The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-04-08
Free Schools.


to venture a few thoughts on the topic
above indicated. Your readers have.
already been treated TO divers learned
and lengthy disquisitions on the subject !;
but inesnueh as several or more points
in the case seem to have been left un-
touched. perhaps a word or two addi-
tional may be said without any serious
breach of propricty.
The eruditc scintillations, with which
we hive been favored from time to eime.
have been, in some respects, edifying in
the extreme. Our Free School system,
God save the mark , has been paraded
before the public, in all the splendors Of
rhetorical magnifcence, Free Schools :
clio! every n that tn irsteth," they
said, in substance, "Comc, yea, come :"
aud drink from the inexhadstible foun
taln>of knowledge, without money and
without price" AS the cock windeth
his horn to welcome the frstasigns of
approaching day, so also did your cor
respondents herald the birth ola new
era-an era in which an education, with
all its comely adorm"nts, could be eu-
joyed b every high, llo~, rich aud
poor, nothing being required bat a dis
position to accept the priceless boon.
These gratifying prochmations, in
most cases wound up with vehement de
nunciations of certain imaginary rccre.
ants; who, in tho blizing light of the
facts which had been set forth, pcrsis-
ted in the insane purpose Of refusing to
accept the unspeakable blessing so be
ningly offered them. The utter unsood-
illness of such n course was pointed out
with deep reproaches; and the walls oil
wrath wore opeted freely. The guilty
offenders were made q common target.
and missiles IF the bfain We're showerea
upon thcm with marked liberality. These
~viftnans ehnllitinps ae nnteasred haaaG
ccnce were borne with patience, and the
sinful public reused inwardly to 90 its
way aud sin no more. The people were
brought to a knowledge of the gross
error Of their ways. The scales fell
from their eyes, and the glorious light
of day aud Free Schools, beaued upon
their ~benigh,ed visinn with an effect
somewhat stunning, but altogether glo.
rious. Ever credulous and guliibie, the
public RECALLED itself with genuine gusto
upon the prospects of the great advauta.
ges which were about to be enjoyed.
The popular heart lcaped for JOY, aud
welcomed it as n soothing catlplasm to
allay the pains Of a blistering taxation.
The owners of promising Juveniles ru-
minated with intense satisfaction, on che
thought of being henceforth, free from
the annoyance caused by the grim,
gaunt spcetres Of t~hreadbare knights
and danes of the fcrule coming roand
with their slittle accounts for ~collcc-
ton. But the hearts Of the Knights
and danes in question, rejoiced also,
and were made' exceeding glad. Hints
of large rolls Of ready green-backs, paya-
bic at the end of each month or quarter,
quickened the pulsations of their stony
hearts, while the wrongs which they bad
formerly suffered from incousideratc aud
tardy patrons, were charitably forgotten,
and all their energies were directed to
the enjoyment of the delightful day
which had 10 daaHed upon. them.
Verify, it seemed that the Millennium
had come at last. Private schools were
Immediately metamorphccd iato Free
Schools; while new schools Of the free
order, sprung up thick and ,hrce.fold
a rush was made on the School Commits,
%sioner, for Certificates" 'blapks,''
money orders" aud other Frcc.School
paraphernalia, which utterly amazed
that othcial. Motley swarms of inter
esting ~pedagogucs crowded around his
office every Saturday; and each in turn
rejoiced as that ~dignltary dispensed the
tit-bits of favor or information. OH.
fttces dies! Oh, happy dreams: Alas,
how aoou these innocent victims were to
awaken to a sense of the hoax which
had been palmod upon them! Long
and sorrowiully must they now nibble
at the udder OF disappointment?
Y After n trial of several months. the
inestimablc privilege of Free Schools.
bids amazingly fair, TO prove an unmiti.