Glass_JL£jL5 a^9 Book. O 9 vvW. 'v cv r ' ^ '^A is~'5»W S. HIGH SCHOOL ACT NINETEEN HUNDRED AND NINE Information : : Regulations Suggested Courses of Study ISSUED BY J. E. SWEARINGEN STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA \Si>^f' \ o.O^'^ To Communities Desiring High Schools s Ninety-six State-aided high schools are now in operation in > South Carolina. Though these are distributed among thirty-six counties, Anderson, Greenville, Orangeburg and Marion are the only counties qualifying for the full amount allowed by the High School Act. The Legislature, at its last session, raised the appropriation to $60,000.00, and this increase provides for the establislmnent of at least twenty-five additional high schools. In no case will the estabhshment of a high school be allowed to impair the efficiency of the common school. Under the amended Act of 1909, any village with less than four hundred population may establish a high school, if fifteen pupils are enrolled above the seventh grade. Every high school district must levy at least a two-mill tax for either high school or common school purposes. Special attention is called to Regulation No. 17 relative to high school salaries. In village and rural schools employing four teachers, one teacher will be allowed to divide time between high school and common school departments. State aid for the school year 1909-1910 will not be granted until each school has made application on the form prescribed by the State High School Board. The amount of State aid will, in each instance, be determined partly by enrollment and partly by the character of work done. Any school making fourteen units will be given the maximum of $700.00 allowed by the High School Law. There are four prehminary steps to the establishment of a high school — a petition signed by one-third of the freeholders in the proposed high school territory, an election ordered by the County Board of Education and managed by the common school trustees, an application approved by the County Superintendent of Educa- tion, and inspection by the State High School Inspector. The necessary blanks can be had on request either from this office or from the County Superintendent of Education. The Board deems it advisable that all high schools shall be at least five miles apart. In such localities, transportation of pupils is the solution of the high school problem, and has been found to be both cheaper and more satisfactory in many communities. The high school is the college of the people. It brings better educational advantages to every boy and girl in the district. Any county may qualify for as much as $3,000.00 under the law, and the money is ready for communities that ask it. Yours respectfully, J. E. SWEARINGEN. [4] HIGH SCHOOL ACT As Amended March 3, 1909. Section 1. That it shall be lawful for any common school dis trict which does not contain an incorporated town or city of more than twenty-five hundred inhabitants, or for any county, or for any township, or aggregation of adjoining townships, or aggrega- tion of adjoining school districts in which there is no incorporated town or city of more than twenty-five hundred inhabitants within the State, to establish a high school in the manner and with the privileges herein given. Sec. 2. That any high school territorial unit mentioned in Section 1 of this Act may establish a high school by an election to be held in said proposed high school district upon the question of establishing the same; said election to be ordered upon the written petition of at least one-third of the freeholders within the territory, addressed to the County Board of Education ; said election to be conducted in all other respects, including the requirements of those who are allowed to vote therein, as elections are now conducted under Section 1208 of the Civil Code of 1902, in reference to special levies for school purposes. If the majority of the votes cast in each school district shall be "For High Schools" and not "Against High Schools," the high school shall be established and become a body corporate under the name and style of High School District No. , of County (the State Board to insert the number in order of its establishment in the particular county, and also the name of the proper county). If a single school dis- trict establish a high school, the Board of Trustees of that school district shall be the High School Board of Trustees. If any two or more school districts establish a high school, the Board of Trus- tees in that common school district in which the hiffh school is located, together with the chaimtian or chairaien of the other com- mon school district or districts within the high school territory, shall constitute the High School Board of Trustees : Provided, That [5J the trustees of any special district in any incorporated town or city operating under a special Act of the General Assembly shall be trustees of the high school. Sec. 3. That the qualified electors and freeholders in any terri- tory proposing to become a high school district, or any high school district heretofore established, shall be authorized to vote a high school tax not exceeding two mills, by the same rules and under the same terms as special taxes are now voted under Section 1208 of th Civil Code of 1902 : Provided, That any common school district within any high school territorial unit may vote itself out of the high school unit in the same manner as prescribed for its entrance into the high school unit: Provided, That any territorial high school unit which has heretofore voted for the establishment of a high school therein shall, upon compliance with the provisions of this Act, be entitled to the provisions and benefits thereof. Sec. 4. That any public high school already established,^ or any number of high school grades in a public school already estab- lished — provided, it shall be organized and adopted as a high school by special election as prescribed in Section 2 of this Act — in any high school territory above described, may claim the privilege of this Act: Provided, It conforms to the provisions thereof: Pro- vided, further. That nothing in tliis Act shall be construed as a repeal of any of the privileges granted them in the special Acts of the General Assembly. Sec. 5. That a high school maintaining a four years' course of study beyond the branches of learning prescribed to be taught in the common schools of the State, and embracing not fewer than seven grades or school years, shall be known as a four-year high school ; a high school maintaining a three years' course beyond the common school course shall be known as a three-year high school; and one maintaining a two years' course beyond the common school course shall be known as a two-year high school: Provided, That any and all high schools established under authority of this Act shall include in the course of study instruction in manual training, especially in respect to agriculture and domestic science. Sec. 6. The State High School Board shall provide for the inspection and classification of high schools under this Act. In [61 Wm 2 190S til! .«^C ^\ doing this, it may invite the assistance of such members of the universities and colleges of this State as they may select, and their actual expenses shall be paid out of the fund hereafter appropriated from year to year, while actually engaged in the duties devolving upon them. Sec. 7. That the State Board of Education, as now constituted, shall constitute the State High School Board, with full authority to prescribe all such regulations as may not be inconsistent with this Act. The State High School Board shall provide rules for the apportionment and disbursement of the State aid to the high schools, giving due recognition to the number of years of the high school work, to the number of the courses of study offered, to the enrollment of pupils, the amount of industrial or commercial train- ing given, and to such other matters of local merit as may appear to the Board proper after a careful examination of each high school: Provided, That not more than $500.00 may be given to a two-year high school, nor more than $600.00 may be given to a three-year high school, nor more than $700.00 may be given to a four-year high school: Provided, further. That an additional $100.00 may be given to a township liigh school or to a high school embracing as many as six common school districts : Provided, fur- ther. That the Board may give additional aid for industrial and commercial courses: Provided, further. That the Board may give to any high school levying a special high school tax of not less than one mill, twenty-five dollars for each and every common school district composing that high school unit : Provided, further. That no high school shall receive aid unless it has at least twenty-five high school pupils and two teachers in the high school department : Pro- vided, further, That the Board may give aid to a rural high school or a village high school with but fifteen high school pupils and one high school teacher, such village to contain not exceeding four hundred inhabitants : Provided, further. That no aid shall be given any high school unless the district or districts composing the high school territory are levying or shall levy as much as two mills special school tax, which may be levied as either a common school or a high school tax: Provided, further. That no county shall receive more than five per cent, of the annual appropriation pro- vided for under tliis Act. [71 Sec. 8. The funds raised in the various counties by taxation, subscription, or otherwise, for high school purposes shall be placed in the county treasury, together with any appropriation received from the State Board of Education, and shall be paid out only upon the order of the Board of High School Trustees, duly approved by the County Superintendent of Education. Both the Treasurer and the County Superintendent of Education shall keep accurate accounts of this fund, as is provided for other pubHc school funds. Sec. 9. That each of the high school districts so established is hereby authorized to receive and use gifts, transfers, bequests or devises of property for corporate purposes, whether they be other- wise conditional, or whether absolute in their terms ; and also to issue coupon bonds within the constitutional limit and to dispose of the same to raise money for the purpose of purchasing sites and the erection of buildings thereon, or for the purpose of purchasing improved property, suitable for school, or dormitory, or mess-hall purposes: Provided, That the question of amount of issue, and the rate of interest, and the time or times of payment of the prin- cipal, shall first be submitted to the qualified electors within the said high school district who return real or personal property for taxation, at an election toi be held in the same manner as elections for special levies for school district purposes are now required to be submitted under said Section 1208 of said Code: Provided, That a petition for such election be first addressed to the Board of Trus- tees of said school district signed by a majority of the freeholders therein: And, provided, further. That an annual interest on said issue shall not exceed six per cent., and that the sale shall not be for less than par and accrued interest. Sec. 10. That the sum of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for each of the school years, beginning July 1, 1907, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated to carry out the provisions of this Act, and the Comptroller-General is hereby authorized to draw warrants upon the State Treasurer for such amounts, upon the order of the State Board of Education, duly signed by the Governor, as Chairman, and the State Superin- tendent, as Secretary : Provided, That every high school receiving aid under this Act shall enroll any high school pupil in the county where the school is located free of tuition : Provided, further. That [8] nothing in this Act shall be construed to mean that pupils of differ- ent races shall attend the same schools. Sec. 11. This Act shall in no wise interfere with the high schools already established until July 1, 1911, when all aid to high schools not coming within the provisions of the High School Act of 1908 shall be withdrawn. Approved 3d day of March, A. D. 1909. [9] HIGH SCHOOL REGULATIONS 1. The application for State aid to a high school must be sub- mitted to the Secretary of the State High School Board, through the County Superintendent of Education ; applications, in order to receive consideration, must be filed prior to September 1st of each year. 2. After the appHcation has been received, an inspection and examination shall be made of each school and the conditions of each high school district by a high school inspector. If such inspector makes a favorable report, the school may be received by the Chair- man and Secretary of the High School Board, subject to the approval of the said Board, and the aid shall then be disbursed as provided in the High School Law and regulations of the State High School Board. 3. The high school inspector, or inspectors, shall also make an annual inspection of each school, and any school may be dropped from the list of those receiving State aid whenever such school falls below the requirements of the High School Law and regulations of the State High School Board ; State aid may be withheld from any high school whenever it becomes evident to the said Board that the teaching in said school is inefficient. The local High School Board shall receive at least two months' notice before the withdrawal of aid. 4. For a high school to receive State aid there must be at least two teachers devoting all their time to high school teaching: Pro- vided, That if a high school has in it but two teachers, one of whom is the supervising principal of the common school department four hours a day, actual teaching in the high school department by him shall be accepted as full time, but he shall do no regular teaching below the high school. 5. Section 7 of the High School Law provides for aid to be given a rural high school or a village high school with fifteen high school pupils and one high school teacher. [10] 6. No aid shall be given to a one-teacher high school unless the common school department has in it at least two teachers giving full time to teaching in the common school department. A two- teacher high school must have at least three teachers giving full time to teaching in the common school department. 7. No aid shall be given a high school unless all the teachers in that department hold first grade certificates for teaching. The teachers in the common school department must have certificates. The employment of any teacher without a certificate forfeits the school's right to State aid. 8. High schools receiving aid shall continue in session at least thirty-two weeks in each scholastic year. 9. No high school recitation periods of less time than thirty minutes will be accepted: Provided, That a recitation pei*iod in a one-teacher high school may be as short as twenty minutes. 10. Nothing less than the course of study adopted by the State Board of Education for high schools, or its equivalent, will be accepted as high school work. The high school course of study issued by the State Board of Education may be used without follow- ing the order as laid down in that course. 11. State aid will not be given toward making permanent improvements, such as buildings, seats, heating and other equip- ment. 12. State aid will be given to a high school only when such aid goes toward increasing the efficiency of the school beyond what it was immediately previous to receiving the first appropriation. No aid will be given to a high school if such aid be used to decrease the amount of local support to the high school department. Improve- ments, such as increase in the teaching time given in the high school, additional courses of study, lengthening the course of study and increase in the high school salaries, will count as increased efficiency. 13. No aid will be given any high school unless said high school is taught in a safe and comfortable building. 14. No appropriation to any high school shall be paid until the school has been reported on favorably by an inspector. 15. Except for extraordinary reasons, no two high schools shall be established less than five miles apart. [11] 16. When the high schools in any county shall have qualified for the maximum appropriation for that county ($3,000.00) no addi- tional schools shall be accepted for that year. 17. Appropriations for the scholastic year 1909-1910 shall be as follows : To a one-teacher high school, one-half the salary of the high school teacher, up to $300.00 on the part of the State. To a high school with the full time of one high school teacher and part time of a second high school teacher, one-half of the salary of the full teacher, up to $300.00 on the part of the State ; and the same for the second teacher, pro rata according to teaching time in the high school and the salary paid. To a two^teacher high school, the full salary of the lower salaried high school teacher, up to $55.00 per month on the part of the State. To a high school of three teachers or more, the full salary of the lowest salaried high school teacher, up to $55.00 per month on the part of the State. One hundred dollars additional will be given to such high school as receives a credit of 12 standard units ; and a second one hundred dollars additional to such high school as receives a credit of 14 standard units: Provided, The highest grade shall have as many as three regular pupils. 18. The State Board accepts each high school on the showing made by it in its application for State aid. Wherever any school fails to meet the conditions set forth in its application, the State Board will scale the appropriation in proportion to the school's failure. [12] HIGH SCHOOL COURSES OF STUDY 1. The course of study is the basis of the work of a school. It may be weak or strong, organized or unorganized, articulated or disjointed. It is the first test of its builder as an educator and of the merit of his school. 2. The course of study is for the benefit of the pupils. It should be adjusted to three classes of pupils — the average pupil, the less gifted pupil, and the more gifted one. The average pupil should be given a regular course, the less gifted pupil should omit some subjects without destroying the unity of his work, and the more gifted one permitted to take some additional subject. 3. The quantity of work offered in any school must be deter- mined by the size of the teaching force. A teacher can do so much work — no more. It is folly to undertake the impossible or the unreasonable. For one teacher to essay to teach a full three-year high school course marks him as lacking in judgment and knowl- edge of his work. It can be mathematically demonstrated that two teachers cannot teach a full four-year high school course. 4. Every high school with as many as three teachers should offer at least two regular parallel courses of equal value. In most of the subjects the work would be identical. 5. A high school recitation cannot be handled properly in less than forty minutes, even with small classes. Forty-five minutes is ideal. 6. The average high school pupil should not be given more than five daily recitations. To give each pupil five subjects is far better than to dissipate the time and efforts of teacher and pupil on seven subjects. 7. Three mistakes are to be avoided: (1) Putting grammar school pupils and grammar school subjects in the high school; (2) Giving high school pupils subjects too advanced for their age or their preparation ; (3) Trying to put into one course studies covering the whole range of high school subjects. [13] 8. The following courses are offered as suggestive. They are not ideal. They have been constructed with present high school conditions constantly in mind, and any one may be adopted without doing violence to the courses already in use : COURSE No. I. (Thirty-minute periods; 50 periods a week, or 5 hours a day exclusive of recesses ; 1 teacher required.) First Year. Periods. Arithmetic 5 Algebra 5 EngHsh — Grammar 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — Greece and Rome 5 Latin (optional) 5 25 Second Year. English — Grammar 2 times ; Literature 3 times 5 Algebra 5 History — ^American and Civics 5 Physiography 5 Latin (optional) 5 25 COURSE No. H. (Forty-minute periods ; 67 periods a week ; 7 recitations a day each teacher; 2 teachers required — 3 vacant periods a week.) First Year. Periods. Arithmetic 5 Algebra 5 English — Grammar 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — Greece and Rome 4 Latin (optional) 4 [141 Second Year. Periods. English — Grammar 2 times ; Literature 3 times 5 History — English 4 Physiography 4 Algebra 5 Latin (optional) 4 Third Year. English — Comp. & Rhet. 3 times* ; Literature 2 times 5 History — American and Civics 4 Geometry — Plane 5 Physics 4 Latin (optional) 4 COURSE No. HI. (Forty-minute periods ; 72 periods a week ; 7 recitations a day each teacher; 2 teachers full time and 2 periods a week by third teacher required.) First Year. Periods. Arithmetic 5 Algebra 5 English — Grammar 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — Greece and Rome 4 Latin (optional) 5 24 *Composition should be taught regularly in class in connection with Literature in each year of any course. [15] Second Year. Periods. Algebra 3 Geometry — Plane 2 History — English 4 English — G-rammar 2 times ; Literature 3 times 5 Physiography 5 Latin (optional) 5 24 Third Year. English — Comp. & Rhet. 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — American and Civics 5 Algebra 2 Geometry — Plane 3 Physics 4 Latin (optional) 5 M With 45-minute periods, 2 teachers full time and 12 periods a week by third teacher required ; 6 recitations a day each teacher. COURSE No. IV. (Forty-minute periods ; 88 periods a week ; 2 teachers full time and 18 periods a week by third teacher required.) First Year. Periods. Arithmetic 5 Algebra 5 English — Grammar 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — Greece and Rome 4 Latin, or Botany 1-2 year and Physiology 1-2 year. . 5 24 [16] Second Year. Periods. Algebra 5 English — Grammar 2 times ; Literature 3 times 5 History — English 4 Physiography 5 Latin, or French 5 M Third Year. English — Comp. & Rhet. 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — American and Civics 5 Geometry — Plane 5 Physics 5 Latin, or French 5 25 With 45-minute periods 3 teachers full time required — 2 vacant periods a week. COURSE No. V. (Forty-minute periods; 101 periods a week; 3 teachers full time — 4 vacant periods a week.) First Year. Periods. Arithmetic 5 Algebra 5 English — Grammar 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — Greece and Rome 4 Latin (optional) 5 24 [17] Second Year. Periods. Algebra 5 English — Grammar 2 times ; Literature 3 times 5 History — Medieval and Modern 4 Physiography 5 Latin (optional) 5 24 Third Year. English — Comp. k Rhet. 3 times ; Literature 2 times 5 History — ^English 4 Geometry — Plane 5 Physics 5 Latin (optional) 5 24 Fourth Year. Enghsh — Literature 4 ; Advanced Grammar 1 5 History — American and Civics 5 Geometry 2 ; Drawing 2 4 Latin (optional) 5 Greek, or French. 5 24 With 45-minute periods, 3 teachers full time and 11 periods a week by fourth teacher required. This course can be further enriched by putting Physiology (3 periods) parallel to Latin in the first year, Botany parallel to Latin in the second year, and French parallel to Latin in the third year. This would increase the periods to 114 a week; 4 teachers required — 6 vacant periods a week. [18] COURSE No. VI. Classical, Science. Commercial. I. I. I. Arithmetic 3 Arithmetic 3 Arithmetic 3 Algebra 5 Algebra 5 Algebra 5 Eng.— Gram. 3; Lit. 2 5 Eng.— Gram. 3; Lit. 2 5 Eng.— Gram. 3; Lit. 2 5 History — Gr. & Rome 4 History — Gr. & Rome 4 History — Gr. & Rome 4 Latin 5 Physiology ^ Botany. 5 Physiology ^ Botany. 5 23 22 22 II. n. 11. Arithmetic 2 Arithmetic 2 Commercial Arith.... 5 Algebra 5 Algebra 5 Algebra 5 Eng.— Gram. 2; Lit. 3 5 Eng.— Gram. 2; Lit. 3 5 Eng.— Gram. 2; Lit. 3 5 History— Med. & Mod. 4 History — Med. & Mod. 4 History— Med. & Mod. 4 Latin 5 Physiography 5 Stenog. or Typeiorit'g 2 III. Eng.— C. & R. 3; L. History— English .. Geometry— Plane . . 21 5 4 5 III. Eng.— C. & R. 3; L. 2 History — English Geometry — Plane .... 21 5 4 5 Latin 5 Physics 5 Greek 4 Agri. 2; Drawing 2... 4 HI. Eng.— C. & R. 3; L. 2 Histoiy — English .... Geometry — Plane .... Com,. Og. ^ Com,. Law Stenog. ^ Typewrit'g 23 IV. 23 IV. Eng.— L. 4; Ad. Gr. 1 5 History — Am. & Civ.. 5 Eng.— L. 4; Ad. Gr. 1 5 History — Am. & Civ.. 5 Latin 5 Chemistry 5 4 3 Greek 4 Higher Alg. & Geom. 3 22 Agri. 2; Drawing Higher Alg. & Geom. 21 5 4 5 5 4 23 IV. Eng.— L. 4; Ad. Gr. 1 5 History — Am. & Civ.. 5 Stenog. ^ Typewrit'g 4 Bookkeeping 10 24 With 45-minute periods, each teacher can teach 30 periods a week. The Classical course aggregates 88 periods a week ; the Science course, 88 periods ; the Commercial course, 90 periods. Therefore, three teachers can teach any one of these courses. The Classical and Science courses aggregate 114 separate periods ; four teachers can teach the two. The three courses aggregate 144 separate periods ; five teachers can teach all three. [19]