Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-08-24
Education,.. Schools,..The True

thought or two on tho subject of our OWN Schools.
1t would be wrong and poor.spirited in tho
Districts of the upper country of South Carolina,
to louk to Charleston or to Columbia, or elsewhere
for help in the cause of education and do nothing
at home. Avail ourselves ms We may Of the i'm
proved facilities Of the Cities we have yet work Of
our own to do, in our own communities und in
our own neghburhoods. Education may have her
greater temples scattered at long distances over
the land but unless she has her chapcls and
oratories convenient to every hamlet and cottage,
her exalted ends are not yet attained. Her scope
i. the universal enlightenment Of the people, and
her fires must blaze from bill to hill that all may
see and feel their benign influences.
The Free School System Of South Carolina is
not of a kind to effect thi, desi BILE result. 1t
may bo an agent in tbs w"-' lad will it is to DO
hoped, become u n more efficient ono than
now. But it is to the village and neighborhood
schools Of the upper country, thatwe have ut pro-
sent to look for help in tho cause of intellectual
progress. These are now becoming yearly more
numerous and better appointed. There IL scarcely
u District which cannot point to its male and
female seminarios at near its District town, be-
sides other academies Of merit in It's different
sections. The spirit Of educational improvement
is up,-the schoolmaster is amongst us,-and, if
the general zeal shall be tempered with knowledge,
there is likelihood that our free institutions will
work out the great problem in hand without the
mid of legislative counsel assistance further than
it is now extended.
Among the rest We rejoice to say that Edgefeld
is occupying tho ground of duty in this important
business With promptituds and spirit. In many
neighborhoods the mosnS are now cheaply afforded
Of acquiring knowledge of English adapted to
tho rising requirements Of the age; md in several
localities, We are proud to learn thu. success is
browning the efforts of our worthy people towards
eleratng the standard of learning to much higher
grade of excellence. We are however unable to
speak on this point from personal knowledge, ex
cept to tho schools of this village; and those wo
have no hesitation in commencing to tho general
regard as being c1ninently calculated for good and
the higher advancement Of our childron In the
walks Of literature and science. The Male Acade-
my at this place is now equal, as to tcachcrE, posi-
tion, &c., to any in the State. Thore is not
doubt in our mihd when We express this convic-
ton. Nor are we less confident in according to
our Female Institute 4 rank alongside of the most
advanced institutions of the kind in South Caroli
ma. 1t affords us pleasure also to testify to the
tinucd efficiency of School for Little Children
which has for several years been a favorite with
our citizens
Our advice to the people of this place and its
immediate vicinity is that they keep up these
schools at every hazard, that they push them on
to still larger success, and TINT they leach and
overy one for himself and not through anothor)
exert themselves at once and energeticaly to effect
this end. Remember the situation of your pleas
ant town,-secludcd, almost isolated,-with Da
present prospect Of increase before it from any
new sources Of wealth or enterprize, but rather,
from the superior competition Of rising rivals, liza
bic to decension and decay unless those who are
identified with its prosperity shall bcstir them
selves in time You cannot prevent tais result by
looking for the good time coming aud prognosti-
eating its approach in connection with some mani
fest destiny railroad that msy come along some
day. You cannot prevent it by asserting that the
convenience Of our rillsge to large and wealthy
District will always keep it fully rr to its present
grade of prosperity and improvement; for in
these days not to advance is to reccdc, and you
arc gradually losing this fanced importance to
the District at largo by other corvoniences of
trade that outstrip vnn. No, you must bo "up
and doing" in such departments of exertion as
yet lie open to you and within your grasp, or
your village will lag behind, your interests will
remain stagnant, your real estate will depreciate,
and Il hundred years hence may find hut Il scone
Of dilapidatiun and poverty where once stood the
most prominent and influential village Of tho
State There are means, wo respectfully urge, of
preventing all this, which may be concentrated in
single motto. 1t is this: lake your tona at-
tractipc. And Of all the appliances to e1emplify
this motto, none have go high position as pros
perous successful, aye, brilliant educational fa-
ciltie,. Ferbam sap. You have the institutions
now in your midst upon which you can at once,
if you will, erect these appliances. Put the ma
chincry in active operation. Let every unc exert
himself to make it work we'll. Resolve that in
this department Of progress at least, your village
shall bc hive Of industry. Let the wish aud
endeavor Of every one be, to crowd the schools to
orerfowing,-to increase their number, if need
bc,-to impart to thom such excellence US shall
cause hundreds Of youths Of both sexes to flock
to your classic bowers. In bringing this about,
the humLlrSt man has his inaucncc,-thc most re-
firing lady her privilege Of speech. Let it DO
done. It'll your duty as we'll rs your interest
that it DO The sessions of your several schools
will recommcncc in few wcoks Let every citi-
zcu havo all the children under his controll ready
for entrance ut tho outset. Let every ono who
can, speak word for tho general good. kiudle
your energies ut once. Commence this work now.
Let the next term of your schools be d hourishing
ono. Recommend thom ns they deserve to be re-
commended to your friends throughout the Dis
trict,-throughuut the State. Tell them that hore
you have scquestcred society,-moral, enlight-
ened, cultivated,-thut you knve Churches and
preachers of the soundest orthodoxy,-that you
have Us healthful spot as can be found from the
seaboard to the mountains,-that you have ample
and excellent Accommodations for hundreds of pu-
pils-and thut cach ono Of you holds himself
pledged to promote NIL these advantages so far as
he can by reasonable cxertions and sacraiccs.
You will thus make Eaycfeld q popular password
in the ranks of the educational forces Of South
Carolina. You will thus not only discharge your
part in this grcat cause, but you will also hand
down to your children smiling homesteads and
as the rose" Wo repeat that you will thus lay
hold on one ci the most prominent means of full
filing the motto of advice before given, aud which
we here reteratc:-" Make yoar torn attractire."
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