The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1855-07-12

port Of the Rector sfsshs "Cokesdury C0'yer.
encc School,"
1t is very gratifying to your Committee
to learn, as it. does, that the past year has
been one of "great peace and quiet" de-
manding very little exercise of rigid disci.
pline: This is not only favorable to tho
government of the Institution, but also
highly creditabe to the students themselves;
and will be hailed with pleasure by all true
friends Of the School. 1t should be borne
in mind that the object of this long and
ardo~tly cherished Institution of the South
Carolina Conference, is hot only to give its
pupils SO much knowledge Of science and
letters, but hlso to- inculcate that spirit of
subordination and self-government which,
by the Divine blessing, may fit them for
whatever station in life they may be called
to occupy. We rejoice to recognize this
result to any extent, and especially in tile
degree indicated by the report of our re-
spected Rector.
1t is to be regretted that the number of
students is not equal to that of the year
preceding; and yet It is gratifying that, iii
year SO trying in monetary matters, tho
School has little more than sustained it.
self. While with the coming plenty of tire
growing crops. we may confidently hope
for large increase of students, it's matter
of graduation that our standard Of scholar
ship is good, and that, however ity;may have
been in the case Of kindred institutions, no
student from CoLesbury has ever bsen re-
jected on his application to enter ahySCol-
lege in the country.
Your Committee are panied, however, to
learn that two or three of the students have
been dismissed from the School for identify
ing themselves with dancing school, OPEN
cd lately in the vilagc-in which disciple
nary action of the Faculty, your Committee
fully concur. The conduct of these STU
dents was wholly at variance with the spirit
CT the rules and regulations of School,
one OF whose chief glorics has always been
that it was Methodist School-a Confer.
ence school-a religious School-founded,
too, i'll hgh-toncd, Christian community
avoiding, nevertheless, scctarian influence.
Ihis has been its recognized character all
over the land, and has been one of its best
recommendations-hencc the highly censu-
rable character Of the conduct of these few
students. That such conduct was approved
by parents or guardians, but aggravates tho
evil IN its influence against the School
Your Committee feel it due to state how
ever, from such information rs has been re-.
ceivcd, that this dancing school movement
has been approved by few Of the better
sort, but small portion of the residents
here having lent it their countcnance. It
is matter of solicitude, however, that tho
moral and religious force of. the public sen.
timentvas net exested at once to nrcvent
it's existence. May not the cause of tho
comparative paucity of numbers in the
School, be the absence in part of tho hipl,
religious and moral character once tho
glory of Cokesbury, rather than hard times.
or any other cause which has been thought
to be discovcrcda At any rate, it behoovcs
tho people Of Cokcsbury to institute such
an enquiry. Your Committee deprccalc tho
thought of this loved and cherished School
going down; but if 60 down it must, much,
if not all Of the cause of such failure, will
be found in the state of things at Cokesbury
now adverted to. We reiterate our ioy.
however, that this lovely and salubrious
.Village in the Woods'h has but few within it
who are at all disposed to remove the an
cient landmarks.
Your Committee would earnestly call on
the members of this Board, on every citizen
of this place and its vicinity, and. on the
preachers and people of. our Conference
generally, to come to the help of the School
with their influence, their patronage, their
prayers, and let all unite in maintaining the
well-earned reputation of the Cokesburv
Conference School, as one of the best Acad-
cmies in the land. ts
Your Committee recommend the adop-
ton of the following resolutions, viz:
Resolved 1st. That the Board Of Trustea.-
OF Cokcsbury Conference School, take rnucH
pleasure in the assurance that the Rector
and his associates have spared nos pains in
their power to promote the interest Of the
School, and their administration is hereby
sustained. =,
Resol"ed "a. That the falling ofinnum-
bers, (though we trust it is but Temporarily
from whatever reason, is ca1se Of deep So
licitude, and should claim {he attention Of
all interested in the institution.
Resoiued Sd. That the B6ard has heafd
with much modification, N the existenns
Of dancing school in Cokesbury, and are
grieved to know that CONNECTION with it
has occasioned the dismissatnf three Of oas
students. <ssnxss ksz,snsSs 3.
Resolued Hss stwsih;Is iES
tirelY. tin tlla Eacaltx Rs fhass sss