Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-09-10
EDUCATIONAL REFORM.

portant question that can possibly enlist the at
tention of that delberative body, and one that re-
qures deep forethought from its magnitude as
we'll as from the difficulty in celebrating an unex-
cep,ionable system. But it is the duty OF the
legislator to bestow so much Of his time and atten-
ton on matters of public Importance, as to enable
him to understand thoroughly and to vote intelli-
gently on any provision that will affect the public
1t is no time to investigate facts and to form opln
ions amid the hurry and hustle of the legislative
session. Opinions thus formed are as worthless
az they are superficial. And here We see the dis
tnction between the statesman and the "hobtail-
ed politician" to use an expression classicalized
by the eloquent PATRICK HENRY. The one studies
and investigates the problems Of government, the
characteristics, the wants, and the necessities OF
the people, and not content as the other is to drift
along with the current and consider himself In
structed by the crude whimes of an ignorant con-
stituency, he goes to work to form the public mind,
to diffuse his more comprehensive views, and to
remove the narrow prejudces which may enthrall
the "profanum pulgum." On no occasion is this
fact more strkngly apparent than on questions
of economy. There is impressed upon the public
mind an idea that economy is the sole qualification
of the statesman. This is favorite dogma with
the people, which the candidate turns readily into
electioneering capital. BUTT resembles BESTHAM's
dictum in regard to "Utility"- is true or false
lust as comprehensive or contracted significance
is attached to the term. If by economy, we mean
parsimony, then nothing can be more silly and
contemplate if to give it more liberal interpre-
taton, we mean that policy which prevails to such
an extent among the yeomanry of the country OF
neglecting the education of sons or daughters, in
order to leave them the poor pittance OF few
thousand dollars to support and tinsel their igno-
rant pride, then we deprecate such cconomy; but
if by the term we understand course of policy
alike different from extravaganza and penurious-
ness-that expects to pay fair price for solid and
substantial blessings, to spend the public funds
judiciously in order to enrich the treasury, to ed
ucate the people, that they may possess wisdom
more precious than rubes; in short, course of
policy guided by intelligent and comprehensive
ideas of economy, why then no one can be so un-
reasonable as to dissent from the proposition.
While then we would have an economical, let
us not have niggard orparsimoniOus legislature.
And in regard to the education of the people es-
pecially, we must reprobate and eschew stinting
policy, which sees only with rhinoceros-eye one
object at time, and look to the future when the
bread cast upon the waters shall return, and intel
ligence, morality, virtue and happiness will con-
stitute the most valuable riches of the country.
After thorough trial, the present system of
popular education has been found inadequate, and
it is to the Legislature that We look for better
and of the legislator to improve and correct. 1t
is not sufficient excuse on his part, to say the
present system is bad, but it is difficult to devise
better one. In the first place, it is not difficult
to find better system, and in the second place |
unless difficulty is insurmountable, which is not
the case in this instance, it is no reason why it
should hcgct negligence but only so much
stronger motive for exertion and energy. For
our part We should prefer the plan proposed by |
COL MEMMINaER to the present system. But if
it is open to objections let it be modified or still
another one devised. The objects to be attained
in q complete system of education should be kept
clearly in view. Two paramount objects COM
nand our attention, though these are hanked by !
host of minor considerations. The provision Of .
efficient teachers is only equaled in Importance by
the contrivance of some means, by which the poor
will be enabled and induced to educate their chill
dren. There is one way to attain the first and
that is to offer high prices and in this way make the
profession alike honorable and remunerative.-
And here we see the deplorable consequences re-
sulting from the want of a thorough and syste.
matte educational organization. Under the pres
ent regime few select localities afford good SAL
aries, but the uncertainty of obtaining these pre-
vents young men of education and talent from
devoting themselves exclusively to the profession
of teaching. In addition to this, the facility |
with which men come to the bar, or are admitted
to the practice of medicine or the desecration Of
the pulpit, while it encourages empiricism
quackery and ignorance, at the same time allures
ambitious talent from the more arduous duties of
the instructor. But all other things being equal,
teaching as profession by reason of the severity
Of the labor and other unpleasant concomitants,
must depend on pressing into its service the needy
the philanthropic, and that class, which judicous
legislation might largely increase, which has
worked its way up from ignorance and poverty to
liberal education, and to which the tolls of the
profession is a pleasure and not burden. By
assisting this last named class in procuring an
education and offering them monopoly of the
primary and even academical department, the
demand for efficient instructors might readily be
supplied. But until this or some efficient method
is taken to supply the deficiency, it must ts Ike
years to bring around the silent revolution in af
fairs, which must inevitably take place when we
have surplus population and all the other walks
of life are crowded to over flowing.
But even more difficult of solution is the prob
lem of inducing or enabling thepoorest class-the
class most deserving of aid-to permit the State
to educate its youth For this is one of the diff
culties under the present system. But this is not
iusuperable. 1t will, in fact, be partially removed
by the inducement held out to them to become
instructors But even if it is necessary to allow
the most needy small compensation for those
who could be of service to their parents, is this
not far better than to let them grow up in igno-
rance, to be nuisance and pest to the country,
and either in the Jail, the Court House, or from