Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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- * Entered April 23, 1903, at Pickens, S. 0., as Second-ass atter, Under Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. VOL. XXXVIIL. PICKENS, S. C., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1908. . Nd, S OUR SCHOOLS B, PtoF. WILWAM H. HAn, University of South Carolina. Paper Number Seven. The Course of Study.-There is a small but turbulent class of othe, - WRae-riters who periodically belabor 'the public schools. In their night 3mares they see thousands of tender children murdered or maimed in the public schools, and give vociferous ut teranco to so much wild ' nonsense that they have but one effect-making people refuse to heed them even when they point out some real defect. Some of these writers have warned us aainst one great evil which we have gone on ignoring-that of an over erowded course of study.To be brief, some years ago our educators realized the poverty of our common school -coursQ of study, confined almost ex elusively to the three R's.- A just -demand was made for an 'enriched -course, giving a wider range of sub jects to the pupils. . A number of sub jects lihs been added. Now, in order to encourage individual initiative, I take it, the State Board of Education has never prescribed a maximum or a ininimum number of subjects for any Course. Instead it has qdopted text 'Iooks covering a rather wide range -of subjects, and grouped these into yearly grades, leaving- each schoot to make up a course or courses from this list. The building of a well-balanced -course of study is the work of an ex -' mparatively few teachers lay that stage of fitness. Yet cher, or at least each princi 'rienced or inexperienced, ut to make his own course. prejudices and tastes begins for the mastery. One tenA . arithmetic crank, and his has but little else in it; an favorite subject is grammar, a make's his pupils analyze an everything in sight;; another hati -o taste for geography, and he -practieally omits it; another "do-O.s -on " poetry, and the whole school is -put to merrizing and reciting gems; -while a lot of thorough-going tefch -era who take everything literally, put the whole adopted list into one course, and givet it to every pupil in the :school. . A great- deal of ignorant nd un just criticism is made aga ist the frCquent and useless change of text 'books. Tt would be neither wise nor -defensible to have a child use the same reader through two or three -grades. or to usc the same geography throngh the 4th. 5th and 6th grade for instance. If thb book is suited -to his advancement when he begins it. it is reasonable to say that it is not -suitable two or three years later in his life. And if a teacher ivere to 'keep the child ofone o fthese watch ful trunrdians of the schodIs in a fourth reader, for instance, for three -years. this same guardian would make the columns of the local newspaper -smell of sulphur in declaiming acninst the oulrage (then fail to sign his -nanie). On the other hand, many of our schools do needlessly tax the pat TOns5 for hooks. and burden the chil -dren with books. Let me give con -crete cases: I have just examined the published cnnrse of study in a ten -grndIe school in one of our towns. In that course are prescribed fift,y-five -separate texts, exclusive of coI)y books, drawing books, seratch pads, etc. Tn the school are ten teachers. In nntot her ten-grade school, with four teachiers. there nre sixty-four texts prescribed. In the first men-. tiorned school there are ten separate 1e::ts required in th" sevent.h grnd(e; in the second mentioned schocol elev -n texts are civen in the eighth grade. Everv child ouirht to have the be-st eohtainable book in every' sub.ijee. lie )ur'Pues..and be onwht to have all Ihe books he nedyu-booko suited to his age and advancement, but. T protest thant the above mentioned course are out, (of .reas~on. To undertake to tench all these books to any one child in the allotted timo would make old 80re rutes catch his breath. In the first -case it would seem that the comise given was ,measured by the physical -endurance of. the teachers--ten teach era pitgd against ten sets of children. Tu em. ew the physical en "V the c ebers was fl limit rs P ied aghs e 'l>rre Rt's in the c(mmon sch1ools,. b.1t our schools re u%dertaking too mm-h. of work. Shool work -must be cir ellmscribed by time, space. and the ability of the empil. Take the eighth zrade course already mentioned, Of Ithe eleven texts -prescribed, nine are to be pursued at the same time. It is no fleure of speech to say that if a child's time. is the dividend of a long division. the quotient, or result, must be small. For instance, in the first two years of a child's school life the schools very properly devote much time and energy to oral rending. But by the time he reaches the ffth grade so many things are crowded upon him that he does but little oral reading while under insruction-a few min utes each day, perhaps. Hence when he reaches the high school 'his oral reading is scarcely intelligible, and he 's often unable to get through from the printed page. Indeed.- many a college student and not a few te'eh ers in our common schools cannot read as they should read on entering the high school. These crowded courses of study have another fatal weakness, In the same school and in the same classes is a wide range of ability, taste and opportunity, among the pupils. The bright and precocious mind, the slug gish but retentive mind, and the dull mind are found side by side. The pupil of robust -body%. and vigorous health, the one of feeble body and delicate health, and the one with am ple time for every task and the one with scant time for any task all go to the same scliool. The unpardon able sin of the schools is to bunch them together, give them the same work, and require all to measure up to a common standard. God made them in d;fferent roldq. mnd it is use less for the schools to try to ignore the differences. It'is unnatural and it is wrong. To march abreast twenty flve children in one grade up to a given dead line is neither possible nor desirable. Children with diverse abilities, tastes, and,- opportunities should not be required to progress with even step through such divetse subjects as mathematics, languae, history, and drawing. 'If a boy can do the language work of the sixth grade, but is prparcd for onlv the 4th in niathematics, Put him just where he is fitted to go. "Oh, lie would not fit into my program,'' says some one. Then make the program fit the boy. The possibility of doing thig is one of the great advantages that the small country school has over the closely graded 'school. There is another thing which needs 'o be dinned into the ears of our poople-both teachers and partons that it is folly for a school with nine grades and two teachers to undertake to do what a school with nine grades and six teachers accomplishes. The two-teacher school may be the better school within its limitations, but it must keep within these limitations. A one-horse farmer who would claim to be able to grow as many crops and as large crops as a four-horse far mer would grow, would be laughted -t. Little David' could not fight in big Saul 's heavy and cumbersome ar inor, but with a sling and a pebble he did effective work. To Havo Lobbyist at Capital. Baltimore, Special-William H. Andergon, superintendent of th Maryland anti-saloon league,- has been chosen by thre national heod1 T'irters committee to- represent tne n.ational league, at Washington as acting superintendent during I.he coiming session of Congress. Supt. S. E. Nicholson, of Pennisylvania, who has been serving in thant capacity, ow ing to the fact that the Peninsylvanini legislature wvill b)e in session this Swinter, will be compelled1 to give hi entire time to looking after legisla tion in that State. L,at Reception to Fleet. Yokohama, By Cable.-The series of the brilliant functions- which have charactex izedl Japan 's recept ion of the American battleship fleet came to .a close here Friday night with a din. ner,.on hoard the battleship Fuji, the guecsts of which were confined to the American ambassador, Rear Admiralr and other officers. There was also n brilliant reception on the battleship IMikasa to which all the prominent IAmericans here were invited, wvit1 the accompaniments of an illuminia tion of the fleet, firewvorks and teoreh 'Erht procession on shore. FLEEI LEAVES TOKIO After Splendid Reception By the Japaese Peop!e VESSELS HOMEWARD BOUND The Departure of the Big Ships the - Prettiest Feature of the Week Toklo Resumes Normal Condition -After a Week of Delirium. Tokio, By Cable.-After a week's suspension of almost every kind of business, because of the presence of the American flept in Japanese waters and so that fitting welcome might be given to the American officers and sailors, Tokio is resuming its normal conditions. Already many of the de corations have been taken down, al though every on6 is yet discussing the remarkable features of the past few days. President Roosevelt's messages to the Emperor was, presented to him through Count.K6mura, the foreign minister, and the Emperor probably will make a reply soon, but there is no reason to expect that the Em peror's message will contain other than a graceful acknowledgement and an expression of gratifleation at the President's warm words of apprecia tion. Nothing could possibly exceed in the public mirAl in Japan the sig nificance of the Emperor's previous message. Th6 departure of the fleet Sunday morning was one of the prettiest fea tures of the week. The flgahip Con necticut slipped her cables at exact ly 8 o'clock. She steamed past the Louisiana and saluted and was,fol lowed by the remainder of the first squadron. When the eight ships had passed, the Louisiana led the second line, and the -entire fleet then formed in single column. As each of the Amercan battle ships passed the head of the Japanese column the crows of the ships of both nations cheered enthusiastically, and the band of both the American ships played the Japanese national hymn. When the last of the sixteen ships was saluting, the Connecticut was in visible on the horizon. Within exact ly fifty minutes the entire manouvre had been completed. # Seven New Cases of Cholera. Manila, By Cable-Seven new cases of cholera were reported in this city for the day ending Sunday night The slight increase in the spread of the (isease is ascribed by the au thorities to the many gatherings of the people- on Saturday night vnd Sunday and the feasts that accom panied the assemblies. The situation is not considered to be grave and the health department feela as tiough it has the epidemic well under control, expressing no alarm over the in incretse. It is probable that the gov ernment will further restrict the gath erings of the. natives and also the sale of dangerous foods. It is be ievod that cock pits located in the suburbs of the city wvhere it is dim cult to maintain a strict watch over the sale of feodstuffs arc responsible for the slight increase in the num ber of cholera cases noted at ench week end(. Orville Wright Improving NIcely. Washington, Special. -- Orville Wright, the aeroplanist who narrowly eapedl dleath in the accident to his ae/oplane during a flight at I'rit Myer. VTa. tive weeks ago,' will soon be ab)le to leave for- his home at Dayton. 0. His most Serious injujry was a brokenm thigh and the splint wvas r-emove-d from this Sumnday. It was found upon measuring the le-ft leg, the one i njurd, that. it is hnt a quiarter of an1 inch shorter than the other.. An Eryeaminnation of thme fracture shmowed( that the knitting of the broken bones hs been perfect. Cl.pel Hill Man Elected Presiden' of Peat Producers' Society. Tl'edo,, 0., Speial-The seconii annual convention of the - American Peat Producers' Society has adjourn ed to meet in Hoston next year. Joseph HI. P'rat t, Chapel Hill, N. C., was electeil president. Robert Ran som, Jacksonville, FL., wvas elected vice president for the Southern, States. OLDES EDI[OR DIES At the Ripe Age of Ninety-Four Years Ool. Richard Benburg Oreecy a Distinguished Journalist Passes Away-His Influence as a Writer Was Great and He Was a Terror to the Atate's Enemies During Re construction Days. Elizabeth City, N.: C., Special. Deepest gloom is cast over the city in the death Thursday morning at 9 o'clock of her oldest, most honored and most revered citi:,en, Col. Rich ard Benbury Creecy. 4-4lonel Crecey, while always bright, had been gradu ally falling away for months and his death was, not unexpected. He was entering into his 95 year and would have celebrated the occasion on the 19th of December. Colonel Creecy was one of the State's most learned and beloved sons and had the distine tion of being the oldest living editor in the world. He was also the old est living alumnus of the University of North Carolina. Colonel Creecy was born at Green field Chowan county, and was reared in Edenton. He moved to Elizabeth City in 1843 and began the practice of law. 'the year following he mar ried Miss Perkins, daughter of otie !)f the largest planters and slave own era in this county. Cblonel Creecy won reputation as a writer by cor respondence to different leading news papeis and during reconstruction days need for a strong newspaper was most apparent. Colonel Creeoy, of this city; Edward Wood, of Edenton. and T. J. Jarvis, then of 'yrrell county, established The Weekly Economist and elected Colonei Creecy as editor-in-chief. The great power and influence wielded by the brilliant writer's pen it now a matter of history. No man in the State did more for the 9outh's cause and no man was hated und feared more by the Carpet-baggerE and scalawags of that day than he Colonel Creecy's wife -died years ago but be is survived by flve daih ters: Miss Nannie and Henfietta; Mrs. E. F. Lamb, of Texas; Mrs. W. M. Lawton, of New York, and Mrs. D. C. Winston, of EdAenton; and three sons: Joshua and E. P., of St. Louis, the latter chief of police of that city, and R. B. Creccy, Jr., this city. Firebugs Busy in Norfolk. Norfolk, Special.--Incendiaries are till working in this city, three ifies in the business district having been reported between midnight and 6 a m. The first, at the wholpsale notion establishment of T. S. Pine & Co., caused $5,000. The second, at the offiee of the United States Express Company, and the third, at the City Hay and Grain Compan-'s establish ment, were extinguished in their in cipiency. The chiefs of the fire and police departments conferred with the Boat1 of Control on the situation and heroic steps are tohe taken to apprehend the ineendinries. Governor's Life is Threatened. Union City, Special.-Governor Pat Ierron, surroundled by a personal nrd of twenty-five, is in charge of the encampment of State troops at Samburg and will personally leadl the hunt for the night. riders who hanged Captain Rankin. Detachments of troops are sconirinig three counties for the murdeders. Fearing n ossib,le raid by the night riders. thi" Sate troops are maintaining two linies of s'entinels followving the po(st ing of notices that if thle Governor did not diseonitinue the hunt he himself' would be kidnapped. Lost His Life for a Hoop. Lynchhurg, Special.- H ooproll inu cdst Walteur D)avis. a 7-year-old cot Ibr(ed boy, his life in Amherst (couni1v Sunday. The hoop ro'llad inito the river and t he boy fol lowe~d it, beinig uinabl e to check hiimsel f. Hie has ntot been seen since. Big Lumber Plant Burned. Pensacola, Fla., Special.-Ne'ws reached here of the dlestruction bv tire Thtursdlay of the lumber milling plant of t he Salye-Davis Company, at Southiport. The fire, of unknown origin, was fanned by a high wind and destroyed the entire plant, en tailing a loss of $100,000. A ROYAL _W[LCV1[ Shown the American Ii ' P., Japanese Govermni ent ENTERTAINED IN GREA1 1Y ff LC Tremendous Procession of :"b 1 Madly-Cheering People v w by Admiral Sperry and the ' can Fleet Officers. Tokio, By Cable.-The ca, Japan witnessed Thursday n most extraordinary evidence spirit of the new Japan. Al' ing an audience of the officer, American battleship fleet on the Emperor issued an order the people to increase in es possible, the enjoyment and of the American visitors, 'w he said, as historic friends Japanese nation. The resp this imperial mandate was heard at night. Originally a torchlight p of 15,000 people was plannec of the day's prograi;me, feature went far beyond exp and developed into a great demonstration. Japan's war tions after peace with Russi; don's Mafeking Night," ar New Vork's election nigl would seem almost insignifici pared with Tokio's celebrati Mile after mile through cheering people, the great p wound its way. Representai various guilds, universities, of every class for boys a organizations took part, each ual carrying a lighted ,lante high on a long pole with . and Japanese flags int A-dmiral Sperry and the ott officers of the American flee the procession from a specin stand, standing with barei above the sea of waving the deafening roar of cheers clasi of the iisi(; from se. bands which played the i national hymn continuous, dense became the crowds ar stand that the entire proces: blocked until Admiral Sper. forced to leave in order to engagemenit at the dinner Minister of Foreign Affairs Again at. the American the great procession halted climax of the enthusiasm wi ed. When the head of the p arrived at the embassy am Mrs. O'Brien and the other the embassy appeared upon randa and received a prolonm tion from the crowds, every - boy among the paraders fif hat to the ladies, while the continuous shouts for the A ambassador, who had also le tend the dlinnerC. K T1he ent ire grounds surronn embassy were lighted with Iii lanterns andl( the demionstrat ('( for t wo hours. Every 1) TFokio t urned out for tihe pari. t heir Savorite airs were D ood le''I"Dixie,'' and~ i L Brown. TJhousands of the pdi? fantast ic' cost imineschrte .Japanmese celebrait ions. Eve.vy foreignier in Tokio n~ ly imip ressed1 bv the night 's abile demonist'rajt in, coming from~ ani ordina:ry uuiindo leicoe.. Thie ent ire da as taken. Admiral Sperry aind the of mirals of thle American fie their eides. Construction Fore "n Deca Kinigston. N. Y.. Speci IHoweni, a formanm cmaployed Newv York water supply de iii the construct ion of a -big at. Iigh Falls, wvas decapit two negroes wvere mortally wh' n a huge rock -fell into a which they were wvorking to floating pump.