Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-12-03

lion of another. Ii is no easy matter now.
to acquire u good English education IN
SoullI Carolina. He who would oher 10
teach English alone, could not calculate
upou maSlns his bread. Our mod dern no
lions require something else; and hence'
every head of Il petty country school, aa'
verriscs 10 nive instruction III Latin, drerk,
! Italian and French, and those higher En-
.lish branches, which can be properly
taught only in College. TO know what
U,me. and Horace wrote, and be able 10
r,.,d ,;,e Gre%ian aud Roman an,hologles,
is reg ,rded of more importance Than the
knowledge OF our own times ana country
The Legislature can do sutnelhins 10 re-
form this state of things, by elevalIus the
character of our Free Schools, and requlr
ing ,ha, applicants for adnriSsion INTO The
Cullcee, should he examined IN certain
English departments, with which now
they are only presumed 10 he Ian'illar.
There Is Il more important relation,
however, between the icacncr aud the
Pupil. than the merely intellectual. IL Is
the moral relation. How vastly important
that the Teacher should possess tho requl-
site moral qualifications that he should be
able 10 give that kind of instructions, wtllch
alnne can qualify US for lhe higher dulles
: of life, and prepare us for eternity. lhe
education of the mind and heart mnsi go
together, or better, far hetlcr would II be
fer our children 10 continue IN the deplhs
of native ignorance. | would moi con.
vert our Free Schuols into Theological
Se,ninaries but it becomes the LegISla-
ture TO guard. in every proper ranher'
the morals of The children, and protect
them against the sinister influences which
make them auv ching but good and useful
cuizens. In the words OF a distinguished
modern writer. Education CONSISTS IN
learning what makes man useful, res
pcctahle and happy" 1t is all important
+ TO elevate the character of The Teachers
of our Free Schools. The relation be-
tween Teacher aud Pupil, is of most
responsible nature, and involves all thai
importance which belongs TO authority, on
the one side aud submission on The other.
In addition 10 literary qualifications, no
one if possible, should control the youth Of
The Stale, who is deficient IN moral Char
actcr. Who. would ask, are the Teach
ers Of our Free Schools (! Are they men
10 whom the Legislature can commit, with
confidence the great business OF educa.
ton What Is the amount ol their lIera
ry qualifications. aud what the tone Gl
their morality! 1t. is not my design TO
: indulge in unnecessary remarks upou this
subject. but truth requires me to say, as IA
class, lilcy are grossly incompetent TO dis
churge their high functions. So far as my
observations extend, with but few excep-
lions, they are very ignuran', aud possess
very easy morality. With the poor pay al
lowed them, We cannot reasonably calcu-
: la,c upun better stale of things. The
meu who take charge Of our public schools.
aud accept so miserable PlItance Us The
reward Of ,lIc,r labors, are they who CAT
not get employment on any other terms.
Necessity forces them To make the oller of
their services, and necessity forces the
Commissioners to accept them. |, is nov
in South Carolina a repruach to be a
Teacher of Free School, as il is resar-
ded primQ .Eacic evidence of a want of
qualification. Men will not embark in
the business Of education, from mere mo-
tives ofpa,riutisn. You cannot command
superior talent and attainment, without
adequate compensation. The Lawyer,
the h,sician. aud the Artisan, bestow not
+ their lahors gratuilously; and upon what
principle Of reason or Justice. can it bc cx-
ppcred, thai he who has qualified himself,
by wears of severe toll, for The most useful
OF all professions shall labor al "a rate
which will not supply the wants of ma
ture
Notwithstanding the annual appropria-
ton of thirty y-seven thousand dollars, it is
vet rrue. thai public educaIon does not
receive from us lIie consideration to which
il is entitled. fcrmr ne TO say, that il
should be the prominent subject of your
deliberations, until something is accom-
plishcd worthy Of Soatll Carolina. The
fund which is sci apart for this purpose,
does no, answer the end, for which il is
intended. In many Districts, il is drawn,
and moi legilnalely appropriated, and in
many instances made the object Of inn
proper speculation. trust that you will
go on with the work which the last Legis-
lature BEGAN, and not 10 be deferred by
the difficulties which attend il. In this
matter we s;:uud moi counI the cost. 1t
is fair Occasion for the experiment. II
we are not prepared 10 substitute an cL.
tire new system, there is no reason why
we should pertinaciously y reject all noditi-
cation. 1t has been recommended to you
to crcaic an officer, with a comptent sala-
~. TO be called the Superintendent Of
Public Schools. This officer might be
elected for one year, and you will al least
have the benefit of his labnrs for thai Pc
riod Let him make the tour Of the State,
examine niuu'cly the condition Of the
Schools in tie several Districts, and re-
port fully to the Legislature, Oh all mat
iers relating 10 The subject. with such suS-
gestions as he may deem proper. An a.
mount of Information will thus he obtain
ed. which cannot he procured in any Orher