Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-12-05

4 - s'
meci1nnic would underIake the work. WITH tn
i deliberate opinion ot sgeh a body as The Boarf
ii OF Trustees before mest dld not rcrup'e TO fe
Il gard 1his as an emergency IN which the poole
interest demanded .wi.styer appropriation coult
be made from the contingent FUND, without pre-
ljudiceito the customary, drafts upon it. The
assistance which wassable to render, enabled
| the Committee to made contract upon very
favorable terms, and thes.work has been compile
led within shorter period than was- though!
:, possible. The College appears in renovated
beauty, and the tide ofslts prosperity has had
no ebb.
The entire cost Of iht new bnilding is $22s
! 8O2.00 or this sums8hnve advanced out ol
the contingent fund $I5D00 An appropriation
Of 81 1902 will be necessary to fulfil the obiga.
tion Of the Board with sle contractor Mr.. Cow.
! mover. i have paid f0rs ordinary drafts on the
icontingent fund, $l,O2464. There are certain
rewards offered for thtTapprehension Of fugi.
,iyes:from Justice, by myself and predecessors,
whiehsnay hereafter ;fo6siitute. claim on this
4 fund. ::i.sss 80. Z.
The Military Academies are mostsuccessfully
conducted and continue Steadyto grow in pub
lie estimation. Though but of : few years
standing. their fruits sfis.already felt in every
district of the State; ndunder your fostering
care, the harvest in times&i be rich and abun-
dant They will be TO be stronger safe
guard, than forts and 56fti6cations The iudi-
gent young man who filSas himself thus gener-
ously trained by his Statfo the duties Of life,
can mover forget that Hehas State TO live for
-he will always feel th4kshe hasa cnim upon
him., land in the hour ofhsr trial, will regard no
sacrifice too dear indafzhee Of her institutions.
Wise policy dictates .that1her capacity for good
should be enlarged to ths extent Of our means.
! Too much praise canned sbe awarded 10 Gen.
James Jones, Chairman6E the Board of Visitors,
for The unselish deyotioffwith which he watches
over and guards their santerest. He has just
reason 10 be proud of abe success which has
crowned his efforts, andsthe State may congrat-
ulate herself that the experiment was intruated
to the guidance. of o1eao. highly qualified for
the task. II y
With but few exceptions, have reviewed
the regiments of the .frst and fifth military di-
visions Of the State, andAhe regiments OF Chlr,
! lesion and Laurens D1ssricts. was gratll'ed
with the military spirit. esinced, andtfe Know
ledge OF tactics which has been geuerafly &C..
quired. The AdJutant and Inspector General
found always at his post, fand it affords me much
pleasure to testify to bis zeal and efficiency 10
the discharge Of his duty. 1t is not necessary
that should urge uponRou the importance OF
keeping up our present militia system. Cur Pc
ouliar condition, and tlss dangers 10 whieh we
| are exposed both ffoM within ana Wlthoul,
should preclude the :H0nght OF abandoning IT..
1t is not desirable, norris g practicable, to make
regular soldiers OF our Hltlzens, but It IS lmpor-
tant 10 teach them at tfIs rudime9ts OF that
tseience-upon ll8 people -uust rely for
security and defence. The muster field, like the
school house, has its lessons. 1t incucates the
duty of obedience, the virtue of courage, and
the sentiment of patriotism-nnd without these
elements, the standard OF character can never be
high.
The Free School system will receive at your
hands that confederation which its Importance
demands. Its results have fallen so far short OF
its object, that it may be pronounced failure.
Its defects ha, been long felt, and yet nothing
has been done except TO double the sum of
money TO be wasted under n bad system. 1t
renuires thorouuh and entire reformation. 1t
is Unfortunate that the end which was evidently
contemplated bv the act Of 1911 has been aban.
doned, and that what was intended to introduce
oradnaIIv n General system Of common schools
Sss heen nery..ted 70 the excusiy. education
If manners In INV Indictment we would return
n tho pol;cv of ISli. and seek to inaupurate n
svs,am Which in il, ultimat. deyeIopm.nt,
.bomld br;,n ,hs means of education within the
so.oh of e, f,,n;lv in The Stote A nerfect
.chsms c " c,ruo, ] % bs motnred at once. L IS easy
to tod devise | . be,u,ifnl and consistent plan as a
,h;no If .n.onla,;on bnt il could not 40 readily
ho mt ;,,n onarat;on- -nar,Iv from the want Of
u,oans nor,,v f,on, lack of interest in the bene.
G ." os p"s In .nJ osnsr;oIlv from the inn.
nes oss;hi;,r of nro.nr;ng comneicnt teachers
Our iucipient measures should look to the double
end of creating popular demand for education,
and of furnishing instructors able TO supply IT,
Normal scbools, az being too exclusively profes,
sional, are unsuited to the former purpose, ana
until that is accomplished, nothing is gained oy
the preparation of teachers. 1t seems to me
that in conformity with the principle that knowl-
edge dcscends, and that the supply creates the
demand, the first step should be 10 establish a
high school in each district in the State in which
pnpils could be prepared for business or the uni
versity, and from which certain number of in
digent young men Of industry and promise
should be sent to college at tho expense OF the
State, upon the condition of devotipg themselves
to the Office of teaching for specified PERIOD
after their graduation. The next step should be
to institute, ns teachers and pupils could be oo-
tanned, inferior schools in every portion OF tne
land, until the means of instruction are made
accessible to all. The high schools, as prelIm'
mary measure, would be a real and efficient pro-
vision for popular instruction. Light cannot be
confined. "a city set on an hill cannot be hld.'
Intelligence is essentially difusve, and whatever
increases learning in one portion Of the commu
nifty, elevates the standard of thought in all
The high schools would at once create a demand
for the inferior, and furnish the means OF proVi'