The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-01-24

tCo1iirded From PAGE One.l
law so as to require the attendance at
school of all children between the ages
of eight and IA years during the mini
mum school term. This age limit
should be raised to is years within the
near future 1t is useless, however,
to provide for a minimum school term
and a compulsory attendance law
without adequate provision for en-
forcement. It must be made the duty
of someone in each county to see that
the compulsory attendance provision
is enforced. 1t isn't necessary for me
to urge the Importance Of school at
tendance. A parent, or other person
having the custody and control of
children who neglects or refuses to
give to such children the educational
advantages offered by the State, is not
exercising parental authority, but de-
nying to the children who are to con-
stitute the future citizenship of this
State that light and knowledge which
is essentially necessary for the future
well being of the State, as well as the
best interest of the child. Military
training was compulsory in time of
war. If you would avoid conditions
that lead to war, make school attend
ance compulsory in time Of peace. The
Confederate government from 1851
laid its hand upon the 16 year old boy,
and compelled him to put on gray
uniform shoulder his musket and fight
for Southern independence. Was not
this interference with parental au-
thority? A public necessity existed,
and parental authority yielded to the
superior right Of the State. But 1t is
useless to enact and enforce a compul-
sorry attendance law unless adequate
facilities are provided.
Teachers Poorly Paid.
It is not sufficient that we provide a
seven months minimum term. We
need, and must have better organiza-
ton Of our entire educational system.
We must have the best talent in
charge of our educational work. Now,
gentlemen, I promised you in the out
set that would deal with you in per-
feet candor. II you adopt my recon-
mendations as to our educational pro-
gram it means the expenditure OF
more money for the education of the
youth of our State than has been here
tofore expended We can not hope to
have the best talent in our schools
with the present scale Of salaries for
school officers, and the present stand
ard of pay for teachers. The question
may be asked, can we afford to make
the necessary investment in our edu-
cational institutions? I use the word
Investment" advisedly, because mon
ey properly expended in the develop
ment of an educational system suited
to our needs will prove splendid in
vestment.
The South Carolina Council Of De-
fense recently issued pamphlet
which should be read by every tax
payer in South Carolina. It's title is
Does it Pay?" From this pamphlet
quote the following:
"You prosper just in proportion to
the prosperity of the average man
with whom you are brought into bus
mess contact. If the masses OF the
people are poor and ignorant, every
individual, every interest, every in
dustry in the community will feel and
register the pulling down power OF
their backwardness as inevitably as
the thermometer records the tempera-
ture of the air. The merchant will
have poorer trade, the doctor and law
yer smaller fees, the railroad dimin-
ished traffic, the banks smaller de-
posits, the preacher and teacher small
er salaries, and so on. Every man who
through ignorance, lack of training, or
by reason of any other hindering
cause, is producing or earning only
half as much as he ought, by his in
efficiency is making everybody else in
the community poorer"
Cheaper to Educate.
An educational system that is in
adequate is burdensome to che tax
payer, because he gets a poor return
for the money expended, but an ad-
equate provision is the best invest
ment the State or individual can make.
In considering this part of our work,
/ most earnestly urge upon you pro-
vision for teaching agriculture, home
economics, vocational and industrial
training, etc., as part of our school
work. In other words, our educa-
+ior shonld nrenare our children to do