Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-12-10

pete accomplishment of our hopes for good
government will never come until the common
school shall reach and mould the minds OF all
those who exercise the political powers OF
the State. In vain shall we build, if we neg
lect this foundation. Stronger than our
strongest statute, more beneficent than our
wisest craftsmanship, more enduring than any
form of government or method of admlnistra-
ton, is the silent influence of the school.
There lies our hope. Show me the open door
of the school house crowded with our children
and youth, and I can look beyond the dis.
couragement of this hour and discern that fu.
ture South Carolina wherein intelligence and
virtue shall everywhere uphold and guard her
prosperity and honor
Iadvise, therefore, in advance, against any
reduction Of public expenditure by reducing
the appropriations for educational purposes
The aggregate amount expended for these
purposes is not too great, but there is much
occasion for efforts to make our school system
more efficient A perusal Of the reports of
the State Superintendent of Education will
show that much has already been done. A
few statistics illindicate the progress already
made The number Of free common schools
within the State in 1870, was 1853. The num-
ber in 1873 was 2,O17. The number of pu-
pills in attendance in 1870 was 30,448. The
humber in 1873 was 83,753. The number Of
teachers employed in 1869 was 734. The
number employed in 1873 was 2,3lO. be-
lieve there has been steady progress since
1870, not only in the number Of our schools,
but in their efficiency and standard of instruc-
tion.
There are, however, great hindrances in
reaching satisfactory results. First OF all,
there is wanting sucha general interest on the
part of all our people as is essential to an etfi-
cient common school system. Nothing can
supply this want except the will Of the people
themselves Perhaps the chief hindrance has
been the want of capacity and devotion to
their work on the part of the County School
Commissioners The powers of these Com
missioners in the management Of schools, the
appointment of teachers, and the expenditure
OF school funds in their respective counties,
are almost absolute. The relations of the
State Superintendent to the County School
Commissioners are almost wholly advisory.
recommend that careful examination be
made into this feature of the school system,
to ascertain whether any change can be made
which will remedy the want of efficiency on
the part of County School Commissioners
In general, recommend that careful atten-
ton be given to the school system in all its
features. 1t is not enough to continue to
make appropriations for school purposes. The
whole number of persons in this State between
the ages of six and sixteen, is 230, ,lO2, and OF
this number only 83,753 now attend our
schools-scarcely more than onethird of the
whole number. This fact suggests the need
of greater efforts to extend our school system
so that it may embrace far greater number
of our school population.
have but one specific recommendation to
make upon this subject. Our educational
system at present consists of our common
schools at one extreme, and our State Uni
versity at the other There is no proper in.
termediate link to connect these extremes.
TO reach the University the pupil must leave
the common school and seek his preparation
for the University elsewhere. l think the
system should be so modified as to supply
this dofoct, and this, I think, can be done
without necessarily increasing the cost of the
system. The plan I would propose, is to Sc
lect one or two of the most efficient Of our
present common schools in each county, and
elevate them to the grade of ordinary high
schools, and open them upon proper condi-
tions to the more advanced pupils in the
common schools. To accomplish this end, l
would suggest that part, perhaps one:fourth
or one fifth, of the present appropriation tor
public schools in each county, be assigned to
the purpose now stated. / would further
suggest that for the present, the control OF
this class Of schools be committed to board
of high school commissioners to be selected
in such a manner as to secure the best men
in the State to aid in this effort to improve
and perfect our school system. l am con-
vinced that plan substantially such as !
have suggested, would elevate the standard
of our common schools and supply pupils
with proper attachments for our University.
In conclusion, he says: have now made
known to you my views upon those matters
which seem to me to be of most urgent i'm.
portance to our welfare as a State at the
present time. Owing to the want of the intor-
nation to be obtained from the reports of the
various officers in charge Of the several de-
partments of the government and the public
Institutions am obliged to omit the consld-
GRAFTON of some topics which will necessarily
command part of your attention. At an
early day it will be my duty to present to you
some additional recommendations touching
several important interests of the State.
The views now presented are the best contrl.
button which it is in my power to make toward
the removal Of present evils and the restora'
ton of good government. I offer them with
Difference to the General Assembly. To the
accomplishment of the general results which
I have indicated, 80 far as lies in my power,
am unalterably pledged. In the methods
best adapted to accomplish those results |
have no personal plans or wishes which l
shall deem important in comparison with the
results to be accomplished.
The work which lies before US is serious be-
yond that which falls to the lot Of most gene
rations of men. 1t is nothing less than the
reestablishment of society in this State upon
the foundation of absolute equality of civil
and political rights. The evils attending our
first steps in this work have drawn upon us the
frowns of the whole world. Those who op'
posed the policy upon which our State was re-
stored to her practical relations with the Un-
ion, have already visited US with the verdict
ofabsolute condemnation. Those who framed
and enforced that policy are filled with an
anxiety for the result, in which fear often pre-
dominates over hope. The result, under Di-
vine Providence, rests with US.
For myself here avow the same confidence
in the final result which have hitherto felt.
The evils which surround us are such as might