The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-01
vcsss c isahcc! .a=. bnt the Superihtsnd-
ent hss no means of ascertainlng the an.


gregate Amount.us t5AR% ~ Tiss!.HS
= Therais evidently q lack of interest In
the cause OF. free common school eduoa.
rti0n. and 1t is hoped that some practical
and simple plan for raising)a q school re-
venue, by,mesns of local taxation. will
be speedily devised. and that the peo-
pie interested in the general results Of
education will through their personal
influence. aid in extending means. A
reasonable degreea OF .ptogress, taking
anso due consideration the adversities
and difficulties enoouptered;- has been
achieved in the educational work during
sie scholastic year. The school attend
anco for the year 1871 more than doubles
that OF 1870. The .'sohool law" though
not faultless. will not fail to produce
very favorable results, if it be properly
enforced, and the Superintendent testi-
hes that the people are gradually acquir-
ing an interest in the cause OF public
It will be noticed that 5 IS per month
has;been paid to teachers, male and fe-
male. .throughout the State, am sur.
prised at the high average Of oompensa-
ticn paid for this service, as it is we'll
known that the qualifications Of large
portlon OF these teachers would not ena-
bic them to earn over one third of the
pay now received in any other vocation
they might adopt. It is the duty Of the
General Assembly to interpose In the
expenditure. OF the appropriation for this
purpose, and while advancing the means
OF education, limit the amount paid
teachers to such compensation as their
services would legitimately command.
In the higher grades of scools in our
towns and cities, the teachers who can
I'LL the situations are entitled to compen-
aation In proportion to their qualifca.
tions; but in the country schools, it is a
we'll known faot that the teachers gene.
rally employed can do but little more
than lmpart the rudiments Of q common
school education, and yet they receive
the pay OF first class teachers. This ez-
travagance in disbursing the appropria-
tions for schools is one of the principal
causes that embarrasses the eSuperintend-
tiof Education: d. ,.gs7,g "a; Ai,s5
In no portion of the United States are
school teachers regarded as beneficial
ries OF the State, but they adopt the voca-
tlcn as o means of gaining q livelihood,
and in country places the cost of living
is mere trlfle, and the compensation is
proportionably reduced. The same rule
should be adopted here that prevails
in other sections Of the country, and
School Commissioners should give thi.
their attention, for to my personal know
ledge, very largo and extravagant claims
for the services of teachers have been
favorably acted upon by the Legislature,
whereas the parties making the claims
could not have earned twenty-f per
cent. OF the compensation demanded,
thus robbing the children who needed
the benefit of the appropriation for edu-
cational purposes. trust this matter
Will engage your earnest attention, as it
must be patent to every member of the
Legislature that the foregoing is no ex-
aggerated statement of the waste of pub
lio school funds.
would further recommend that you
memorialize Congress, through our Rep
resentatives, on the adoption of ma
tonai system OF education, and more
especially on the subject of contributing
means towards the education of that
GLASS OF children of the Southern States
who have been hitherto totally deprived
OF the means OF education, in pursuance
OF the Constitution and laws Of the State
and nation. At the close of the recent
rebellion, those held In slavery we're
turned loose upon the world with neither
education. or even houses to shelter
them, bnt were left to the mercy of those
who had but recently held them in bon.
dage. 1t could scarcely be expected
that assistance, wonld voluntarily be rom
dered them by those who felt that a
great wrong had been inflicted on them
selves by the loss of this class of legal
property. They have, therefore, before
them years of struggling and hardship,
before they can, unaided, succeed in
educating their children, and prepare
them for the duties of citizenship. A
oe o1n
by the General Government, would se.
cure equal advantages to all Glasses OF
children.
.i THE LUNATIO ASYLUM.
The report of the Board of Regents
OF the Lunatic Asylum, including the
annual report Of the Superintendent and
Fhyslcian, communicates much valuable
nnd interesting information in relation
to this important institution. And the
valuable suggestions OF the Superintend.
enS are earnestly recommended 10 the
attention OF the Legislature. The Re.
gents speak of the Superintendent (Dr.
Ensor) as having. during the past year,
ettected many long needed reforms in
the affairs OF the Asylum, and, by his in
teillgent and untiring exertions, made
very decided improvements in its various
departments, and thus contributed
largely to the comfort of his unfortunate
charge.
The various statistical tables referring
TO the operations and condition of the
Asylum are full and satisfactory. The
number OF patients admitted during the
year was 125. of which II were males
and 64 females. The number of patients
IN the Asylum, October 81, 1871, was
370-whites. 295; colored, rs; 1856 males,
and l87 females; of whom 80 were dis
charged cured. 10 improved, 8 unim-
proved and 80 died. The supposed