The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-09-19
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1917.
ABOUT SCHOOL

Lessons are to be learned in
school, not from books alone. There
are principles to be taught which
far outweigh the knowledge written
in the text books.
And for this reason the profession
of teaching is, and should be, an
honorable profession. The teacher
should be a person who, above every
other consideration, tries to set an
example in fair dealing and devotion
to the ti~me-hoaored principles of
right.
Among those principles none are
more deeply imbedded in the hearts
of the people than the observance of
the obligations of a contract. The
people so highly regard the duty of
a person to perform the obligations
of every contract that there has
been written in the fundamental law
of every state in the union, as we'll
as in the Federal Constitution, a
provision that no law may be passed
which impairs the obligations of a
contract. Right thinking people
everywhere look to the obligations
of their promises as pledges which
must not be broken.
And this is as it should be, and
there is no place, except at home,
amongst ones own children, where
the duty to observe these obligations
should be more consistently and per-
sistently taught than in the school
room by those who profess to teach.
But it is not always so. There has
grown up among those persons fol-
lowing the profession in this state,
or we should say among some of
them, the idea that a contract to
teach in a certain school, for a GER
tain term, at a fixed salary, while
binding on the Board of Trustees
making the contract of employment,
is not so binding on the person of
the other part, and that he, or she,
as the case may be-, may under the
term "resign" violate the obliga-
tons of a contract deliberately en-
tered into, when better pay, more
congenial surroundings, or other adj
vantages are offered elsewhere.
It is no excuse for this practice
to say that the person looks on the
position as an elective office because
it does not partake of the quail
ties of an elective office. 1t is true
that teachers are selected by ballot,
but every teacher in the land knows,
or should know, that the trustees of
a school district represent the dis
trict, and that when a position is
offered a teacher it is an offer to
make a contract of employment, and
when the proffered contract is &C.
cepted, it becomes binding on both
parties, and may be avoided only
with the consent of both parties or
on such grounds as render other
contracts voidable.
And every school teacher in the
land knows that teachers are Sc
lected to teach in the public schools
of the state, and contracts of en-
ployment made, early in the season
in order that proper talent and ex-
perienced teachers may be secured,
and that the affairs of the school
district must suffer when thirty,
sixty, or even ninety days before a
school term begins, a teacher ere
signs"
There is an evil to be corrected.
There is an association of teachers
In this state. The number of resig-
nations in the Abbeville schools
since the contracts were made sever
al months ago should warn the men,
bers of the association that the
schools of the state are likely to
suffer from other causes than a
want of taxes and tuition fees. If
the teachers of the state want the
profession given that high standing
in the community which it should
have they will take measures to see
that those who profess to teach first
learn themselves the obligations of
a solemn agreement, and that after
accepting a position in n school
it is highly dishonorable and I'M
ethical to seek employment else
where, with the idea of holding on
to what you have as long as it is ex-
pedient or profitable, but of turning
it loose the moment something bet
ter is offered.
If the school teachers association
is not in itself able to correct the
evil practice above referred to, the
H.