the statis-
tics show that South Carolina is
next to the last in educational effici-
.ency and two hundred and fifty
seven out of every thousand are
:illiterate. Many of us have theor-
les but few of them have been put
into practice. Ignorance prop
agates itself"
There is already universal in
terest in education. The Pied
mont section and Georgia are CIV
ing more in every material way to
schools and teachers. The pioneer
work has been done; buildings are
ready, taxes paid and children regu-
lar in attendance, but we need bet
ter results from this equipment.
The parents and communities ex-
pect literate citizens. These would
give better cultured living. Not
higher thinking and palmer living,
but fit preparation for sanitary,
moral and literate living is needed.
Much of this can be begun in the
school room.
He also said that we needed a
plan by which we can gauge pro-
fessional efficiency of teachers. 1t
is true that often better results
come from the manner of service
than from preparation, but the
present law admits no recognition
of service.
Before a compulsory educational
law can bear its best fruit, we must
have a compulsory teacher law. We
want and need the best teachers
and the largest number of children.
Let Abbeville again be the Athens
of the State"
The following teachers were pre-
sent: Miss Livingston, Santuck;
Mr.. Brown, Fonville; Mrs. Cason,
Calhoun Falls; Mr.. Moore, Antre-
vile; Miss Platt, Abbeville; Miss
Link, Abbeville; Miss Morrow,
Buffalo Sshool, Mccormick; Mr..
Cneatham, Abbeville; Miss Robert
son, Abbeville; Miss Calhoun, Alb
beville; Miss Epting, Abbeville;
Miss Britt, Abbeville; Miss Sarah
Calvert, Abbeville; Miss Lucy Cal
vert, Abbeville; Miss Smith, Able
vile; Miss Sullivan, Abbeville; Miss
Louise Sullivan, Abbeville; Miss
Brown, Abbeville; Miss Pool, Able
vile; Miss Roche, Abbeville; Miss
Wham, Abbeville; Mrs. Evans, Alb
beville; Mr.. Syfan, Rock Springs;
Mr.. Blakely, Due West; Mr.. Grier,
Due West; Sec. and Treas, Mr..
Haddon, Sharon; Mr.. Moody, Nc
Cormick.
After the talk coffee and sand
wiches were served to the teachers
and others present. The tenth
grade girls kindly assisted in serv-
ing.
At o'clock, P. M. Mr.. Swearin-
gen addressed the trustees. This