The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1865-10-05
For The Mtesligencer.
For tNI 1HletltyeNceT
WHAT is TO BECOME OF SOLOMON

of affairs generally, anu thelr PiooPoo''
in particular, A. happened to remark that
he would soon have to dispense with the
services Of his son, and try to get along
in his work without the lad; whereupon
the conversation continued after the fol-
lowing manner:
BgaAnd why's that neighbor?"
A" Because the boy has to go back
to school"
B.-a Why, I've just taken my Solomon
away from school"
A" Any fault to find with the teach
er~
B.l"No, but can't spare the lad from
work, and schooling is mighty expensive
in these times" :.
A.-sSo it is; but I should think yoN
could afford it rather easier than [; you're
not SO bad off in the world"
B.-"Well, the plain truth of the mat
ter is, moneys the main chance in these
times-one can't, be respectable without
it; and l don't see the use fol- SO much
education. I've got on very we'll without
it, and I reckon my father did, too, afore
me-"
A.-aYou don't mean to say person
can't be respectable without money?
I'm sure you know people in this very
community, whom everybody respects,
and who are yet poor men; and as for
saying that money itself makes man
respectable, why, just look at old Jones'
he's pretty rich, and yet he's the laughing
stock and butt OF everybody. I doubt if.
he can hardly write his own name"
BIO. but he's SO dcrn'd ignorant"
A.-aWhy, that's just it, ncighbor. So
you do think it's worth having some learn
ing, but it's only about the, amount of it
you're doubtful"
B-@Why, I don't mean to say educa-
TONS bad thing, but I don't see no use
in good deal that's crammcd into 10y
at school. If he can read, write and cy
pher, don't see as he wants any moro"
A.-"Well, neighbor, I'm n plain man,
and haven't had any very first rate edu-
cation myself; but I have read and OBJ
served enough to see that it is the educa-
ted people who lead society, govern coun-
tries, and form public opinion; and if ]
can't leave my boy money, I'll give him
Ssuch an education as will put him On 8,
footing with any rich mans sons. If he
has the education and the sense, in free
country he may reach the top of the lad
der as well as the best of them. But le.
me ask you q question in friendly way.
What you think enough for your son..
you'll, of course, think enough for any
other mans. Now, what would be the
consequence il you brought evcry man iii
the State to your way of thinking ?"
B.-"What do you mean?"
A" mean--if every man in the
State was to think that what can BE-
learned at any old-feld school was quito
enough for his children, and SO was to let
all Academies and Colleges die out of the
land?" :.
B.-"r don't see but we'd get on very
we'll I and my father, and good many
other people you know, have got on very
well with mighty little learning"
A" Yes, but why? Because you
lived in an educated country You had
educated men to make laws and govern;
to carry on commerce, to give you med-
cal and legal assistance, and SO forth,
But if the whole State was made up of
citizens such, as it soems, you are going
to make of your Solomon, l tell you,
neighbor, that in course of generation
we'd not only have no DOCTORS. but no
printers or newspapers, and Legislature
that couldn't write properly their own
enactments. It's just because everybody
didn't think like you and your father, and
those people you referred to, that the like
of you have been able to get along with
out education; but I think if you reflect
upon it, your own good sense will tell
you, that if everybody went on your no.
tion, the next generation would be SO ig
norant that they could not hand down
any education to their children. and SO
the State would just keep sinking down
to barbarism. No doubt, when our pop
'ulation becomes ignorant enough, as thorc
is no more abolition to be agitated, we
shall have as the next things thrust upon
us, negro suffrage and amalgamation.
And why motif the world sees that we
arc sinking down in IGNORANCE %