The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-11-08
OUR SCHOOLS.
proper Gander.)

iIEOpeE HduOSI.I
We are all interested in the Able
vile City Schools. The pupils perhaps
have more at stake and therefore are
most vitally interested. Parents with
children at school are interested in
the condition and growth of the
schools, and the opportunities our
|'schools have to offer. Thirdly, the
general public is interested in our
schools; for there is nothing that con-
Germs civic life and progress that is
of more essential importance than the
kind of schools we have.
Abbeville should be proud of her
schools, but the pride of present at
tainment should not blind the par
ents to the needs and possibilities
which are 80 obvious and of such an
advantage. We have good schools; we
want better schools. We want to
keep up with the march of progress;
and if other schools in other towns
have things that would benefit our
schools, they are what we want. g.
The enrolment of the Abbeville
City schools at the beginning of the
1920-'21 session was $50, the largest
enrolment in the history of the
schools. The number of teachers is %
In the graded school there are 534
pupils. In the high school are 126
pupils. The schools are too crowded.
In the issues of the town papers a
few weeks before the 1920 session of
the Abbeville schools began, there
were numerous articles written con-
cerning the preparations, which were
made for the coming year. If those
interested in school matters will re-
call, it will be remembered that much
was said on the overcrowding OF
classes; and the necessity of dividing
the auditorium into class rooms so as
to furnish rooms for an over-crowded
grade. The physics room is very small.
There is also no place for the French
classes and the library. The same is
true of domestic science and manual
training if they are to become a part
of the regular course Of study as they
should.
The up-to-date schools have well
equipped gymnasiums. This would be
impossible in our schools because
there is no place for it. A new school
building would help solve the prob
lens for the future. We know there
are some who will begin to kick at
the suggestion Of having to build
anything at the present prices. But
do you realize that our schools are
the making of the sons and daugh-
ters of Abbeville parents, and the
future men and women of South Car
olina?
Greater class room space means
more teachers and less pupils under
| each teacher. The fewer number of
pupils there are to teach the
more time and supervision the teach
er can give to each individual. 1t is
the attention and encouragement that
the teacher gives her pupils that en-
courages them to strive to accom-
plish better work. We have been pu-
pill for many years and not until this
year did we realize what a small class
means to the pupil. Anything that
tends to stimulate interest in schools
and school work is to be considered.
This brings US to athletics.
One phrase of school life, which has
come to the front in recent years, is
the matter of athletics. For years we
have had we'll organized and highly
developed system of athletics in our
colleges, both for men and women.
The development of the body is con-
sidered as important as the develop
ment of the mind. Haphazard athlet-
els have existed in the graded and
high schools from time immemorial,
but nothing has been organized. The