The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-21
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

For the information of our readers We pro-
pose to give brief account Of whnt is doing in
this city in the cause of Public Education. We
nre the more encouraged to do this account
Of the taunt ever on the lips of our detractors
about the Ignorance of the poor whites of
South Carolina" and our alleged indifference
on the subject Of common schools. q
The present Common School system was in
augurnted in Charleston in July, 1866, whom
tho st. Philip School was opened. This. sys-
tenn is not perfect; but IL was thought the best
within our reach, and mnny of us remember
the all but insuperable difficulties, those of our
public men encountered, who stood IN the fore
front Of this struggle To ". J. BENNETT,
ESQ.,, perhaps, moro than to any other one
man, Charleston owes these schools. If they
have been successful, if they have conferred
upon our rising generation even modicum OF
the benefit contemplated in their establish
ment, Mr.. B., we feel assured, will feel him
self amply repaid for oil the years of arduous
labor and unremitting care and attention
which he has bestowed upon these institutions.
The name of Hon. c. G. MEMMINoEn, the hon
ored Chairman of the Board, is SO indissolubly
connected with tho Public Schools of Charles
ton that it is unnecessary to do more than sim
ply to state the fac. TO secure its universal nc
acknowledgement.
In its main features The system followed in
these schools is the same as prevails iHall or
ganized and properly supervised public schools
everywhere. 1t is only in minor points that
they differ; some paying greater attention to
certain branches of study than others. Where
education is under the guardianship Of the
State, as now is the case in overy enlightened
country in Europe, and, in measure, we be-
lieve, also in many Of the States Of this Union,
there is uniform system; the sudies, school
hours, text books, etc., being all prescribed by
the Minister Of Public Instruction The people
Of the United States heretofore have nfmos!
uniformly opposed such m organization, much
in the same spirit and for the same reasons, II
ne are not mistaken, as make them oppose the
establishment Of q National Church But since
we have an Internal Revenue Bureau and simi-
lar machine for taking care Of the freedmen;
since we have become reoonoiled TO O largo
standing army, and o Radical reconstruction of
the original Constitution, both Of the United
States and the individual States, we can look
forward TO the establishment of Department
Of Education with less Of jealousy and appre-
hension than was our wont heretofore. Gem
traliraiion of the Government is already an
accomplished fact; and we hive more reason to
anticipate substantial benefit from this ff.shoot
OF II than from any other. The last Congress
laid tho foundation for such an organization, in
creating Bureau Of Education, to which we
were pleased to see the right man appointed,
hr. HENRY BAnsAnD, than whom no filter per-
son could have been found to fill such . trust.
Mr.. d. has devoted his whole life, his! n,sans.
and we'll endowed mind, with admirable tai
ents for organization, to the cause of common
schools. The Bureau at present is nothing brt
amers Office to receive and dispense informa-
ton, not clothed with any power. This, how
over, we have little doubt will soon follow.
Where education Is not under The entire and
exclusive charge Of the Government, tho great
difficulty always hos bcsn, and must continue
10 be, to procure suitable teachers. : A system
of common schools, without seminarics or nor.
NAL schools for the training Of teachers, "a an
anomaly. Though the system were ever %