The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-30
The Free Schools of Charleston-Their
Past, Present and Future.

upon the State and upon the individual VINO
inaugurated the present excellent system. 10
Mr.. Jefferson Bennett is mainly due the pleas
ing result that has been obtained in tho mat
ter of public education. He saw the necessity
of u new developcment, and for nearly fifteen
years devoted himself steadily to this one
great object. He was influenced by no hope
of reward OF political preferment, but simply
labored for the good of his State.
Under the old regime the free schools in
the city were generally located in dark and
narrow lanes or in some almost inaccessible
place. For many years one of these schools
held its sessions in q house built on piles in
the marsh at the eastern boundary of the city.
At high tide it was surrounded by water, and
at ebb by the marsh mud; it was connected
with the main land by q bridge, and, notw1th-
standing the ineligible location, was used for
considerable length of time. This marsh
school was not, however, the only objectlona-
BILE one, as the school buildings were generally
dark and badly ventilated. In those days 1t
was customary to pay the teacher fixed
amount of money, out of which he would pay
the rent of school house, the residue being
his fee OF salary. Although there were eight
or nine of these schools in the city, the atten-
dance was generally small, and the very name
of 'sfree school" became distasteful to the peo-
pie, most parents preferring their children to
grow up in ignorance to sending them to these
schools. The Meeting street school house
stood as the sole redeeming feature OF this
state of affairs. 1t was built by the Board,
and was, curiously enough, intended to be the
model school building of the city. But 1t had
originally only two large rooms, in which all
of the scholars were taught. Class rooms
were then unknown, and the more noise the
pupils made in their recitations the more dill
gent they were presumed to be. NotWlth-
standing the deficiencies in the free school
system of that dag, it was not without some
redeeming qualities. 1t was the best that
could then be furnished and, possibly, lack
of appreciation of the advantages Of general
education prevented any efforts for change.
After years of patient waiting, Hon. G. G.
Memminger, Mr.. bennett aud Judge Magrath,
all firm friends of cdr cation, succeeded, IN
December, 1854, in obtaining an appropriation
from the legislature, ands new board OF school
commissioners we're elected. This board went
into Office on the 22d Of January, 1855, and I'M
mediately commenced operations.
THE ST. PHILIPS STREET SCHOOL
was the first built, the board having granted
the contract Oh the 7th July, 1855. The build
ings formerly occupying the site were removed
and on the 25th Of June, 1856, the new school
house was opened to the public. The enter
prise had been commenced with grave doubts
as to it's future success, for it sundered all old
associations and introduced new era In the
history of the State Public Schools. The COM
missioners had watched the progress Of the
building with anxiety, and had come prepared
to see the much talked ofpubic school either
small success or great failure. They were, how
ever, most agreably surprised as the opening
dsy was all that the fondest aspirations had pic
tured. The school vas crowded with pupils,
and the popularity Of the commissioners as
public benefactors, increased daily. The sys-
tenn Of education was the same as that adopted
in all the Northern cities, the Misses Ed
monds- two ladies' who were well acquainted
with this style of instruction-being engaged to
act as principal and assistant for the female de-
partment, and MIR. Geddings as the male assist
ant. The other teachers were principally natives
of the city, and were chosen from o number OF
applicants. Until the var commenced the St
Philips street school enjoyed an uninterrupted
career of prosperity, but during the great strug-
gle its usefulness was necessarily impaired.
On the reorganization of the schools, MIR. d. P.
Archer was elected principal, and has since
retained that position. The school ls now dl-
yided into three departments, the male gram
mar, the intermediate and the primary. The last
monthly report shows the following statement:
First Department, seven teachers Zone prln-
cipal in each department), six classes, and two
hundred and twenty-six scholars, with an
average attendance Of one hundred end ninety
four. Second Department, seven teachers,
six classes, two hundred and sixty one pupils,
and an average attendance OF two hundred
and seven. Third Department, eleven teachers,
ten classes, five hundred and eighty-nine
pupils, and an average attendance OF four hum
dred and seventy. The total number OF pupils
in this school is one thousand and seventy-six,
and it was found necessary to refuse large
number of applicants at the last term.
THE NORMAL SCHOOL,
in st. Phiip-street, was the next erected. Au-
thority was obtained from the Legislature in
1857, the contract was awarded on the 18th Of
July, 1858, and the school opened on the 2Sd of
May, 1859. This was designedas high school
for young ladies' who had finished the course
of studies in the other school. Mr.. F. A.
Sawyer WAS chosen principal, and, until the
war, this school was perhaps the best patron
lied in the city, many young ladies Of
position attending it's course. The instruc-
ton was thorough and complete, embrac-
ing, besides the English branches, French
and drawing, and the graduates were fully
competent to assume the duties of teachers,
if 80 disposed. It was opened with ifty-one
pupils, but this number rapidly increased.
When the schools we're reorganized, Mr. h. NJ.
Mood was elected principal, and continued to
act in that capacity, charging small tuition
fee, until further change was made by the
commissioners, and free school esab-
lished, when Miss Anna N. Simonton
was appointed principal. At present the school
has eleven teachers and ten classes, and four
hundred and seventy-two scholars, with an