The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-12-02

I gold regions, is very likely to give an I'M
petus to the production of the latter me-
tai, by causing the introduction of the
Russian process of obtaining it, by smell
ting the ores in combination, and subse'
quently separating them, and thus giving
new and extensiv direction for the prof..
table employment of capital and labor.
The great variety Of our geological for
nation, from the oldest or primitive, to
the most recent or tertiary, affords reason
able prospect of yielding, by minute
scientific examination, other metallic or
mineral treasures. Among these, may be
enumerated Marble, and materials for
building, Coal, or Peat, &C., which, apart
from their immediate value, are well
worthy Of attention, from the new chan.
nels of enterprise which they Will lay
open.
The College is in mos: prosperous
condition, and is full v entitled to your
fostering care and protection. The very
generous and liberal spirit which the Le.
gislature has always manifested towards
it, is highly creditable 10 our people. 1t
is with pride, | say, that the reasonable
appeals of those 10 whom is entruated its
immediate control, have never been made
IN vain. 10 false notions of economy,
have prevented those appropriations
which were calculated to increase its USE
fuluess, but they have always been made
with promptitude and liberality.
Our Free School System has lately at.
tracted special attention. trust that,
from the many Reports Of the Commits
sioners to our late Governor, you will be
able to derive important aid in the patriot.
ic and benev olent effort to place it upon
more useful and correct foundation.-
Without 'presuming to give You even the
outlines of system, would respectful.
ly submit few remarks on the subject.
The pay of the Teachers is altogether too
moderate. The very small compensation
may be said, without much of figure, 10
poison the whole system. If we value
professions by their usefulness, none can
he more important than that Of the Tea
cher. His duties are most irksome and
laborious, and no occupation in life calls
for rarer combination oftalent and char.
acter. The foundation of a complete edu-
cation can be surely laid, only in our ele-
mentary schools. The Importance Of
thorough English education, is. to great
extent overlooked in our modern systems,
and our youth is hurried into the study OF
the ancient classics, without even decent
Knowledge of their own tongue. 1t is
humiliating fact, that many, fresh from
the walls of College, cannot write a
page, without betraying their ignorance
of he.struclure Of our language. This
| is no imputalion upon the Professors, as
as young men are not sent there to learn
the rudiments of English, but are presum.
ed to know them before their admission
1t is not my design to depreciate the dead
languages, or knowledge of their ftera-
ture: but that education is imperfect. in
deed, which looks too exclusively to such
an attainment. A critical knowledge Of
our own language, with its literature,
should be the primary object Of attention,
and, under no circumstances, should be ne
elected. There can be no occasion for
this neglect, as the thorough knowledge
of one language only facilitates the ac-
QUESTION Of another. 1t is no easy mat.
ter now, to acquire good English edu.
lion in South Carolina. He who would
offer to teach English alone, could not
calculate upon making his bread. Our
modern nolioun require something else;
and hence, every head Of petty country
school, advertises to give instructions in
Latin, Greek. Italian, and French, and
those higher English branches, which can
be properly taught only in College,
To know what Homer and Horace wroIe,
and to be able TO read the Grecian and Ro-
man anthologies, is regarded of more i'm
portance than the knowledge Of our own
times and country. The Legislature can
do something to reform this state Of
things, by elevating the character of our
Free Schools, and requiring that aPpli.
cants for admission into the College, should
be examined in certain English depart.
ments, with which now they are only pre-
sumed to be familiar.
i There is more important relation,
however, between the Teacher and Pupil,
than .the merely intellectual. l! is the
moral relation. How vastly important
: that the Teacher should possess the re.
quisite moral qualifications; that he should
, be able 10 give that kind Of instruction,
, which alone can qualify us for the higher
duties of life, and prepare US for eternity.
! The education Of the mind and heart