Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1873-12-25
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Total......37,2li

Total l....yI,glS ib,D0J Co,iO
This exhibit shows an increase Of
7,43l over the school attendance Of the
year 1872. There were in operation
throughout the State, during the year
1872, 1919 common schools, under the
charge of 2,lS5 teachers During the
present year there have been 2,Ol1
schools, in charge of2, 30 teachers, show
ing an increase, during this year, Of 9S
schools and l25 teachers.
You will readily see, from the figures
given above, that almost twO-thirds Of
the children of the State either obtain
their instruction in private schools, or
else are growing up in mental ignorance
and darkness. 1t is also fairly presuma-
Die that the majority of the children who
attend private schools are of the white
race, as the parents Of those who are
colOred are, as a rule, too poor to pay
for the education of their children. |
respectfully but most earnestly call to
the attention of your honorable bodies
the imperative necessity, which seems 10
exist, of some action being speedily taken
to enforce those provisions Of the con-
stitution which require the compulsory
attendance at school Of all children be-
tween the ages of six and sixteen years.
The superintendent of education re-
ports that the progress and success Of
the school system has been greatly re-
tarded by the unsatisfactory condition OF
the finances Of the State, and recog-
mends that proper legislative action be
taken to secure such appropriation as
will cover past Indebtedness. 1t is due
to the State treasurer that | should say
that the entire proceeds Of the two mil!
levy for school purposes have been sacred
Iy applied to the appropriation for COM
mon schools, as required by lava de
lailed statement OF which will be found
in Mr.. Jillson's report.
recommend, as Mr.. Jillson does, that
the school funds be apportioned accord
ing to school attendance, "a the conStltu-
ton directs, and not according to Scholas-
tic population, as now apportioned by
law. am OF the opinion that our COM
mon schoo! system would be vastly i'm
proved and strengthened were the
superintendent of education given by law
more general supervision and power
over the affairs appcr;alnlng to his
department in the various counties Of
the State. The devotion to duty and
unremitting energy which have marked
his whole term of Office iii the Inaugural
ton and successful development Of a
hitherto untried experiment in South
Carolina, entitle him to the gratitude
and esteem of all The people Of the State
THE LUNATIC ASYLUM.
| respectfully submit for your atten-
tive consideration the annual reports Of
the board of regents and Of the superin-
tendcrt of the State Lunatic Asylum.
The statement therein contained Of the
many awkward uu humiliaiing embar-
rassmcnts to which the superintendent
has been subjected by the inability of the
State treasurer to furnish him with the
entire amount of money appropriated for
the maintenance of the Institution. will
only awaken the sympathy Of your hon
orable bodies for the unfortunate pat
tents under his care and protection, but
will also impress upon you the import
auce and necessity Of such legislative
action Us viii furnish immediate relief,
and prevent the possiLii y Of the r,cur-
cnce of so painful state OIafalrS. The
levy of specific tax for the maintenance
OF the charitable institution OF the state
aud the strict sequeStratiou OF the pro.
ceeds thereof to the objects Of the levy.
as directed by the constitution, would be
an efficient remedy for the diseased iinan
ces Of the institution, and would reflect
credit upon our humanity and clyl!lza-
ton. earnestly recommend that this
course be adopted. The report of the
superintendent shows that at the com
menccmeuts of the last fiscal year the
number of patients in institution was 290
number admitted during the year 9S
making the whole population Of the IN
,titution during the year 3SS. or this
number - were discharged fally recov-
cred, 1 were d:|char4el improved, u
were discharged uuimproyed. and 81
have died. There remaiued in the insti-
tuition, on the 3lst Of October, 1873, 30s,
of whom l46 are males and l55 are
females. The appropriation for the sup
port Of the institution for the fiscal year
commencing November, 1872, WIS. S5a,
970.24, from which sum must oe proper
N deducted an .oyerdraft Of the previous
year. leaving a ba3aace which was due
the institation for the fiscal year just
y ~ 5 =. - ". -