The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-02-15

conversation about it day or two af
ter the delivery. =
SoUTn CARotISA COLLEGE,, ]
IS Dec. 81, 1853. {
To Hon. B. Il. Pe,ry--Dear Sir |
received, night before last, your letter
Of the 25th.
You propose to me series of cues.
ticns in regard to Mr.. Taber's Address.
have This difficulty in answering them.
cannot separate my recollections of
the Address from recollcctions of re-
peated conversations which have had
with Mr.. Taber upon the subject OF
popular education. Ie is young
man in whom feel great interest: !, /
have always admired his talents, and
have never distrustcd the purity of his
'ntenti"ns, nor the sincerity of his
zeal to do the State service. Ofan ar
dent and impetuous temperament, he
is exposed to the danger of being has
ty in his conclusions, Of taking abso-
lutcly what is true only with lini,a-
tlons and conditions, and, Of course, is
liable TO great extravaganza of state.
'nent. Such men, while the fire of
yonth is in them, should be treated
with lenity. Experience will teach
them sobriety and moderation, and
then they become the most effective in
struments of good. The impression
left upon my mind in relation to Mr..
faber's opinions, partly by the Address
itself, and partly by free, personal con-
versations, was briefly this: He had
framed, from the study OF Grote's His.
tory of Greece, particular theory of
popular instruction. He had dwelt
upon it in his thoughts until his fancy
kindlcd his affections, and his affections
warmed into enthusiasm. In the ardor
of his zeal, he overlooked the change
which the art ofprinting has introduced
into society, the immense differences
between modern States and the city
States of antiquity, and took a defect
i've view Of the real nature and design
of the modern system Of Common
Schools. Mr.. Tabcr con,cnded that
education consisted in furnishing the
mind with principles and truths that
the most successful method of doing SO
was by popular addresses, forensic ar
gumcnts, public lectures, contact with
able and gifted men, theatrical repre-
scntations, paintings and monuments.
IN contrast with this system he pre-
sented mat OF the Common Schools,
which, IN his Judgment, made the &C.
.4ulaliiuh vi the arts of reading and
writing the great business ofeducation
Tie maintained that men might be edu-
Gated, ana well educated who could
might be want ig III al tFnc and real
education, end yet possessed of these
arts. C"ucr th!s %pprHhenS' II of The
n"u OF the Common ocnooI system, he
denounced It's pre'cn!uhs. lie pro
caencd loFcaEVN"s what he constituted
e!le stercotyfeo argument III defence OF
Tits tendency 10 promote morality;
and nadcr ihis head undertook 10 show
'i'at ti'1 eia,'n was con'rad'cted by cx-
pcf's"cG; cnas, 81! p"'"t Of TACT, the
hin''pafa 81 '"''Taiity was lowered ratil-
:f ihA!' cHa'.c!: "h'rcTer Inc system
HfcPai'c". IL i'Ad not been ab!e to sup
i";" !:re''s'"''' i'crSp'!'sln and mann
I''i ""trh'iGa''ccS ~ TIE Northern
','ase"' ! el'i'int BAY mat nc attributed
-''':F W." - ''' Eyh't''. lis arRu
h'r'l Wa" ta.hrT defensive man h9Srcs-
ave. ih"nEh iic may nave carried the
war mo tiic enemy country: and have
"s"''":A me wees o' '!c worth I" The
operation o1 the system. MS struck
me rs lhe general dri't 81 tile discourse
III 'ha' part o. IL winch P"rta'ned 10
popular instruction. I~coniess ina;
did not understand l'm us opposed to
the edncaI'on OF me people. thought.
on 'hr contrary 'hat ne admitted he
Importance and necessity at 1t. Ills
Objection t"the Common School sys-
TEN was, that IT d'd not educate, and his
Zen! tor Tie Athclian method sprang
rom the c"hvtcuon that 1t did edu
cate j" all TINS think Mr. 1abcr WIS
wrong. / he tA'hth'nn method, IN my
J"dGmeh'' IS utterly 'mPractIcable IN
modern ''mes aMd III modern States,