The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-09-21

''""hS aSSiStdnce 10 local boards OF
trustees in securing the right sort of
principal or teacher, or both, for the
local school. or my own personal
knowledge some of these school Off
GERS spent weeks in trying to fill a
few vacancies. Applicants for the
positions were plantiful. but these
school officers knew that failure to
secure the right person at this par
ticular time would be disastrous.
Knowing the type OF person wanted
and being unwilling to recommend
one who did not seem capable of fill
ing the position. because of the
scarcity Of we'll prepared people for
this kind OF work. these officers fire.
quently spent weeks seeking in vain.
For all these years low salaries
and short school terms have made
we'll qualified applicants for country
school positions scarce. In many
sections Of the state this condition
still exists. but in many other coun-
ties, under the assistance of the state
funds and the special taxes which
these funds have encouraged, the
length Of the term Of the country
school compares favorably with that
If the town school. and in many of
these counties the salary Of the
country teacher is oftentimes larger
than the salary OF the town teacher.
oNERoUs WORK.
But where short terms and low
salaries are not an obstacle, teachers
realize that country school work is
onerous. There is at the beginning
of the school year the adjustment OF
the state course of study to the needs
OF the school. In the town school
systems problems of this nature are
solved either by the superintendent
or by the principal, and the teacher
is relieved entirely of this burden.
But in the one-teacher country school
the teacher alone must solve this
dlfhculty, and in the two and three
teacher rural graded schools this
problem is less only to a slight de-
gree. In the matter of the course of
study in country schools the teacher
very largely must perform the duties
OF the school board and of the super
lntendent in city or town system
When the course of study has been
arranged in most of our country
chools the teacher very largely must
perform the duties of the school
board and Of the superintendent in
'ity or town system.
When the course of study has been
arranged in most of our country
schools the teachers must give in
struction in the entire course every
day. In rural graded schools the
teacher must give instruction in a
half or third of the entire course
of study. This demands an immense
amount of daily home preparations
on the part of the teacher, even when
the teacher possesses the best uuali
f1cations. In the larger school sys
TENS teachers frequently have only
one grade in class room, rarely
more chan two grades.
SUPERVISING OFFICER.
Furthermore, these teachers In
country schools for the most part
have not the supervision that is pro-
Vided in the larger school systems. In
most OF our counties there is only
one county supervising officer. This
officer is the county superintendent
of education, and he is so handicap-
ped with office details, if he gives
these details proper attention. that
very little time is allowed for school
visitation and no time is allowed for
actual school supervision. Country
teachers feel the isolation in this
kind of school work, and It is not
surprising that they seek positions
where they can secure supervising
assistance when opportunity is af
forded. r-vWw
The burden of school discipline
rests solely upon the country school
teacher. There Is no principal and
no superintendent in the schoo,
building, or building near by, to
whom matter Of school discipline
con be referred, or from whom a
word OF advice can be secured.
School discipline is one Of the great
est problems in the administration