The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-04

changes in the state department Of
education are recommended to tho
general assembly by the report OF
Griffenhagen and Associates efficiency
engineers, who have completed their
survey OF the South Carolina govern
ment. Among the more important
recommendations are:
The appointment OF members Of
the board by the governor for term
or eight years, two members retir-
ing every two years; the establish
ment of department of education
and the office Of director of educa-
ton, the director TO be appointed by
the state board Of education or the
governor; that the majority Of the
county boards of education should be
appointed by the state board Of edu-
cation; that the county superintend-
ents OF education be appointed by the
state board Of education and not
elected by .,opular vote or by the re-
Spcctive county education boards, and
that all salaries Of county supcrin-
tendents and the state superintend-
tnt be increased.
The report goes into detail con-
corning the following topics: Present
organization for state education in
south Carolina, recommendation re-
garding appointment and tenure Of
chief educational officers, salaries of
chief educational officers, educa-
tional qualifications for county su-
pcrintendents, grade schools, teacher
supply, teacher training, textbooks,
negro schools, high schools, insttu-
tions of higher learning community
centers in the schools, other agencies
and summary OF recommendation
regarding state education in South
Carolina.
In regard to the creation Of
state department and a director Of
education instead Of the present plan
the efficiency engineers say:
las a part of the ultimate plan,
it is proposed there be created a de-
partment OF education, whose execu-
tive head shall be a director of edu-
cation. The director might be ap-
pointed by the governor with the
consent of the senate or might be
elected by the state board of educa-
zion. We would be inclined to favor
the latter of these alternatives. He
should serve during good behavior
and be removable only through a
ma jority vote of the state board of
education. He should be chosen for
his educational and administrative
qualifications without reference to
residence or political affiliations and
he should be paid an adequate SAL
ary. The continuity given to the
state board through the adoption of
plan of appointment that would
give the members overlapping terms
will, if the board selects the direc-
tor, make for continuity in the Of
flee of the director"
After q careful study of the edu-
kcational system Of the state, the en-
gineers have the following recon-
mcndations to make:
That the members or the state
| board of education be appointed by
the governor for a term of eight
years.. two members retiring every
| two years
That a department of education
and the office Of director Of educa-
| tion be established, the director to
be appointed by the state board of
education or the governor, and that
this department include certain in
| stitutions and agencies hereinbefore
mentioned.
That the majority of the members
of each county board of education be
appointed by the state board of edu-
cation.
That the county superintendent
be appointed (not elected by popular
vOte) by the state board Of educa-
ton or the respective county boards
OF education upon the basis of qualifl-
| cations determined by the state board
Of education and required by act of
the general asseT bly,.
That the salaries of the state su-
perintendent OF education and the
county superintendent be increased
with minimum salary law for the
latter.
That the length Of the elementary
course be increased from seven to
eight years: that the school term be
Heightened to nine months and that
the daily sessions be heightened to
six hours.
THAT the compulsory attendance
law be amended to provide for con-
secutive attendance for the full term
and that consideration be given to
the question of dividing the year into
SiXthS or quarters.
That minimum salary law for
rural school teachers be passed, car
rying with it provision for the clas-
sificatiOn of teachers according to ex-
pcrience and training
That schools >Of education, con-
veniently located, be established as
part of the state university.
That immediate provision for
teachers training be secured through
six weeks summer courses and ex-
tension courses.
That the high school and the ele.
mentary courses of study be revised
to afford assistance in teaching tt