The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-03-08

AN oDlectlon 10 the ScnoOi system pro-
posed, has been urged on the ground of
sparseness Of population; that our pop
ulation is not sufficiently dense to form
successfully the School sections But then
the system works well in Louisiana and
Florida, open to the same objections
One practical experimental fact is worth
thousand spcculations. The objection
is ill-founded; wherever Schools can ex-
ist, the sub division into sections is pract-
cable. Another objection is, that the
State has no right to interfere in the mat
ter Of education-no right to appropriate
money for such a purpose.
1t is too late now to make these obiec-
tions. The State, in her discretion, has
pursued different policy for nearly half
a century; and ifthc State appropriatcs
money for such purpose, why not SO leg
islate that the money may he wisely and
effectively expendeda
Others again have urged that tie old
plan was good enough-we only wanted
more money.
In answer TO this, | appeal to the ex-
perience and observation of those who
hear me. l appeal 10 the general and
reiterated complaints from all parts of the
State coming up year after Year. | ap-
peal to presentmcnts of grand jurie'-to
executive massagcS-and to the universal
consciousness that change-that i'm
provement is demanded By the suffering,
b!ighted, bleeding interests of the poorer.
and even mediocre classes Of society! If,
for the time, possessed the magician's
power, wauld pass in review before this
body Of honorable men-the miserable
huts called School houses and in many
instances, the Masters who teach-I would
show the instrumcntali;ies by which the
commen youth are being trained for the
duties Of citizenship and the sacred re-
sponsibiltics Of maternity ! All the fca-
lures Of the old plan that were good in
themselves. have been preserved in the
new; while enough is added, and the
whole SO arranged us to give it vitality
and efficiency. There are clements of
power and success in the proposed system.
When YOU establish a School in the cen.
Ire of section, embracing n given area
of territory, and pay to the support Of that
School all of the public fund divisiblc to
1t, you give to such School an Importance,
and interest local habitation. and a
ticuar community; the School Of the
Trustees the School Of the Board the
School of the State; it attracts to itself all
the patronage and support accessible, and
supersedcs those wretched mockeres call.
cd Schools, stuck up on hill sides and on
branches, where the --LATEST man in the
neighborhood, who cannot, it may be,
parse the plaincst English sentence;
| or trace line on n map, or write sin
gle paragraph correctly; who has the
most stupid and contracted intellect, and
perhaps, bad morals withal; lets himself
out, for the benefit of posterity as Teach
er; and comes up at tho end of the year
for "poor school money ~ Such mcIan-
choly caricaturcs would be abolished
Schools would necessarily be brought
within the reach Of every free White youth;
and the CHARACTER aud capability OF the
Teacher would I've closely scrutinizcd.-
Such Schools would be, what the name
imparts-a common Sc!ool-common to
aIl-common to every body. Those per-
sons who are able and willing to pay for
the elementary training of their children,
would continue TO pay as heretofore, and
lend their aid, pecuniary and moral, to
sustain the School with laudab!e zeal and
these who are unable to pay, will thus
have the facilities furnished for procuring
an English education. ] repudiatc the
term "iree schools :" we have no free
school we never have had free schools :;
we never desire to have free schools. The
Act Of 1911 never contemplated the es-
Enlistment Of Pauper Schools. The
fund was designed for all alikc-the rich
and the poor--and il was only in the
event that the fund was insufficient for
the tuition Of all, the poorer scholars
should be first paid. We want no free
schools. The people need system of
Common Schools, with oaly such pecun.
iary aid from the state rs will insure the
tuition Of the humber and less fortunate
pupils. Such system, humbly sub
NIT, is now presented to the House.
But, it has been objected, the propos-
ed system is borrowed from the North
imported from Yankce-land. II had
not heard this objection made | should
net have noticed it. There are some
minds, and some styles Of politicians who
have horrible apprehension Of any thing
Northern. They can see danger in steal
ing hint from Northern success-of us.
ing anything that has passed the morally
infected region But we have, believe
heretofore, without fatal consequences,
imported from these same borcan regions,
our literature; our books; our broadcloths
and calicoes our hats and shoes our me.
chaDism and steam motives; our cutlery
and hardware; our hair-brushes and
tooth-picks; our scrub-brooms and horse
shoe nails! And possibly we raigh.
learn how TO make good School, as we'll
as n good cotton factory, by studying
Northern model, without incurring any
very serious public calamity. But il il
IS relief to such sensitive persons, may
inform them here, the system did not or.
ignate at the North; but was borrowed
from Prussia and Saxony.
BY the term education, as used in these
remarks, do not, Of course, mean the
higher and more advanced grades Of ed
ucation. / mean only rudimental--elc-