The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-01-29
Governors Message.
Concluded
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.


concluded.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
Tits my duty to call the attention
ofyour honorable bodies to the con-
stitnti6nar provision which requires
that the General Assembly shall, at
it's prescpt session, provide for the
. establish ment; Of a State Normal
The eConstltution is mandatory on
this subject. Section 6, Article x,
declares that, "within five years after
the first regular session Of the Gencr-
al Assembly following the adoption of
. this Constitution, it shall be the duty
of the General Assembly o.proyide
for the establishment and support of
Il a State Normal School. which shall
be open to all persons who may wish
10 become teachers.
1.-THE present disturbed condition OF
the finances of the State will not per-
nit tho liberal endowment of such a
State Normal School as was, doubtless,
contemplated by the trainers of our
q Constitution .'.. '.
l therefore recommend that, for its
establishment and support, an Act be
passed at the present session to take
effect at the close of the next ensuing
fiscal year. ....
As the Clafin University has
already been literally endowed ty the
State, by the transfer to it of the
bonds in which the proceeds of the
agricultural scrip were invested for
the purpose, of an agricultural college,
respectfully suggest that, if practi-
cable, an arrangement be made with
that, institution for the establishment
of State Normal School in connec
tion Herewith. ......
THE LUNATIc ASYLUM.
herewith transmit the reports of
the. Board Of Regents and the Super
.ihendent Of the State Lunatic Asy
lum. The report Of the Superinten-
dent is exceedingly voluminous, and
of startling interest. The statement
of the privations to which many of
the wretched inmates have been un
happily subjected by the inability Of
the, State Treasury to pay any portion
Of the ample appropriation made for
their care and support forms d chap
tier of horror which, in its mildest
aspect, discredits our humanity and
civilization. l ask for that report
your most prompt and careful consid-
eratieh.? The humane treatment of
the insane in asylums provided for
their benefit, where the resources of
the medical zart-deriyed from close
observation directed to that noble end
may. minister to- their care, in the
midst of beneficial, restraining and
soothing influences, is u recognized
standard of the civilization Of q peo-
pie. Even the savage, who is ever at
war with his fellow man, is awed into
pity and kindly succor in the presence
of theinsane,. .asif Providence itself,
through this! awful and mysterious
bereavement, moves him to perform
the duty, Of q common humanity. |,
therefore, most earnestly recommend
that an ample tax be speedily and at
once levief for the support of the
asylum, on the most liberal basis con-
sistent with our Surroundings, AID to
increase and improve it's present nc
commodations, as far as is now expe-
dent, in accordance with the recon-
mendations Of the Superintendent, as
set forth in his report. The proceeds
of this tax, if levied, should be sa-
credly sequestered and faithfully
applied to- the charitable ooject for
which it will be de>igned. The Su-
perintendent's report abounds with
valuable and timely information, COL
lected, with rare diligence, from the
most authoritative sources. for the
benefit Of his charge, and the rinfor
nation Sofg tho General Assembly.
The number of patients in the ~asy-
ium on the 31st Of October, 1871, was
295-eonsistiageof of l35 males and 160
females 81 malesand 80 fomaies. we're
sdbseduently admitted; making the
whole number treated during the
year 3Ss. Of these. Al were dis.
charged as having fully recovered
their reason II: we're discharged i'm
proved; 14unimproved; l8 were re.
turned to their homes as imbeeile, and
"a have died TheresHere still under
treatment, October 81, 1872, 2S4. It
will be seen that;about one-eighth Of
the patients have been discharged, in
the past Year, recovered or improved.
The appropriation for the asylum for
the fiscal, year commencing November
1,s,1S71, was $4,000. The receipts
for the same period have been $685.
282.13. Of that amount, was received
from the State Treasurer, S34, 4,807.12; !;
from pay patients. SO, ,26O 90; borrow
ed, (from Scott l. Co.. $4,000 from
sale oflGomptrollers ers,warrants drawn
m tho spnronria tion goa 214I H. The