Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-11-25
From the South Ca"oiinian
THE soJra CAROLINA COLLEGE.

From the South Ctzroiinian
THE soJrH CAROLINA COLLEGE.
The following Was aidressel to the Governor
: by one of the Alumni of the South Carolina
College, who has travelled on the Continent Of
Europe, as an offering Tor the benefit of his loved
Anna Mater. 1t contains the substance OF a pre-.
vivus conversation ON the subject of College re-
form. We have obtained it COR our columns, in
order that it may be more generally circulated: {:
IL His Erccicncy r. F. IE ANston.
DEAR Sir: In compliance with your request,
/ have hastily thrown together my views On the
college REFORM and such rs they are, | respect
fully submit them for your consideration.
l repeat what said to you in conversations
it matters little what name we give the ins,i
tuition, whether college university, provide'i
there be proper arrangement Of discipline anG
Of study.
In providing for the Success o: an institution
of learning, two things mainly are to be const
cred first, the provisions made for the discipline
and government of its members; secondly, the
methods Of instruction pursued therein, or the
appliances for the acq :isitioa of knowledge.
It is chiefly iu reference to the former, think
that our College has failed to develope the grand
results which, from its fine endowments might
reasonably have been expected from it. 1t has
been found wanting in the very element, which,
above all Thugs constituted good government.
I mean a community of feeling and OF purpose
between the governors aud The governed; be-
tween the professors and the students. These
seem 10 have exhibited towards each other COLI
slant autayonism. Little impressed by their
mutual obligations to promote each others well
fare, they have entertained toward each other
feelings Of indifference and independence, and
for nearly forty years have clashed in their con.
duct, to their mutual injury, and to the great
detriment of the institution of which they have
been constituent parts. 1t needs no philosophic
ean to predict that no change for the better can
occur in future, unless some positive reform,
new elements of discipline shall be introduced.
In is well established principle in govern.
ren:, whether as applied to small bodies or large
ones that there must be one power to make laws
"a separate one to judge them-and another
to superintend thei- execution Among peo.
PIE accustomed to political liberty, no govern.
!uert can be successful without such oistribu-
ton of power. And the principle is as app'icn
tc to the College as to the State. large
number of the offences committed within the
College walls have personal concern with some
cle or other Of the Faculty: and We could as
soou expect 8 community OF citizens to be satis-
authorizes the offended to sit in ju6g;nen: over
the offender, az t. expect satisfactory admins
,rst;on 0: the College laws when the Professor
IL allowed 70 30 reek;ng from the scene of per.
sonsl insult, u Judge and pass sentence upon the
s:udent who f:as offended him. Such All admin.
istra.ion is against the course Of nature and OF
reaaon, md can never succeed, though applied
under the mos; favorable circumstances. 1t Is
one Of the great principles Of government and
of public liberty. that IN impartial tribunal must
staua between the jursd and the accused-and
lis another great principle, that the law should
DC executed N a p.sSiorrss spirit, according to
TIA ruIcs Of q Eccrcin! justice.
Tho first thing, then, to be s9aght after in
establishing prope" disc! pne fox the College,
is supervising executive officer lit matters not
whether u, be called President, Chancellor,
Proctor or Rector whosel laty it sha!! he, in con-
junction with the Faculty, TO have al eye ID the
coaduc: and diligence OF the students, and who.
removed as FAR as possible from ali temptations
to pa7t;a!ity should see that the discipline OF the
College bn properly and wisely carried into et-
feet His duties should be well defined, and he
should have no connection with :ae literary cX-
erciscs O! the Institution. In all ordinary Of
fences presenting few difficulties and requiring
little or no Investigation Of law and of facts, the
iudrmcn: of this officer vii! suffice; hut grarer
matters frequently arise. sach as rebeons. in.
suits to Professors secret violations Of the Col.
iege laws, &C., in which ii is often necessary to
investigate and decide jadcially aud impar,ially.
In the second place. then, there should be a
competent court in the Cu!lcgc, with judge at
the heal or it, having rr5uag,r defines! powers,
with authority To In.ka q thorough legal investi.
cation of all offences a-a;as! the Laws, and to
administer such pHniSimcr:s rs tie law mas
prescribe Snhircting the student 20 the strict
discipli:e Of 3n;c, will not, know, sri; the taste
Of suinc who rely altogether upon 4 e principles
ot h0aor in governing the young men o. the
College; but what, ask. is the basis Of all true
honor but proper uhservanc. oilawsfan up.
on the principles Of jusic-. and honor? To what
is the appeal O; horur .; made, if not to the
observance Of hose very AVS? Certainly not Il,
the mere wi!ims ani capric" OF young man.
conscience? This sd be anything else than
{. code Of honor. 4 p:n.r spirit ot subordina-
ton to law is worth norc 10 the Young men III
Republican Government. than all the vapory
notions OF gcntlenan!y conduct they can posi-
bly, acquire in lie so.called schools OF honor.
But true grntlcnanly conduct IS over and be-
yond the law. 1t is the offspring OF Il Lative
generosity us character, which til: law can build
out ana perfect Dut C'Su Hc'sl NCotio,' 'tSihS',
Young men, when they come forward into life,
are compelled to obey tio lava of their country,
and TO observe the forms and Judgments Of OR
courts What bette. preparatory training could
they have FOR these important duties of manhood,
than ,ha, 20 which ,Loy would be subjected by
the college courts?
Such tribunal would, arr sure, give salts
faction 70 the professor aid the student. 1t
would declare impartial and truthful decisions
L:tweea the Faculty am lis, students, and he.
tween the students and Inc laws--and tha: ia.
tire sense Of Justice implanted in all rightminded
natures, must secure icr tia lasting and happy
success.
Take, then. some prominent and experienced
member of the bar lat Cnlumbia,) give him a
salary Of eight hundred or thousand dollars,
and require him 10 hold court in College one or
two days every week to Try all l offences that may
College or by the students themselves. Nothing,
in my Judgment, would be better calculated to
preserve order and discipline in the College than