The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-28
Southern Teachers for the South.

SraClIylnS Gnan the SeHeTaI luCchSSo
manifested on the subjec' If popular
education. At. no time heretofore
have there been SO many announce
ments of schools, academies and coll
leges through the press of the South
as at the present moment. There
may not be, in fact, a greater num-
Der of these institutions, but the ad-
vertisements of them are more hume
rous. The almost universal Interrupt
tion suffered by these" interests the
last few years has awakened general
and eager anxiety for their restora-
tion, which is positive and imperious.
The same spirit is shared by the
freedmen. at all our centres of popu
lation to certain degree, and will
gradually diffuse itself among the
negroes to the remotest districts. IF
the desire for knowledge is not innate
with him, it will be impressed upon
them by artificial forces.
70 improve, and mould and render
beneficial this spirit, to direct it's re-
suits and to make them ef1ectual for
good to the individual and our city,
requires Southern teachers for the
South This is one of the primary
and essential reforms i'll our future
educational system. The South has
never undertook to nuke it's own
teachers, rs general thing, but hos
sent TO the North for them, where
they are made, like shoes, boots,
hats, &c, by the wholesale. They
are made for Tie purpose there, and
are well made, They cannot be de-
cried or under-ratcd, while SO many
of them have performed so admirably
for us. 1t IS nonsense to speak con
temptuously of t'Northern school
masters and New England school
marms," while we are bound to con-
fess their excellence as Instructors.
Few schools of the South have made
reputation without some of them
being employed. They often come
to as with false or insufficient notions
of our people and institutions; but
despite these objections, and because
of their proficiency as teachers, we
have employed .them, and arc conti-
nulng to do SO. We pay them our
money, and when they behave them
selves, they give us value received
The only reason why We have hereto
fore done SO, is found in the fact that
we have not furnished our own
teachers from our own people. Those
who have enjoyed the advantages of
liberal mental culture have refused to
enter the school-room as teachers
preferrlng other pursuits. Besides,
there is i difference between being a
schotcn'. an educated person, and
being fitted for the r0ctaion of fezcA-
ia,y. The North has made h,achin1 a
speciality in the business of life. The
South has neglected it. In rare in
stances, you tind a gentleman, who
has devoted himself to it from youth
to old age; but these are exceptions
to the rule
The changes recently wrought in
our social and domestic institutions,
we trust, will bring changes in this
matter. The indications are that way
ut least, and they ought to be encoi-
ragged. Gen. Lee left the camp for
the teachers desk, as Jackson had
laid down the fcrulc to take up the
sword Gen. Custis Lee has Just
been chosen to a professorship in the
University Of Georgia, which we
hope he will accept; while hundreds
OF Confederate officers and soldiers,
of less general fame, are tending the
fountains Of learning ut the country
and village school-houses in many
places in the South. \ noble, battle
scared Mississippi soldier is teaching
Il co'ored schooi i'll that State, in the
midst of threats to tear down tho
house and eXpel him from the coun-
try; while Il young lady, raised in all
the atflucncc Of Southern luxury and
wealth, i'll the same State, with less
opposition, teaches a primary school
of her fathers late slaves. The
widow and daughter of one of the
greatest of American soldiers, Albert
Sidney Johnson. are teaching in their
home on the Pacific; while the widow
and daughter of the illustrious Chris
tian hero, Gen. Polk. are similarly
engaged III our own State. Mrs Gen.
Ransom, of North Carolina, an
nounces the opening of female in
stitute In Wilmington. These are
shining examples, and should inspire
imitation throughout the Southern
States. Let the business of teaching
he pursued as a vocation, and let the
teachers prepare themselves for it as
such, and very soon there will be no
occasion to bring teachers from other
States, or to hold up to the public
the Importance OF having Southern
/ teachers for the South.