The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-04-21
THE SCHOOL QUESTION


mills, the vote, while small, indicates
that the people are practically of one
mind on the matter of better schools.
Our schools have not been what
they should have been in the years
past, though the schools have been
growing better each year for the last
several years. This year the work has
heen. under all the circumstances
under which Major Fulp and his
corps of teachers have labored, most
satisfactory. Some idea of the I'M
provement in the work being done
this year may be had from the TACT
that student who completed the
eleventh grade last year was able to
secure credit for only 13 1-2 units IN
one of the Class A schools of the
south, while this years graduates are
credited by the same school with 10
units, the entrance requirements.
But we must recognize the fact
that we cannot keep the schools at
the present standard unless we are
prepared to expend great deal more
money. Last year we raised the
salaries of teachers nearly twenty
dollars per month, and we must be
prepared to increase the salaries
again by that amount, or nearly so,
if we are to retain and obtain the
best teaching talent. Then, too, the
matter of education does not stand
still. The colleges each year are do
ing better and better work with the
result that more work is required IN
the preparatory schools in order that
the students may enter the college
classes unconditional. Hence we must
add one year a course in French and
another year, course in science,
and so on.
Itcosts money to run a good
school. We have found that out in
Abbeville. We shall find It out more
and more as the years go by. But if
we are to excel in anything it should
be in our schools. We are among
those who believe that the expendl-
. ture of public money should be
jealousy guarded. We do not believe
in spending unnecessarily the peoples
money even in school enterprises,
but wherever money is needed to
really improve the conditions and
work in the schools it should be spent.
1t would be short-sighted policy to
refuse the schools anything that is
necessary for their advancement.
Then, too, we should be the lead
ers in educational matters in Able
vile County. By reason of the fact
that we are at the county seat
we secure advantages which are not
had by the people in other sections
of the county. We should go ahead.
We. should teach the people in other
sections Of the county the advantages
of the best schools to be had. Per-
haps the country schools in Abbeville
copnty are behind the schools in other
counties because we, at the Court
House, have not set the proper ex-
ample. However, that may be, we
should now, when we have first
class school, resolve to keep it going
and by the vote Tuesday we have SC
resolved, and we should take IN in.
terest in the educational I matters of
the whole county. =
Abbeville*county is far beand,sa.
we have before stated, in the matter
of good schools. Every school dis
trict in Abbeville County should vote
a local tax of at least eight mills
build a modern school building, ell
ploy first class teachers,and begin II
earnest the work of educating the
children of the county.
We notice that elections are to be
held soon in a number of the schoo
districts of the county looking to in
creased pay for teachers and better
schools. We hope that the example
set by the Abbeville School District
and the other districts which are 60
ing ahead will influence others tt