The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-08
Perpetuating Ignorance.

The Horny Ne,yS prints an obituary, written
by school teacher of that County, verbatl'n
ct Htcratin,, and uses it as text upon which
to point out how great a need exists for nlcro
attention to the qualifications of school teach
ers in that county. In composition, punctua-
ton and spelling the obituary referred to ex-
hibits great lack Of education, combined with
an evident belief that it is very creditable
literary effort The writer has been drawing a
good salary for two years as a teacher, and IL Is
fair to say that every dollar paid to him was
worse than wasted. To call him teacher is
to misuse terms. He should be called per-
petuator of ignorance.
We are sorry to know that this is no solitary
instance. We were recently shown the cores
pondence of county school commissioner,
which contained letters so absolutely absurd
that one forgot the mournful significance of
them as indices of the condition of our free
school system in the enjoyment of the ludl-
crous combination of ignorance and egotism
displayed in them.
The Horny editor points out the fact that,
though the conservatives control the school
appointments in that county, snch case OF
incompetency is possible, and uses it as text
to urge greater care in selecting teachers in the
future We hope the advice will be needed,
and it is equally to be desired that republican
school officers should begin to act with greater
circumspection on the same subject.
Our schools at least ought to be free from
the blight of politics. They are, however, to
as great a degree as other Offices, under It's
baneful influences. The county school COM
missioner is elected frequently to quiet the de-
mand for some other Office. He appoints
trustees to control the precincts in some ones
interest. He fears to demand too high stan
dard of qualification for a teachers certificate,
because he will thereby cut off the means of
his party friends. Thus are the sacred claims
of the next generation sacrificed to the sordid
ambitions of the present. If its continues, the
day will come when the enemies of education
will only need to point to the results of cur
free school system to find a potent argument
for its destruction.
The greatest sufferers by such catastrophy
will be the colored people. To them education
is the only force strong enough to insure the
continuance of their present position in our
political system. If it was certain that they
were to remain for any considerable time as
ignorant as they are to-day, there would not
be q shadow of party in the United States
favorable to the universal suffrage experiment.
1t is the hope of a speedy improvement in
their qualifications that makes their existence
as political factors tolerable to the masses of
the whites. 1t is with sorrow, then, that we
are obliged to believe that they are in great
degree responsible for the existence of so great
an evil as incompetent teachers in our public
schools.
1t is within our knowledge that where at
tempts have been made in some places to raise
the standard of qualification the cry has been
raised that the result intended was to force
colored teachers out and to bring In the whites.
Trustees and even parents, have been led 10
give credence to this shallow device Of preiu-
dice and political passion, to the evident inju-
ry of the young committed to their care.
The near future has trials yet in store for
those who have recently acquired the suffrage,
and for those who have hoped so much from
it. The surest weapon of defense for both will
be found in the proof that time can be depen-
ded upon to render the objections of their
enemies nugatory. An efficient, progressive
system of education, having the hearty CO.
operation and warm affections of the race
needing it SO much, will be the best anchor of
hope for victory in any such contest Union