The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-12-05

Il
your hands that consideration which its
importance demands. It's results have
fallen SO far short of its object, that it m ny
be pronounced failure. It's defects have
been long felt, and yet nothing has been
done except to double the sum of money
to be wasted under bad system. 1t re-
quires thorough and entire reformation.
1t is unfortunate that the end which was
evidently contemplated 10y the act of 1911
has been abandoned, and that what was
intended to introduce gradually general
system OF common schools has been per-
verted to the exclusive education of pau
pers. In my judgment we should return
to the policy of ] 81 l, and seek to inuagu-
rate system which, in its ultimate de-
veloPment, should bring the means of
education within the. reach Of every fami-
ly in the State. A perfect scheme cannot
bc matured at once. 1t is easy to devise
a beautiful and consistent plan, as thing
OF speculation, but it could not so readily
he put into operation--partly from the
want OF means, partly from lack Of inter
est in the benefits of instruction, and es-
peciaIly from the impossiblity Of procur-
in competent teachers. Our incipient
measures should look TO The double end
OF creating popular demand for educa-
tion, and of furnishing instructors able to
supply it. Normal schools, as being too
exclusively professional, are uusuited to
the former purpose, and until that is &C.
complishcd, nothing is gained by the pre-
paration of teachers. 1t seems to me that
in conformity with the principle that
knowledge descends, and that the supply
ere ties the demard, the first step should
he establish high school in each district
in the State, in which pupils could be pre-.
pared for Business or the university, and
from which certain number of INDECENT
young men ofindustry and promise chould
be sent to college at the expense of the
State, upon the condition of devotinp
themselves to the office Of teaching for q
specified period after their graduatiou.-
The next step should be to institute, rs
teachers and pupils could be obtained, in
ferIor schools in every portion Of the land,
until the means Of instruction are made
accessible to all. The high schools, as
preliminary measure, would be real md
efficient provision for popular instruction.
Light cannot be confined. "A city SC, Oh
an hill cannot be hid" Intelligence is
essentially diifusive, and whatever increas-
es learning in one portion Of the commu-
nifty, elevates the standard Of thought in
all. The high schools would at once Gre
ate demand for infeEior, and furnish the
means of providing them with teachers.
If the State, how ever, should decline
to embark in a general system, and should
continue to restrict its appropriation to
the INDECENT, the principle which at pres
VIZ vi "'"'0o 'iS "'stIiouiioH oI tue iunu
should certainly be changed. BY our
Publie policy, education is denied TO one
half Of our population. The other half
who constitute our political, arc unequally
distributed over the State; and it is this
portion of our population whom il is our
duty aud our policy TO educate. The dis.
trlbulion. should lie in proportion 10 white
population. If tho State undertakes to
roise fund to educate the poor, it should
be spent where it is most needed. Un-
der represent method, no more money
is allowed in one section for the educa.
ton Of five or six hundred children, than
in another for ten or dozen. In matter
Of such v.ttl importance to the State, dis
trict and parish lines should be disregar-
ded. Whethes we live in the noun, aims
or on the sea-board, in the midst Of light
or surrounded 10y ignorance, we sre all
equally interested in the noble work, aud
into whatever ben,ghted part Of the State
the rays Of knowledge can be made to
we should feel as citizens of tho
same State. nj,yiug one renown, and
linked to one destiny, that the partial
blessing is the general good. II the rich
do pay largely to tie support Of govern.
men', they enjoy large protection, aud
they will consult true policy by contribu.
ting liberaly to the caure Of education,
where suiIerage is univeraaI, and govern
ment rests directly on thepubIic will
Superficial knowledge is better than no
knowledge, Tor, after all, the truths that
regulate the relations oflifs are plain, and
lienear the sorface. ,Aa ignorant people
may passively enjoy liberty, but they can.
not ieel its inspiration, aud will bring NO
sacrifice to its altar. - -
] will not on such an OCCASION enlarge
on the necessity and importance Of public
Instruction. All civilized Monuments re.
cognize the duty, and labor to meet It's
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