higher institutions of learning have been gradually increasing. The appropriations for our primary and elementary schools have not kept pace. Consequently, we find hundreds of boys and girls who try to enter our colleges unprepared. These conditions are liable to grow worse unless steps are taken to strengthen the elementary schools.

A few of our high schools have made a beginning in manual and industrial training. Courses in elementary manual training, woodwork and domestic science have been inaugurated with marked success. Perhaps the most conspicuous examples of this work are to be found in the Spartanburg and Columbia schools, and in the Memminger Normal School in Charleston. Quite a number of the high schools have introduced regular courses in commercial science. The probabilities are that these lines of work will be developed more generally during the next few years. There is a very decided tendency throughout the whole country to cut out obsolete and useless subject matter from courses of study, and to substitute work which is more rational and useful. The trend of school work has drifted so long in one direction that it requires a great deal of time, thought and perseverance to change it. Schools having industrial and vocational training are being established in all of the states. If South Carolina resources are to be developed, we must hasten to establish schools to meet the needs of our people.

In addition to the courses now offered in our high schools, I think it would be well for such schools, wherever possible, to offer courses in normal training. It is impossible for our colleges to furnish more. than 20 or 25 per cent. of the teachers needed in the public schools. Many of these have no special instruction in the science and art of teaching. It would add materially to the efficiency of the elementary schools if our best high schools could offer simple, strong courses in pedagogy.

AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOLS.

Agricultural High Schools have been established, in recent years, in several states. The first states to establish these schools undertook to put one school in each congressional district. It was found impossible to secure enough trained teachers for so many schools at once. It was also found that congressional districts are too irregular in shape to make compact and congenial areas of support. The states which are now moving in this direction are going to begin with a small number of schools. The great importance of schools

of this kind is emphasized by the presentation of a bill in Congress looking to national aid for such schools. This bill has large and enthusiastic support. Each state, however, will give consideration to provisions of this kind, regardless of the success or failure of the Davis bill.

Two questions naturally arise in the consideration of this matter in South Carolina. Ist. What relations would such schools bear to our great industrial colleges? 2nd. Why is this work not done by our high schools as now conducted? About four hundred boys are denied admission to Clemson College each year, and more than that many girls are denied admission to Winthrop. Of course a large majority of these are not prepared to enter college. A course of study in an agricultural high school would not conflict at all with the courses in any of the colleges. In fact, such courses should reach further down into the elementary grades than our present high school courses. They would only reach up to the Freshman Class at best in industrial colleges. They would be designed largely for pupils who are unable to go to college.

Industrial or technical training requires special equipment. For this reason it is impossible for the ordinary high school to give training in soil analysis, seed selection, cotton grading, corn judging, cooking, sewing, and other similar subjects. It is very important for the future of our schools, and for the future of the State, that children having ambition and talent in these directions should receive special training. Perhaps this number would not be so large for a few years, but there will be as many as can be successfully trained.

It would be unfortunate for the impression to prevail that efforts are being made to establish more state colleges. We have made the mistake already of building too many institutions of college grade. We can afford to establish more high schools, but we cannot afford to multiply our colleges. As many as three agricultural high schools could be established at comparatively small expense to the state. There are a great many progressive communities in this state which would contribute from $50,000.00 to $100,000.00 each in order to secure the location for such a school, provided that the Legislature will give a reasonable amount for annual support. Ten thousand dollars a year would be ample for such a school. The first appropriation could be used for equipment and the succeeding ones for salaries. Whoever succeeds in conducting one of these schools so that it will be practically self supporting, will be a benefactor to the

state and to the cause of education.

With two hundred acres of land, fair buildings and good equipment, it ought to be possible to so conduct the school that a student could work his way through. More time should be devoted to field and shop work than is required for study and recitation. I believe that the Legislature can accomplish a vast amount of good, with a comparatively small amount of money, by the establishment of schools of this kind.

THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION AND EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.

One of the greatest accomplishments of the educational campaign is the establishment and development of the School Improvement Association. The campaign was designed to encourage local taxation, better training and payment of teachers, improved supervision, longer schools terms, more practical courses of study, consolidation of schools and the improvement of schoolhouses and grounds. The School Improvement Association was organized for the last-named purpose, but this good work has extended to all of the objects of the campaign. It now has nearly 6,000 members, and an organization in each county.

The conference which appointed the campaign educational committee, in 1903, was made up of representative men from all parts of the State. The following committee was appointed by the conference to push the campaign: Governor D. C. Heyward, Superintendent O. B. Martin and President D. B. Johnson of Winthrop College. In 1907, Governor Heyward resigned, and the committee was increased as follows: Governor M. F. Ansel, Superintendent O. B. Martin, President D. B. Johnson, President H. N. Snyder of Wofford College, and Professor W. H. Hand of the University of South Carolina. At the beginning of this session, the following names were added to the committee: Superintendent E. L. Hughes of Greenville, Superintendent A. H. Gasque of Florence, President S. C. Mitchell of the University of South Carolina, and Mr. L. W. Parker of Greenville, S. C. This committee has been greatly helped in all of its campaign efforts by contributions from the Southern Educational Board and the Peabody Board. Appropriations from these boards enabled the School Improvement Association to offer prizes for school improvement. It also enabled the campaign committee to pay such necessary expenses as printing, stationery, and the salary and traveling expenses of the Presi dent of the Association, Miss Mary T. Nance, who is also field

agent of the campaign committee. The Legislature, at its last session, passed an amendment to the Library Act enabling the State. Board of Education to make an appropriation for the prizes for school improvement. The results this year abundantly justify the wisdom of that act. It would put the work upon a more permanent basis and be a great help to this office if the Legislature would provide a salary for the field agent. She could accomplish a great deal along the lines which she is now working, and in addition accomplish much in arranging courses of study, and in inspecting and grading elementary schools. Furthermore, the work of this office is increasing every year, and such an assistant could take charge of a part of the office work. This would leave the campaign committee a greater opportunity to push other lines of endeavor if they secure any more funds from outside of the state.

A considerable part of the library and prize funds will revert to the treasury. The State Board of Education could stimulate various improvements in the schools if they were given a little more latitude in appropriating this fund. I believe that it would be a good thing for a small part of it to be used to stimulate the schools to buy pictures of our great men, and also copies from the masters. The State Board of Education could adopt and secure lowest bids upon a number of pictures from which the schools could make their selections. Small contributions from the communities, from the trustees, from the county boards and from the State Board, would result in making hundreds of school-houses more attractive. The libraries. are established and renewed in this same way. One improvement usually calls for another. It is worth a great deal to get a community interested in improving and beautifying its school. This same idea of aid and direction to self-help could be applied to the purchase of a small chest of carpenter's tools with work bench, or to a manual training outfit of any kind. I believe that a small cabinet of tools for woodwork put into each school-house would amount to a great deal in keeping the school-house and furniture in repair, as well as give pupils some excellent recreation and training. All of these lines of work can be stimulated and developed gradually with the appropriation heretofore made. It is only necessary to give the State Board of Education a little wider authority in the disposition of it.

TEACHERS' EXAMINATIONS.

The more I learn of methods of conducting teachers' examinations in other states, the more I am convinced that we should make an

improvement in the method of conducting ours, so I renew the recommendation made last year that the papers be examined by the State Board of Education. The members of the County Boards should see that the examinations are conducted by numbers, and that the names are withheld from the men who actually examine the papers. This would insure fairness and justice to everybody and prevent any favoritism or charges of favoritism. County Boards prefer this plan as a rule. It not only conduces to fairness, but it raises standards of efficiency.

STATISTICAL INFORMATION.

The total enrolment in the public schools in South Carolina for the scholastic year ending June 30, 1908, was 319,614. The enrolment for the year before was 314,399, showing an increase during the past year of 5,215. The total white enrolment for the past scholastic year was 146,647. The total negro enrolment was 172,967. The total average attendance for 1907 was 222,189, of which 103,404 were white, and 118,885 negro. The total average attendance for 1908 was 231,289, of which 107,154 were white, and 124,135 were negro. This shows an increase in the average attendance of more than 9,000. It is very gratifying to note that the average attendance has been increasing steadily for the past few years. It is increasing even more rapidly than the enrolment. The total expenditures for 1907 were $1,415,724.29. The total expenditures for 1908 were $1,595,986.36. There is a considerable increase in the average salary of the teachers. In 1907 the average salary of white teachers was $267.00. The average salary of negro teachers was $95.00. These figures increased for 1908 to $289.00 and $98.00, respectively.

I regret to note that the average length of session does not show much increase. Last year it was 23.3 for the white schools, and 14.8 for the negro schools. This year it was 23.4 for white, and 14.6 for negroes. Inasmuch as this average includes a great many schools which run eight or nine months, it must, unfortunately, include a great many which are in session not more than three or four months.

In order to show a further basis of comparison and contrast, the following statistics are submitted to show progress during the past five years: