The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-10-15
From the Charleston JHercuru.
PROFESSIONAL WRITER'S

MEssRs. EDIroHs You will rccollect
that suggested, rs measure most surely
conducive towards originating corps of
professional writers" in our State, the en-.
dowment of Fcllowslips in tho College at
Columbia. Money could scarcely be more
economically and noLly employed, since
knowledge must ever descend" from the
moro highly educated and gifted to those
who are les so; and that system of educa-
ton is: therefore, radically defective which
docs not make it an object to carry educa-
ton to the highest attanable point.
The endowment Of Fcllowships, however,
was suggested, not because it is the only,
but because it is quite feasible plan of en-.
ablng students Of extraordinary merit in
the collegiate department to continue their
studies, and make themselves writers and
scholars worthy of the name. Blu: so great
is the rcpugnance Of people to seeing even
the appearance Of any one, old enough to
support himself, living in idlencss that I
would despair not only Of obtaining the
great weight of the State taking the intia-
tive in this endowment, but even of private
munifcencc ever running in this channel,
could it not be easily arranged that every
Fellow should be required to perform, by
lectures or otherwise, tho lighter duties Of
an Assistant Professor. Since do not
contend for name, but for a principle, the
Fellow might be titled Tutor, and given
such subordinate duties rs may secure in
dustry, and, at the same time, have ample
leisure to prosecute a liberal course of study.
These Tutors could afterwards he raised to
the Professorships, provided they exlibiLi-
ted an ability for such an elevation. But
the principle contendcd for, the principle
would most earnestly force upon your at
tention, is, that in the very system of cdu-
cation itself, there should exis: the oppor-
tunlty of ending the pursuit Of tho humane
arts only with the chilling touch of death,
when the learned studies Of time will merge
into tho intuitions Of eternity. There
should be something in the very system it.
self, which may take the enthusiastic lover
of letters, in his youth, by the hand, and
lead him to still purer and more celestial
heights Of knowledge. Then we should not
be presented with the exceedingly strange
spectacle of State, boasting Of its intel-
gence and civilization, in quandary-I do
not shrink from the assertion-in a GUAM
Diary as to whom it should place at the
head of her literary institution-not, mark
It, because there are SO many candidates
prepared for the duties of the situation. but
so very few. Let an over-scnsitivc public
shrink from it, if they please, but it j.
dlsgrace-a disgrace growing out of our
system, which dverts into other cannels
most of the talent of our people-talont,
which framed the very government of this
Union, and ever since, down through the
war of 1912 TO the present day, has direc-
ted the thought Of America; talent which,
in the "south m Quarterly" has pro.
duced the ablest periodical which has ever
existed on this side of the watel.; which,
in DeBow's Review, sustains a very high
reputation, and which is capable Of pro-
ducing as able Professors and professional
writer's, if it only be encouraged, as any in
the world.
When the Hon. Edward Everett, short
time after graduation, was elected Profes-
sor Of Harvard University, he was sent, at
the expense of that Institution, to travel
four kyears in Europe and complete his
education. Here was the true principle
If you wish real scholar, you must give
him time to train himself, you must sup
port him, and you must put him in the way
of such influences as will stimulate his
mind. 1t is not contended that our Eel.
lows or Tutors should he sent to Europe
This would certainly be very generous, and
often very effective, but the expedicncy Of
"a trip to Europe" is doubtful. What is
contended for, is the opportunity of con-
tinuing liberal course Of education, with
out an interruption, as unreasonable MS black
fir st would he to our corps in early sum-
mer, whitening the luxuriance Of n growing
vegetation.
In some of tie German Universities, we
learn, upon the authority of a mastery
thinker upon the subject of education,
year since dead, that system of graduated
professorships prevails, paid in proportion
to difficulty Of filing them. A student of
ability soon rises to the lower grades, which
competently support him, but not with
such liberality rs to allow his desire to ex-
eel to slumber, or his love Of physical CON-
fort TO he inactive. The only objection to
this system, which appears at first sight, is,
| that Il works fha sfudent foo hard (. laaa