The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-10-02
Common Schools.

cr.<. .s'tb' a'no:nI p' newspaper ihcOriZns il in
,;T-rd ard suggestions in any quantity are thrown
r'' .ir seem as lutte r,gaTled us llou.h the sub
lee ..., r3i nc OF The least Importance; however
W. +" ne! me;ril hv ihiS 20 intimate that tho assem-
.. : ..lon oG our St ate arc rninmdf,l {" their Gry
..,n.c c,t 10 ;i!v Interests o those whom they rep
,...r.. Wr believe that "r: leading incn and law
.I..,,> :.rc krcn!y alive tu iie Increasing Importance
tbs srj, j,ci. and HAT any pl;i likely 10 affect The
de- rcd object would bc most readily adopted; but
there les the difficulty. that plan is yet to be discov-
cred, and the individual who shall be so fortunate
10 be the discovcrcr will bo hailed rs true patriots
and bcnclactor of his race.
The design of this article is not to discuss the sub
icct or to present any special opinion Of our own but
simply review, or rather presentation ofprominrnt
opinions in the State. In the Charleston Courier o.
sulne wcok past suggestion i'll connection with this
subject is made, 10 the clcct that the Press OF the
State might. with admirable proprcty. make our
educational wants and resources in connection with
the present system. q subject of special inquiry and
attention" We are pleased with the idea, and arc
graGcd that coicmporary Of the aye and rcspccta-
bilty of the Courier is willing to devote part o: its
time to the clucidaton of this question The public
are, for the most part in possession OF the views OF
our leading men, aud recently Judge ONeall and
COL Memmngcr have favored us with additional light,
through the medium Of the Sol!hcyH Patriot. We
have not we regret to say, these productions mmc-
diaelv 4, hand and must use the extracts contained
in the article of the C1~c just referred TO- to furnish
us with their leading propositions. Judge O'Ncall
says:
"Thc Free School system has been in operation
fnrty-iDur Years. How mach money has been cNpend
ed? In round numbers, Sl,I00.0u. Has an cqniva.
lent advantage been "blaincd? Ccftain!y not. Still
good has been DONE and such rs would not exchange
for the above large sum. Still, it is manifest, the
system works badly. How is it to be rcmcdicd?-
\ superintendent OF Schools some answer Such an
officer would, have 10 doubt. write beautiful re-
port but fancy that wourd be about all the result
81 Ike old fashioned things, hence, perhaps, my
partiaty for the Board o Commissioners OF Free
Schools. | would retain il; | would increase the
duties and would pay the members; / would require
the Commissioners to examine and ascertain the fitness
Of every teacher, both ID ljaFn!as tnd also, us to
m1ras: | would retain the SchcIncs how pursued in
cities Of establishing Ere" Schools and in the coun-
try Of aiding schools III every ncghb"rhoUd, by pay
ing 10? children sent 10 school whose parents were
unable unwilling To pay they Nthc Commissioned
should require the pupils IN every school to bc exam
med III their pre>c!cr or i'll the presence oi commit
tees ASST gned 10 ai!"r',.
TA"$o present tho prominent suggestions of the
.lalgc ana are entitled TO weight. from the fact, i 10
other reason could h.: given, that they come from ole
whose best years and inary talents !3vr been
in tic active service OF the State for many years and
WHO is himself on" OF her brightcs, audbcSt jewels
who has done fuc!l 70: her internal improvements
aE: b.. for Whose remarkable emery ami UmbeniinS
perseverance,, the mountains AMI iic SCaulYd of our
State would hardly be able iil> day 10 s,e hands
readily Thc>c ar !Ac!*.
,'o. NcaIiHyciS scheme i'll Substance is that We
st"'';i aiirHp; W:Ia Is practicable and do it thor
u;.sy. i" expresses himself as follows:
-. $tc.!r |" me that the fundamental error Of most
oI The S&i:cncS heretofore proposed has bcen in at
n''rl!Hg too much III once; and we should avoid this
. Lrt. DundAli"nS and then raising The s'iprrstruc
.t H. ltlS;cad Z: attempting 10 educate ut once
y oar oI :Tc,i district We wc:r - c,:n:neucc
:li ti.c H"$i ryu".- Ihrt q! EACH and i!.rrc cStab
lS! good >con.S. ~c wpad gradually extend The field
Improvement .r"rn ihe.y c'.:rir.>. We woll thus
ra.>e up teachers Tor each no-:lb,Goyi !Iu could Lc
r.ioycI IN The more sia:s. AMI .cSt!ie neig!bor
!:SUls'
F;c Charleston Courier makes the following Com.
mcnts upon the above
The difficulty mere suggested has prevailed against
most OF the plans proposed substitute for the pres
cmt system, and must always prevail III a State where
the control of the government education is one OF
Influence and inducemcn rather than ulaulhUrity our
established principles and habits will hot allow he
State 10 Interfere mrsy between the parent and child
and make education compulsory; ami yet without this
il is probable that no general scheme yet proposed
would work much better than our present much
abused SYSTEM
One rggv$,on Of Col Memmngcr is worthy orseriors
attention, and We accordingly give 1t in his own
words:
In order to c!iable the schools TO succeed think
they should be common schools, taking in rich and
poor upon one common basis. t would make them
good that the rich would prefer them to any othe;
school That this ran be done has been fully demon
sratcd at the North, particularly i'll the city Of Mem
York;
Here We iuscr again few suggestions from the
anc paper which strike admirably correct and
cout,u much good reasoning and common sense.
"GVmmom schools, or public schools, is. VIC believe
tho right nanr and the term Free Schools" should DC
ignored and discontinued. 1t has in many sections,
from combinations OF clii>rs, acquired an invldous
sense and has rcpcllcl many who were designed to
bc benefited by tire system. The State cducaes no
one as personal gratuily, or benefit and the State
system of education should mako no Discrimination
State education is based the highest instincts and
duties @: state pr.scrvation it is not that we would
make individuals beLter prepared for the occupations
OF life in view cf their ywn private interests, but that
we need and desire succession ofgood czen$ that
tho State inter!crcs in ctncaou. She must educate
not 10 prepare youths to become farmers planters, ar
tiSas merchants lawyers Sc. to better advantage
but TO make them good citizens hence There is no rca-
sen ,r the State to educate poor boy that wnot ap-
ply with equal force to the wcalthicst citizen In
fac! the rich man, uncducatcd or crroncouay educated
may be more mischcvicnsy influential than the pour
nau.
If we can adopt the suggestion above given, and
make the State schools the best schools wu would
soon rcnnve all complaints about the backwardness
or i,Ii of norh,