The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-08-24
CULUMBIA, s. g.
Tuesday Morning, August "a, 1869.
Some Thoughts ON she Esacation nov,
a4H, Needed nj the South. .1

s y uccue0 NJ SxAo SouGns
It was the remark of Milton, that he
considered "that a, complete and gone
. rous education which fitted a man to
perform skillfully and magnanimously all
the duties of the citizen, both private
and public, in peace and in war" This,
twill be conceded, is noble conception,
at oncs elevated and comprehensive. The
duties ,ofSthe citizen, humanity speaking,
involve obligations to his family and to
his country. We propose now to con-
cern ourselves about those duties in
peace, which the citizen owes to- his
country. At all times, classical attain
ments are to be highly priced, and the
graces and amenities of polite literature,
pertaining, as they do. to elevation OF
thcught,aud tastes and to "the humani-
ties" in general, are not to be disregarded
in Q proper educational scheme. But we
assume that few persons will dispute the
propagation, that education in the main
should be adapted to the condition of
the people at least, that there should
be Q special adaptation of the subjects of
instruction to the wants and circum-
stances of the period. We know that
there is an education for man as man,
but certainly there should also be an
education for the citizen, and the times
in which his lot has been cast. Now, at
this period in the South, the necessities
of our people are chiefly material Civil
conyulsions have thrown us back into
that era of material progress which pre-
ceded what may be called the literary
era. Ours are the days of iron and brass,
and we have to look ftor,oard to an Au-
GUSTAV or, o golden period. Now we do
not need painters or sculptors or poets
so much as we need artisans, mechanics
and engineers. Not SO much are authors
and orators needed as practical thinkers
and practical workers. Not so much do
we want the fine conceptions of the
imagination as the cool deductions of
reason. Hence it is that, as we conceive
it, the education for the South should
now be. largely practical and scientific,
covering "the whole ground of polytech-
mic instruction and physical develop
ment of our natural resources" The
classics, bellies lettres, mathematics, alb
stract philosophy-these are all useful
and Important; but to them must be
added the department of applied science,
involving such subjects as agriculture,
commerce, manufactures, civil and me.
chanical engineering, mining and applied
chemistry, and the numerous sub-divi-
sions connected with them. Such plan
it is proposed to carry out in Washing
ton College, Virginia, of which General
Lee is President. Under the auspices
of his illustrious name, the scheme will
probably be consummated. Let this be
successfully done and General Lee will
have his good and great name linked for
ever with victories in peace as well MS
achievements in war No nobler mission
can President Lee ~opose to himself,
than to give direct to this change in
Southern education.
We acknowledge that we invest the
subjectwith special significance, for with
it. in Our opinion, is connected new
statesmanship which, it appears to rs,
is specially needed at the South. It is a
mistake to suppose that State creeds and
State policies can be maintained by
words alone. Wealth is power. It's
bone and sinews are needed We must
throw&up around our political ground,
If we would make. q political stand, the
solid muniments of material resources,
OF numbers, and popular activity. We
must improve upon Southern statesman
ship in the past. We must recognize
such truths as these, which come from
the pen Of the able editor of DeBow's
Reriew, Mr., Burwell, who says:
''Any Southern man who will look
back with the little lamp of his own per-
sonal experience, will see that there has
been one fatal obstacle to the Southern
States retaining their relative influence
in growing country. The statesmen
of the South were averse to the develop
ment of those elements of mixed indus
f,rxyx xuIinh oil ~