The herald and news. [volume], October 04, 1912, Page FIVE, Image 5

About The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937

Image provided by: University of South Carolina; Columbia, SC

                
<$> rural school supervision.
<? ?S>
<s> By Prof. W. Jk. late. <r>
<$><?><?><$>$><$><?>
' Columbia, S. C., Sept. 10, 1912.
To the County Rural Scnool Super
(visors:
I have thought it best at the beginning
of the new school year to put into
this form a few observations as to the
. nature of your work and a few suggestions
as to the best methods of assisting
the country school teachers of
South Carolina. As I have stated to
ypu in conference, this work is untried
in South Carolina and each of
you will be expected to give her own
individuality the greatest possible
freedom in working out the general
purpose contemplated by the State and
county departments of education. As
conditions vary in the counties which
Iyou represent, the scope of your activities
will differ. From time to time
I shall make other suggestions as they
occur to me, and it is my earnest wish
to have every suggestion which each
you can make for the good of us
all. It is my desire as soon as possible
after opening of the schools in the
fall to spend a few days with each of
you in a practical study of your problems.
If you have not arranged a date
for this visitation, I should be pleased
to hear from you as to the most con-j
venient time.
Official Status of the County Supervis?
or.
With one exception you are officers
elected by the county board of education
and supported in whole or in part
"Jrom the county school funds. I have j
rbeeii pleased to note that in most cases j
the county superintendent has given j
your office a space on the official sta-;
tionery. You are to be one of the
arms of the county superintendents of j
education for the execution of suchI
plans as he and the county board may I
devise with your advice and assistance j
for the improvement of the country:
'schools of your respective counties.
The money which has been secured
from the Peabody fund to assist the
county in maintaining your work will
be placed in the county treasury subject
to the orders of the county superintendent
of education. From this
ffund and from the funds appropriated
by the county itself your salary will
1 no doubt be paid monthly by the coun
-* ^ ? i. TT? ?in I
zy 6upermienaeni. iou win ui wuibc
keep closely in touch with the county
superintendent, consulting with him
freely and making such reports on
your work as he may desire.
I shall ask you at the close of each
calendar month to make me, as State!
supervisor of country schools, a brief
. report covering your activities for the
month. This may be a copy of the report
which you make to the county
superintendent, if he wishes such a report.
My object, however, in asking
for it is to duplicate it and send each
supervisor a ccpy of 'the report made
by every other one. In this way we
^ can each have the benefit of every
one's experience. Tnese reports snouici
be perfectly free and frank. Except for
the eyes of the workers, they will be
strictly confidential.
Official Authority.
As an appointed officer of the superintendent
and the county board of
education you have such authority as
this body may confer upon you. The
supervisors sometimes ask me to what
extent they can enforce in the schools
the reforms which they know are necessary
to their improvement. We must
continually bear in mind that education
is a spiritual and not a mechanical
process. My own experience in
school .-supervision has taught me that
the supervisor is equipped with only
that authority which an earnest personality,
enthusiastic devotion to the
work, and a superior knowledge of end
and means may confer. In our dealI
ings with teachers it will be necesb
sary to exercise consummate tact. Especially
in the beginning, many of
B ? them will be suspicious of us. They
W will distrust our motives. Sometimes
p you will enter a school room in which
* , the teacher instinctively arrays herself
against the one who comes to supervise
her. Our attitude towards the
teacher must be not that of the boss,
nf th& frionH anH hf>lr>pr whr? has :
UUt VI tiiv ?. * *ViiU ,,
come in an unobtrusive way to assist
her in solving the difficult problems \
which she has met in her classroom.
The more quietly and unobtrusively a
suggestion can be given the more potent
it is. The supervisor should con- j
stantly endeavor to establish friendly j
personal relations with the teachers
and the pupils of the county so that
they may welcome her coming and not
look upon her visit as an official af-j
flition to be dreaded. Much of the su-:
T* J J
pervisor's success win uepeuu un uci
ability to find something to commend i
in the work of even the poorest teach-1
<rr. A commendation of something j
worthy of commendation offers the |
best fulcrum for the timely suggestion I
which would otherwise be regarded as i
harsh criticism. The success of the
supervisor will also depend on her,
ab;'- > o keep the confidences of the'
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' . .
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teachers inviolate " nd to maintaii
| with others a discreet silence concern
! ing the shortcomings of the teachers
j It is expedient to report success, bu
: it is most unwise to .gossip about th
; failures and shortcomings of thos
! you are endeavoring to assist.
Some Difficulties to Be 3Iet.
I There are difficulties in our worl
! we must face frankly with the deter
i mination to overcome them as far a
! possible. Progress will necessarily b
slow. We are under the necessity o
overcoming the neglect and indiffer
ence of years in the development o
the country schools. We must mak
up our minds to let nothing discour
age us.
The question of conveyance fron
one school to another over the countr;
is a rather important one. It will of
ten be impracticable for the supervis
or to keep a horse and buggy of he:
own, though this of course would b?
best. Most of the supervisors depent
on the people of the community visit
ed to convey them to the next school
After spending a day with one schoo
the trustees are usually willing t<
take the supervisor to the next schoo
which she wishes to visit. In thi<
way the traveling expenses of the su
pervisors may be reduced to a mini
mum.
The supervisor will be most sue
cessful who can best make herself a
home with country people and wh<
really enjoys the accidents and hard
ships incident to her work. Wihen th<
task is approached with the true pion
eer spirit there is really a great dea
of fun in it. In spite of the bad roads
the cold and rainy days, and the othei
things we are accustomed to call "hard'
ships, it has been my observation tha
the supervisors without exception im
l-r. "hoolfVt JJT1/1 CtTPTTP'th
yw.t xil
broaden in human sympathy.
Suggested Lines of Work.
As I 6aid before, the work of th<
county supervisor will vary with condition.
The following are suggested
as among a fruitful line-of activities:
1. Assist the county superintendem
and trustees in finding good teachers
for the country schools. The trustees
who are under our law charged witl
the duty of selecting teachers, hav<
little opportunity to make a good selection.
They are either limited tc
the few teachers whom they kno^
personally, or are dependent on the
tender mercy of the teachers' agency
The best service which a county supercised
can perform is to help the
county superintendent and trustees tc
find a good teacher for every school ir
the county. If I can be of any assistance
to you in this respect, kindl}
command me.
2. Encourage the trustees, the patrons,
the school improvement association
to prepare the school house anc
grounds for the opening of the school
session. The yard should be cleared
of weeds, the floors swept and scour
ed, the windo'&s and doors repaired
the furniture arranged, the seats
screwed to the floor, the blackboards
put in repair, the wells should b?
cleaned, and the closets and other outbuildings
put in thoroughly sanitarj
condition. A card written by the county
superintendent and the supervisor
to the chairman of the board insisting
on this preliminary work, and followed
up by newspaper articles will gc
far towards getting the school houses
ready for the opening.
Try to get every pupil in the district
enrolled on the opening day. Encourage
teachers and trustees to make the
first day of school an edacational rally
day and an occasion in the community.
Farm work will keep many
children out of school during the firsl
weeks of the session. Try to have everyone
of these present at least or
the first day when they may De enrolld
and classified and may receive
the list of books for the session. Bj
home study many of them will dc
much toward keeping np with theii
classes. Endeavor to get them tc
school on rainy days when farm work
is ipossible. Many children are slou
in starting to school because the datf
of opening has not been thorough I\
advertised. Enlist the cooperation ol
the ministers and the Sunday schoo
THE GREA
AMQ MO 1
2ES TO FIT AN\
INSON'S
Successors to
i superintendents to get these to an- j tl
- : nounce the date of school opening two j S
t.; or three weeks before the event. This ! c
t! will giv parents time to get their chil- ! G
ej dren ready for school. It is frequent- p
e! ly possible to get trustees to give in- s
?
| formation by postal card to every pat- a
j ron in the district as to the date of
x ; school opening. ti
' ? * * - v - - xv I h
-1 4. See tnat eacn teacner in me uuuu- s.
ty is supplied with a copy of the Ele- a
e mentary Teacher's Manual. A supply c
f of these manuals for your teachers 0
- may be obtained by writing the Hon. i*
' J. E. Swearingen, State superintendent)1'
e of education. You can assist the coun- a
- ty superintendent in the distribution ^
of these manuals and can urge each c
1 teacher to make herself thoroughly fa- t(
miliar with the contents. In thisbook c
-1 it has been my endeavor to make sug- P
-; gestions which may have a practical ^
i* application in the country schools of
2 this State. T]
* i n. As you visit the schools encourage
the teachers to read and study other *
pamphlets, journals and books. I j0
1 wish every country teacher in the State
-? t'
3 would read during the year Miss
* Field's little book, "The Corn Lady." ^
5 This is published by A. Flanningen &' n
" Co., of Chicago, and costs 50 cents. c
" In the manual will be found a list of a
I books which will be helpiful to your ^
teachers. The school NeWs and Prac- d
t tical Educator, published vat Taylors- 01
5 ville, 111., is one of the best papers for'
"country teachers Which hais come into* 11
3 '1*' ' J S
-; my possession. A card addressed to
' the publisher will bring * a sampler
1 A/*?inii1fnrc Tin h 1 ic}"> Pfi ^
| (.' JP v . OUilUUl AgMVUiiui^
' by the Orange Judd Co., New York f<
r i city, is an invaluable aid to the coun- r<
"! try teacher. Direct your teachers con- r<
t tinually to the publications of the
c<
"(United States Bureau of Agriculture
* and to Clemson college. Write the
bureau of agriculture- for a copy of 0
, their bulletin entitled "Publications of n
i! the bureau of agriculture classified 0
. for the use of teachers." You may g
I remember that last spting I sent a c
j circular letter to every country teachi
. tj
t tr in the State calling then* attention
; | to the most important of these publi,
| cations. If you can use copies of the s
f o
i j bulletin entitled "School Exercises m
' T>1 ? * T>? ^^>-i ?? j Ti?ira norhanc 9 - ^
J . riit'llL nuuuv^uuu, l uarc py- -,
-: 000 copies of these in my office for r
> I distribution. I have also 1,500 copies n
r i 'of a pamphlet issued by 'Clemson col- b
I SI
\ j lege at my request entitled "Home
. Gardening in South Carolina." I can e
.send you as many of these as you
; I wish. ' t]
i v,
) 6. Encourage the establishment and a
i, development of country school libra-'
ries in your county. The teachers are
71 not taking run advantage 01 ujis act
|of the legislature. By complying with
the law, a $15 addition to the library
may be made annually. Look carefully
through the State library list
and help the teachers make a sensible,
selection of books. Most of them r<
? tanilDnnt; f A colo^t hnntc hp
OJLIV/W d iv
Ci
, yond the interest and capacity of the
5' country child. Every library should ^
5 have at least one good set of supple16
3 mentary readers which may be used
j to vary the monotony of the reading P
1 lesson. Show the teacher how to
j make the school library a center for
! dissemination of the government bul!
letins and other helpful and inierest !
ing literature among the adults of the (
. i ?i 1 n<
? i scnoui uibinui.
?] 7. As you have opportunity, encour- n<
! age the introductor of elementary ^
:! manual training, cooking and home
i keeping, and sanitation into the eoun;
try schools of your county. Every new sc
building erected should have the tl
workroom suggested in the State plans tr
p A special bulletin wili soon be issued
t giving detailed suggestions for the in- ei
troduction of this work. Encourage a
t the corn club, the tomato club, and T
every other agency which will bring vi
; about a closer relation between the ai
r schools and the life of the community, th
) Show the teachers hjw to teach coun- cc
try children in terms of their own life, ta
) "The Corn Lady" will give von vain- di
: able suggestions along this line. If t.r
you can lead the teachers of your aj
1 county to grasp this one idea, you will cc
r be worth $10,000, to your county this C;
I year. There will be bound in book pi
I II Milne's Progressive Course in Ari- le
mmmKsssxsammummmBcema.- EWnDBBBMBnBBaiBDBBBBKBM <
itary
T KITCHEN P>
CIVETS ]
r STOVE F
TEN C
Anderson's Tc
hmetic a special farm supplement for
-outh Carolina. Insist that all your
ountry teachers use this supplement.
rive tnem ail me assistance in yum ;
ower in its mastery and correct pre- ;
entation. I am sending each of you
copy under separate cover.
8. The State department of educaion
is preparing and will place in the
ands of the county superintendents
nd teachers of South Carolina a score
ard for rating country schools. Copies
f this score card will be sent you. It
3 intended to set an approachable
leal before the teachers of the State
nd to furnish them with a standard
Dr estimating progress. Use this inentive
to the limit. It would be incresting
to make a tabulation of the
lose of the year showing the total
rogress of the county as shown by
hese score cards.
9. When you visit a country school
ae specific thing to attempt will naurally
depend on the conditions which
ou find. In general you may do some
f the things indicated below: . I
i
a. Suggest such improvements in
tie- arrangement of the furniture as
ill give a better lighting. Make a
ot of the cleanliness and sanitary
ondition of the house and grounds,
nd suggest improvements along this
ne in accordance with the recommenations
and rules of the State board
f. health. * r . , ,
b. See if the teacher has the elelentary
manual and is fbliowitfg the
uggestions laid down therein.
c. Assist the teacher in making a
rtrVi -J ttfill rri tTA Vl
ct|i> pi~ugraui ' ** win vi^i
?wer classes and a better general arangement
of her work. Help' her corect
mistakes in classification along
je lines indicated in our Rook Hill
onference. *
d. Observe hex work in teaching the!
rdinary school subjects and note the
listakes she is making in her methods
f procedure. At recess or after school
ive her friendly suggestions as to the I
orection of these errors. Gradually j
ike part in the conduct of the recita- J
ons, and during the day give tnree or j
Dur model presentations of important i
ubjects. Give the teacher the- benefit j
f your experience in the manage- j
lent of the school. If the reading is;
oor and this is traceable to a poor j
lethod of teaching the subject, it is j
oHof fn oormro rJofinito rocillfo in lc f
vH.Vl VW OV/VUl V A ?u v.?w
ubject than to spread your efforts or- j
r fhe entire curriculum. Of course j
; is not necessary for me to caution j
ie supervisors against any action i
hich might weaken the influence or \
nthority of the teacher with her putts.
Tact constitutes three-fourths ;
f your qualifications for your import- [
nt work.
e. The supervisor who leaves with
ie children at recess a new game or
~~wa ^ nawmoiianf rtrmfTi hntinn tr? !
IdlVCS sunlit j/ciuiau&ui. V/VUVt<wuv.?u .v
ie- district resources for social ree^ation
has done a good day's work.
: through her suggestion a school or
Dmraunity-literary society or a counr
lyceum is formed and she thus con'ibutes
to the elevation of the intel?ctual
and social life, sho will-have!
erformed a lasting service to her
:>unty. Get the Clemson bulletin by j
. W. Daniel on debating and public;
iscussion for distribution in the j
)unty.
f. Look af the teachers register and
Dte the enrollment and attendance. If j
ecessary, instruct the teacher in1
eeping the register and making retired
reports.
g. Ascertain what children of the
jhool district are not in school. Find
le cause of the non-attendance and
y to get them in school.
h. I suspect that every county which
nploys a supervisor will arrange for |
county school field day in the spring, j
he county superintendent and supereor
will no doubt explain these plans
id will bring about participation in
ie field day by every school in the
)unty. In the field day exercises cer- j
tin events should be thoroughly J
-illed and uniform for ail the coun-1
y schools. Each should be encour;ed,
however, to make some original j
>ntribution. The University of South
aroiina and Clemson college each !
ublishes for free distribution a bul-1
tin on school athletics. I should be
Drip I
iECESSITY
ClAO I 1 w
'RICES 10c to t
:ent si
in Cent Store
More Than
Profits to t
On November 15th,
with THE STANDARI
PANY 41.517 bales of coi
/
day for middling cotton ii
April 15th, 1912, THE ST.
COMPANY held in stor;
and the price for middlii
that day was 11.55?a pr
ten dollars per bale, wh
the 41,000 bales of cottoi
to warehouse it.
THE STANDARD S
is prepared to take care <
the South Carolina farm<
the cotton stored with it
The only way for th<
a fair nrirp for his nrorfii
distribute its sale throug
rushing the crop on the n
ber and December, as 1:
. pressing the price.
The Standard
Newberry, Si
#
pleased tx> make further suggestions
along this line to such of the supervisors
as may wish to receive them.
10. The county supervisor can assist
the ccunty superintendent materially
in the organization of the
teachers into helpful agencies. The
monthly program at these teachers'
? : * : 1 ^ v>^v <-\f o oniHpr? 1 v
assuouuns iuuuiu uc- ?. ?.,
practical nature. As you mingle with
the trustees and the people of your
county keep constantly before their
minds the advantages of special taxation
for the maintenance of better
schools. I have the ambition that
during this year several other counties
may take their places on the
honor roll which Dorchester county
started last year by securing a special
tax in every district in the county.
If you are not thoroughly familiar
with the library law, the term extension
act, the school building acts,
or the rural graded school act, you
should acquaint yourself with these
acts and be prepared to explain them
to trustees and the people. It is not
my wish, however, that the supervisors
should devote any large part of
their time to the administrative side
of the county school work. The county
superintendent will no doubt lead
the campaign in this direction.'
It will of course be impossible for
every supervisor to follow up all the
suggestions which I have made in this
long: letter. Using her own common
sense, she will select the things which
constitute the most pressing needs of
her own county and will govern her
acts accordingly. I shall hope befon
Christmas to have the opportunity of
spending a few days with each of you
when all these questions may be thor
Pans
CLEAN
25c.
["ORE
$400,000.00
he Farmers
i
1911, there were stored
) WAREHOUSE COMtton
and the price on that
i New York was 9.50. On
A.NDARD WAREHOUSE
age 40,965 bales of cotton
ig cotton in New York on
ofit of a little more than
ich went to the owners of
i who were wise enough
\ t,
AREHQJISE COMPANY
yf the l$12.eotton cron for
jrs and to tend money on
} cotton grower to secure
ct is to warehouse it and
hout the year, instead of
t
larket in October, Novemleretofore,
and thus de- \
Warehouse Co.
outh Carolina. \
$
oughly discussed. A copy of this letj
ter has been sent to your county superintendent.
' *"i*
Fraternally yours,
W. K. Tate..
I T ??4.
r ret; at LO>U i
i It is the custom among some of the
| New York theatrical managers occa|
sionally to entertain the members of
the local ball teams at their theaters.
A ydung recruit from the high grass
joined the Giants one day and that
night went with his new teammates to
a play as guests of the management. /
The piece did not appeal to the
men, though, and they failed to applaud
with any degree of heartiness.
After the curtain fell John McGraw,
their manager, scolded them for this '?v
lack of warmth.
"Here you fellows come in here free
and have the best seats th? house affords,
and then you sit stock-still like
a row of dummies!" he said. "I hope
[ this doesn't happen again."
The very next afternoon one of the !
' veterans hailed the youngster at practice
on the Pofo Grounds.
"Well, kid," he said, "more big doin's
tonight! Mac's going to take us
to Bill Brady's theatre."
"What's the show?" asked the green
hand.
"The show," said the veteran, "is
Bought and Paid For."
"Thank the Lord for that!" said the 4
youngster fervently. "If it's rotten we
won't have to applaud."?Saturday
Evening Post.
>"ott is the time to subscribe to Tbc
Herald and Jfews, $1.50 a year.
ii mi iiihiiii mi