The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-12-03

Congress, which, substituting expediency for
principle, was gradually sapping the Con-
stitution, and threatening ultimately the
rights of the Stales.. His last public act
was signing the Ordinance of ls52--passed
by the State Convention, of which lie was
a member. Past the age of four-score yea, S,
having long survived his great co.laborers
and worthy colleagues, Lowndes and Cal
houn, he, too, is gone. Like them, he has
left us, in his upright example in all public
stations, in the loftiness, the purity, the sim.
plicity Of his character, in the truth. and
power, and grandeur of his eloQuence a
legacy of priceless wealth..
The SoUTH CAROLINA CoLLEaE.-This
Institution, SO deservedly cherished by the
| people of the State for its usefulness, as we'll
as its renowu, has undergone, since your
adjournment. severe trial, owing to the
indiscretion Of youth and some mistaken
notions Of honor, which have obtained
among the students, together with the want
ofaptitude and power to administer the laws
OF the College, which unhappily character
lied the President, a man distinguished for
science, aud otherwise of practical useful.
ness, who, as Professor Of Mathematics, was
emnently competent, able and valuable.
Called together at an extraordinary meet.
ing In the month Of June, the Board of
Trustees deemed it essential to the due per.
formance OF their trust to re.organize the
Government Of the College. Accordingly,
the members of the Faculty were invited to
resign. President McCay had previously
rendered his resignation. and the exercises
OF the College were suspended till the lst
OF October, thus making the annual vaca-
ton eighteen days longer than usual, and
dispensing, necessarily, with the June ex-
animation. Assembling again in the month
of September, at no little personal inconve
nience, the Board of Trustees have deemed
1t wise to restore the greater number of the
Professors TO the duties of Faculty, as.
signing 10 each individual the charge of
the various branches of learning in such
order, as, it is supposed, will ensure, here.
after, their greater usefulness and efficiency.
by temporary arrangement, which was
ordered by the Board of Trustees, the du-
ties of the Mathematical Department has
been assigned to the Professors of Natural
Science, and of Chemistry. II is to be hoped
that this important chair will be definitely
filled before the close Of the year. However
universally it be admitted, that the Classics
should constitute the leading feature in the
leading Literary Institution of tho State,
yet in community ofplanters and farmers,
where agriculture prevails, even in connec-
ton with the learned professions, the i'm.
portance of Geometry, Trigonome,ry, Sur
veying, Mensura;ion and Mechanics, cannot
be overlooked in completing the education
OF youth, nor should We fail of inviting the
students TO a due understanding of Astron-
omy, Natural and Experimental Phloso.
ply, Natural History and General Science.
Again, Chemistry. Geology, MineraIogy
and Meteorology, with lectures and expert.
men,s on the application of Chemistry, Ge
ology aud Electricity 10 agriculture, consti
tute an essential branch for which Pro.
tessor is provided. Until June the Presi.
dent of the College was. also, Professor of
Mathematics. Since September, the Pro
lessons LeConte have attended to the duties
OF this chair in conjunction with their own
AS regards discipline, it would he deros-
atory to the just influence of parents, sup
posing them to have done their duty to
their children at home, and humiliating to
our common nature, to maintain that in
telligent and nearly grown young gentle.
men, need strict surveillance at College; to
be kept in order by the force of authority
whilst they are profting by the ample
means TO pursue the higher mathematics,
and to accomplish themselves in classical
literature, which the State has so wisely
and literally furnished for their benefit
No! let the Senior members of College act
with discretion, moderation and decorum,
and let the younger be controlled by their
precept and example. 1t does not ofteu
happen that men who are devoted to study,
either scientific or literary, (and it is with
such men, chiefly that the Professional
chairs must be flled) are found to possess
among their other gifts administrative tai
ents. Young gentlemen of eighteen or
nineteen years of age should know some
what how to govern themselves. Until the
students Of the College shall become alive
to sense Of their persona! responsibility TO
tho State and TO themselves, the very best
administration Of the College laws, as a
government, is destined often 10 fail. On
entering College each student signs "the
Roll" the captain Of which embraces n
pledge to conform to the regulations, and
10 avoid unlawful combinations. On the
late occasion the young gentlemen seem to
have persuaded themselves that in repudia-
ting the authority Of the President, they
were acting individually, not in combina.
ton. Yet, after a conference with the Pro.
lessons, it was manifest to the Board that
almost the whole College was implicated.
The students deemed il n point of honor To
sustain the class, which refused TO recite to
their chief Professor, because they had
questioned his integrity and condemned his
administrative ability. Here is evidence Of
extensive combination, yet no student was
made conscious of it. II was deemed ne
cessary that the Trustees be assembled to
instruct the Faculty as to their execution of
the laws Of the College. Our young men
are commended to the sentiment, we'll ex-
Dressel else wlera hv ON abla 10 ,;ter him,