The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-12-05

people at large. Their mental welfare is wor
thy of The highest public muhfcence. How
may this be more proftably bestowed, under
the disadvantages incident TO asParse population
is a question not easy OF solution.
Among the manifest errors OF our present
system, is the employment ofincomPeten, teach.
.eia. The success of a school depends princi.
pally on The character and capacity OF the pre-.
cepior. Teaching is not only profession but a
science. While Of all pursuits, none is more
honorable, its responsibilities and the momen.
tous consequences the present and future gene.
ra,ions, inseparable from the administration OF
its functions renders the improvement OF the in
structors occupation, as far as that object is at.
tainable by legislation, primary duty OF the
sovereign authority. BY constituting the bust
ness of instruction a separate profession, the
two. fold end is accomplished OF securing its
elevation, and enlarging and consolidating the
influence of the schools upon the community.
The purpose Of early education is not the &C:
QUESTION Of mere knowledge, bu, the practical
development and strengthening Of the mind.
Hence the necessity that the master should be
we'll acquainted with the temperament and dis.
position Of his scholars, and he philosophy ot
teaching.
Although, perhaps, all other pursuits into
which society is divided are we'll furnished
with competent followers the most important
that of ascertaining and disclosing the intellec.
tua resources Of its members--is but meagrely
provided. This arises in part from the want
Of demand for the 6,test men, who again, by The
unalluring prospects held out by the State, are
deferred from embarking in a cause unsuPPort.
ed by the popular will and the popular sympa.
thy. Van adequate supply Of instructors for the
masses, able, faithful, and irreproachable in
character, is urgently required; and these should
be invited into the pursuit by rewards fully ad.
equate to the importance of the services rem.
dered. The necessity Of such a policy in this
country, all other reasons apart, arises from the
conside ration, that our children ought to be not
only active members Of a civilized community,
but efficient citizens of free government. 10
meet these requirements, recommend the or.
ganization Of separate department in the col.
lege for the special purpose OF qualifying liml.
ted number Of young men, graduates of the
State and Charleston colleges, drawn according
TO some equitable rule from different sections
of South Carolina, Tor the occupation Of teach.
ing. Another mode Of effecting this design,
would he the pledge Of an annual appropriation
for few years TO the first three or four incor.
porated academies, located in the low, middle.
and upcountries, founded and successfully con.
dncted for the instruction OF teachers; or sim.
iar promise to any Of the existing schools OF
celebriety, that would provide for and practically
execute course of tuition in the attainment of
that object.
The e1pediency of providing for superin.
tendent offree schools has repeatedly been the
subject Of Executive recommendation. Such
an officer appears TO be needed, mainly with
view to dissipate existing errors, and perhaps
to reconcile conflicting opinions. recon.
mend that suitable individual be selected to
a,certain, by personal observation, the dscip.
line and regulations Of the schools; the mode of
instructions; the books taught; the capacity and
general fitness Of the teachers; whether the
sums respectively received by the districts and
parishes are adequate to their wants, and the
regular supply Of qualified instructors; in fine,
to see and report the practical operation oflhe
present SYSTEM and TO suggest small improve.
menls as he might deem valuable. In this
way, more light, it is probable, will be shed on
the subject in two years-,he time 10 which The
agent should be limited than the reports Of The
commissioners have furnished since the organi.
za,ion of the scheme for popular instruction.
As strictly germane to the matter under con.
siderarion, am constrained to state, that suit.
able elementary works are greatly wanted. If
a few OF the books in common nse tend to cor.
rupt The tase Of youth, others show the utter
unacquainlance of their authors with the phi.
losophy of the miHd; moreover, these produc.
tions are generally unadapted to southern pupils.
There are many in which the poison Of fanati.
cism in some form is certain to be found. Ha.
tired to our domestic institutions, directly or in
directly expressed, is by this means attempted
to be engrai,ed on the tender and flexible
mind.
For the obtainment Of proper elementary
hooks, of which the Faculty of the college shall
approve, the Legislature might offer liberal
reward. The public money could not be more
judiciously expended.
DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL.
In company with T. N. Dawkins, one ofthe
commissioners, visited, in July. school for
the deaf and dumb, a, Cedar Springs, Spartan
burg, under the superintendence Of N. P. Wal
ker. At that time, the number Of pupils was
eight--fve males and three lemales-of whom
seven were beneficiaries, and one pay scholar.
Although the institution was not opened until
the 22d OF January last, the remarkable prof.
cheney oil its scholars assured US of the capacity,
skill, and assiduily of the principal. We ac.
cordingly resolved publicly to recommend to the
parents and guardians Of mute children Mr..
Walkers school, as well entitled to their pat
ronage and confidence.
The location at Cedar Spring has long been
distinguished for a salubrious atmosphere, and
saIutary properties of its water. To these ad.
yau,ages-as soon as The work shops, in the