Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-07
BETTER PAY FOR TEACHERS

BETTER PAY FOR TEACHERS
| The trustees OF the rural schools OF
York county have put themselves on
record as recognizing the justice OF
more adequate compensation for efti-
cient teachers, and have pledged them
selves TO use their best efforts to inn
prove the situation as TO salaries as
far as possible.
This was the most important de-
velopment OF county meeting OF the
trustees which assembled in the court
house on the call of Superintendent OF
Education Carroll last Saturday. An
other outcome OF the meeting was a
Recommendation for careful consid-
Grafton of the idea OF releasing the
children for fail farm work by holding
a two months school term during the
summer from July 10 TO September 10,
or approximately during that period.
Also there was adopted resolution
approving and endorsing the estab-
/
appointment Of teachers.
| Notwithstanding the fact that II
was good day for farm work, and
there were few other visitors in town
during the morning. there was large
attendance OF trustees. There was
present more than fifty OF them from
| all sections OF the county and all but
eight or ten OF the fifty-seven districts
were represented.
The meeting was called to order by
Superintendent OF Education Carroll
and was addressed by that official and
also by DIR. W. ). Stokes, registrar OF
the South Carolina Teachers Employ
ment bureau. representing state Su-
pcrintcndent Of Education Swearingen
and by Prof. J. W. Thomson OF Win
throp. Also there was informal free
discussion OF various questions by dll-
ferent trustees, who evidenced deep
and intelligent concern In the prob
lens confronting the schools.
In calling the meeting to order MI
Carroll said he felt like making an
apology to the trustees for calling
them from their work at such busy
time; but in view Of the demands OF
the situation he could see no other
7 way Tor It, and ne WEE gfHrihed ia hs'
deed to see such q large and represen
ltative attendance. While he recogniz
ed that II was not in the power OF thu
Injecting to take action that would b'
binding upon anybody, still the situa
ltion presents very serious problem:
THAT are appreciated by everybody
and it Is important to discuss thi:
situation with view to arriving q
some common ground with reference
to the employment OF good teachers
1.-THE pay of teachers, good teachers. ha:
all along been too low, he said; bu
now since there has been such start
ling advance In the cost OF living, thl:
pay has grown to he ridiculous. H'
knew Of cases Of good teachers wht
latter having worked hard over Ions
school term during which they LIVED
as economically as possible, wer,
Obliged to send to their parents or 9TH
er relatives to get the money will
which to return home. He did moi
want to be understood as recommend
ing an indiscriminate raise of salaries
regardless of efficiency, as inefficient
teachers were not cheap at any price;
but it Is very we'll to recognize tho
fact that we cannot continue to Sc.
cure efficient teachers at the old scale
of salaries, because there Is too mucf
demand for them and too much op-
portunity for them in other lines o
work. Mr.. Carroll quoted President
Wilson as saying that whatever We
do in this war, we must continue tho
support of our schools, and while II
is quite possible that some sections ol
the state may fall by the wayside In
the stress that is creeping upon us, ht
hoped that this would never have tc
be said of York county. Continuing
to another phase Of the situation, MIR
Carroll referred to the fact that last
fall many farmers found 1t necessar!
to take their children out OF the
schools to help gather their crops and
there was reason to anticipate that
this same thing would happen to
greater extent next fall. He had never
found any satisfaction in divided
school terms. II meant Inconvenience
and loss OF time in getting started
etc. but under a situation where II
looked like a summer term or none al
all the question OF a summer term was
worth serious consideration.
| DR.. Stokes. who said he had been
closely identified with school work al
his life and who was personally ac-
uuainted with large portion of the
people in the state, explained that he
had come up as the representative ol
Mr.. Swearingen, who was unable to
be present, because OF an engagement
elsewhere. He paid a high tribute t.
| Mr.. Swearingen's work in connection
with the organization and development
of the educational system Of South
| Carolina. and said that although Mr.
Swearingen is physically blind, he has
q clearer view Of the needs Of the pub
| lie school system Of South Carolina
than any other man in the state, and
has done more to develop the same
He explained the workings Of the state
bureau for the employment OF teach
ers and pointed out Its advantages
over private bureaus to both teachers
and patrons, to teachers especially in
that IL was able to give them for a
dollar what often cost them a large
part OF their salaries in case Of pri-
vate bureaus. He corroborated all
that 1ir. Carroll had said as to the
inadequacy of the salaries Of teachers
and the impossibility Of maintaining
efficient teaching material on any
such basis He paid fne tribute to
the splendid public service that IL
rendered by the faithful and efficient
teacher: but at the same time made
1t clear that he was concerned, not sc
much as an advocate Of the teacher
as of the public welfare. for while the
past generation got along In way
w 'hout adequate educational facili-
ties, we cannot hope for the same
fate for the coming generation.
Prof. J. W. Thomson, who had drop
ped into the meeting on his way back
to Winthrop from the western part
OF the county. was called upon by the
chairman, and offered few pointed
observations. He agreed with both the
preceding speakers on the salary ques-
ton; but went on to offer the sugges-
tion that the trustees might do great
deal in increasing the efficiency Of the
teachers by holding them to stricter
accountability for their work. In cases
where teachers prove inefficient they
should not be dismissed with recon-
mendations that would enable them to
impose on other trustees. Also he
said that there is considerable waste
in the schools because Of unequal di-
| vision Of labor. more especially In the
matter Of too much teaching force for