Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-04-16
THE NEEDS or OUR SCHOOLS.
Between Board OF Edu-
cation and Schools Essential.

! Co-opCl0tlolt tiiot "h' Nv
Interested in is not Industrial CO.
operation that political economists
discuss so ably, but it is that coop
Grafton that should exist between
the home and the school, between
the teacher and the parent, between
the teacher and tho pupil, and be-
tween the Board Of Education and
! the school. The cooperation that is
most vital just now is the co-opera-
lion between the Board Of Education
and the school.
There is q close relation which
the Board Of Education bears to the
people, the superintendent Of schools
| and the principals and the teachers.
The people, for the most part, elect
the boards Of trustees, and the trus-
tees in turn elect the superintend-
The people repose confidence in the
board, and the board relies on that
confidence by using to the full ex-
tent the powers delegated to it by
Wv PSopiS. iC ICthLloi ID Ill
one. Money is a positive necessity
for the successful administration of
the schools, and it Is the duty Of the
Board Of Education to see that the
money appropriated is wisely spent.
There should be neither parsimony
nor extravaganza in the expenditure
OF this money. The one is as bad as
the other. SO close is the relation
ship between the Board Of Education
and the people that what the board
does is always an evidence Of the
character Of the community. If the
people Of the community permit the
trustees to be close-iislcd and let old
buildings stand where new ones
should be erected. there is a stain
in the moral fabric OF that commu-
nifty. On the other hand, if the pco-
PIE permit extravaganza, the stain
on the moral fabric Of that commu-
nifty is deeper one than that in
the fabric OF the parSimonious COM
munity.
From the foregoing it can be read
lily seen that the cooperation that
should exist between the school board
and the school is of great moment
Foremost in a public school system
stands the child to be educated; then,
in order, follow the school and the
teacher. Over these there is the
hoard nf
force. There is Il body Of men hav-
ing control Of the school, the child
in the school, and the teacher in
structing the child. The school
board Of trustees should cooperate
with the school in providing, as far
as their appropriation allows, all
those necessary furnishings that con-
ducc to the physical comfort Of both
teachers and pupils; in maintaining
discipline by supporting the teach
ers in their honest endeavors when
difficult cases Of discipline arise; in
always standing by teacher when
she is under fire Of criticism, until
it is proved beyond the shadow of a
doubt that she Is in the wrong, for
teachers as a body, and many as in
dividuals, need moro sympathy and
under whom they serve.
| The school trustees should COOP
crate with the school in showing a
lively interest In school activities
! SiIn nf hoo rI
visitations. by lending support to
those efforts on the part Of the pu-
pills and teachers which are for the
benefit OF the school; by creating
sentiment in favor OF the best that
the community can afford in the mat
ter OF equipment. and by paying to
the teachers adequate salaries. The
board OF school trustees that COOP
crates with the school in all OF it's
varied interests. in everything that
has efficiency for its watchword, Is a
board that onght to be we'll sup
ported by the taxpayers and the rest
OF the community at large.
AT the last session Of the General
Assembly an act was passed which
provides for an equalization fund for
needy schools. This act is entitled
An Act Guaranteeing Adequate Fa-
! ciliticS and Teaching Corps in Needy
school Districts" and guarantees a
! minimum school term Of not less
than seven months in any public
| school district voting All Gig .t-mil!
tax for current expenses, employs =