The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-01-28


best private. or boarding schools. And
as a proof of this we point with pleasure
TO the long list of names become distin-
gqished for their charity and benevo-
lence, as for their literary attachments
tho were taught entirely in the public
schools.
Another important argument in favor
of orr schools. or of our present system,
is that the system of education should in.
all cases be in harmony with the system
of government, and especially should
this be go in the United States, and in
all governments founded upon the will
of the people. Our State Government
l believe to be founded upon moral
truths and natures laws, and not upon
the opinion of privileged class as here
tofore /; and it has a tendency to drive
from the minds Of our people all such
evils as artificial and unnatural distinc-
tions among men, while at the same time
it teaches Independence of spirit, aud
virtue is loved for virtues sake. Men
are taught to give all the homage which
crowned heads receive in Europe. to
those who deserve it, and in all cases they
are taught to judge, act, and think for
themselves, and not to be governed in
their choice by the opinions or preju-
Ediccs of others.
T / am delighted to see the growing in
tercst in establishing free schools
throughout our County, and although,
perhaps no great amount of practicable
good has as yet been accomplished, yet
great strides have been made towards re-
moving the Gold man of the mountain"
from the shoulders of those connected
with the schools, which SO long has OPP
pressed and paralized almost all their
efforts. Under this dead weight. this
system received a false and degrading
position. And those of our citizens
who were actuated the by k Ii d e s t
of motives in any nj an II aided,
the Commissioners in organizing these
schools, were misunderstood and often
times misrcprescnted. This protean
spirit, always the epetomc of all that is
mean, Atreacherous, aud contemplate
symbol of what is false in principles, of
what is low and disgusting in personal
character, has deferred many good men
from aiding and lending their influence
to this cause for there has been a pub
lie sentiment, which if not universal,
had sufficient power to drive away in
telligent men from taking or accepting
positions which would enable them to
be Of service. These evils were hard to
bear by those who did accept position,
but with an Gliding confidence that they
would be finally successful and with aeon
seriousness Of doing right, and that they
NC properly Understood and iairiy
judged Of in the future, they continued
to @ork, and the growing interest with
which all of our citizens movcin the mat
ter of Public Schools bear ample testimo-
ny in favor of those men. Perhaps Mr..
Editor Ilhaye not confined myself to the
subject of Free Schools, as closely as l
should have done, but a desire to point
out some IF the difficulties which have
been thrown in the way, has led nc
astray. | will however at some future
time, furnish you for publication, some
statistics in regard to schools in our
County, the number of Teachers, dc, if
you think it will be interesting to any
OF your many renders. B.