The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-05-31

was 532; at the close of the year
June 1916. the enrolment is 632, an
increase of 95 pupils.
This nav he accounted for in three
or more ways. First: This city
very wisely voted compulsory educa.
ton last June and this has brought
many children into the school. Sc.
cond: a larger number of children
from other districts are attending oul
schools this year, 35, whereas, last
year only nine from other districts
came into this district. This certain.
ly is a compliment to the efficiency
of your school. Third, we have
made special effort to hold the boys
in the high school. This is shown
tonight by so many boys who occupy
places with the graduating class
Just here your sttention is called to
the fact that the school this year
turns out the largest graduating class
in it's history.
This increase in pupils justifies the
Board in electing an additional tech
er for next session. This they have
decided to do.
improvements.
During the past four years the fol
lowing improvements have been
made in the schools by the efforts OF
the teachers, children and Superin.
tendent.
Twenty large and beautiful pic.
lures have been placed in the differ.
ent rooms at cost Of Sixty dollars.
/ Through the kindness of the city
council and the Civic League, the
walks in front of and leading to the
Graded school, have been cemented
at a cost of more than $4,000. The
city cuncil wired the lower floor OF
the graded school, which has made il
useful for school gatherings. Sever.
al large benches were placed on the
grounds at the high school building
five sets of reference works averag.
ing six volums to the set have been
been contributed to the high school
library by pupils, set of the NeW
international Encyclopedia and one
Webster International Dictionary
both at a cost of more than .$100
have been purchased, S75 was raised
by the boys for a gymnasium, two
drinking fountains have been placed
in the graded school, there should be
one in each room of the buildings
$1O0 dollars was raised during the
year for laboratory and this ha!
been supplemented by the Boart
with another 800.
Many other things are needed bu
we mention these to show that a flint
spirit of cooperation exists between
teacher and pupil and that they ar,
interested in the improving of condi
tions.
Discipline.
During the past year, discipline
has been minor factor in tn
schools management. 1t has beer
necessary to administer correction
and punishment. Whenever it wa
thought necessary we have not hesi
tated to act as our better judgmen
would dictate.
While discussing this subject,
feel that your attention should b
called to military training that w
have used to a degree this year,
know of no other form of training
that is as helpful to the high schoo
boy as that of military training an
hope that it may be made part o
the school work here. 1t is a success
in Sumter and one or two othe
places in this state where it has bee
tried. It inculcates fine sense o
honor, it teaches system, manlines
and respect for authority that n
other method does.
! During the camping trip of tn
high school boys, strict military dis
cipline was enforced. l did not hea
during the four days, an oath uttered
a profane word spoken, nor a roug
word. nor did 1 notice any tobacco
I commend this feature as strongl
as | can.
Promotion.
This is the time of the year whe
this subject is uppermost in tn
minds of some of the patrons. A
long as we have pupils in grade
schools there will be promotions an
non-promotions.
>: Some pupils cannot DO the work 9
the school in ten years; some q
not do it; some could do it if tn
parent would cooperate more closel
with the teacher and some fail bt
cause of the weakness of teache'
These things happen, however. Tn
percentage of non-promotion in TN
school is no greater than in othe
; schools of the same standing an