The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-04-15

ey,--that is, we may be spending more
than should be spent here, but it is
not due to high salaries for the teach
ers. In our mind it is the fault of the
dual system. The tax payers of CrisL
county need not pay two superintend
ents to do the work which one compe
tent man can do. The schools need
not be divided into a dozen little king
doms, each striving in its own indie,
pendent way to do some good, when
one system for the whole country
working to one end, will provide ele-
mentary training for ali at greatly
reduced cost. Such a system for the
country schools and the city alike
could afford a superintendent whose
services might spell efficiency at every
turn.
The city tax payer need not be fore
ed to a high assessment to maintain
separate system, and likewise, the
county property owners need not be
| assessed heavily to maintain another
when a single system for both will
| make it possible to have the service
of a competent educator at less cost.
The Dispatch speaks frankly and
with all good will because Of it's deep
interest in better schools for Cordele
and Crisp county alike. This paper
feels that it should never stand aloof
when an idea for betterment could be
I-advanced 1t would not discredit the
good work Of any person. That would
not be proper spirit We want to
help and one of the things that must
be done is to maintain a corps of well
paid teachers. There never was a
truth more obvious than that we get
what we pay for in teaching service.
Now to the importance of good
teachers. Our stock men are now pay
ing prices for fine breeds that would
have made them throw fits ten years
ago. Likewise ten years ago a school
superintendent at a salary of three
thousand dollars would have been fully
as shocking. We have stock men who
are now paying $500 each for single
breeders for hog raising One of the
members of our city school board owns
two that cost him over $1,000, and, in
spite of the criticism that may be of
fered by the razor back breeders
he is showing the best of judgment
His investment is going to repay a
hundred fold,-so quickly that he will
himself be swept off his feet with
surprise
BY the same token The Dispatch
wants the razor back" idea removed
from our schools. With poor salaries
we cannot even get competent appli-
cants. Other communities are calling
for teachers of experience and train
ing, educators who do things in spite
| of adversities. They are beginning to
realize that the elementary training of
the youth is of vast Importance. They
| are beginning TO realize that the sal
airy must be commensurate with the
| services Efficient educators are few
| Good teachers command good salaries
and the day of better pay for them is
at hand. If we fail to see this. and
contend for system operated on a
poor pittance. we are going without
| truth. 1t will cost us dearly to wait
for this thing to prove itself. Our
children will not get the training to
which they are entitled.
The honest instructor. the good
school superintendent in any system,
holds the most important position in
the community, nothing excepted. If
he is worthy of the name educator.
his services are worth more than
those of any salaried person, no mat
Ter what las calling. The good he
| does in a years time cannot be meas
ured in terms Of dollars and cents.
He is the greatest missionary of them
all. He holds in his hands the char