The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-03-08
The State Ut1ivorsity,

Among tho many evils TINT tho
bad government in South C,lrolina
has bro'tght upon the people, thoro
is scarcely one more cohspicuots
than the presont condition of the
state university. This institution,
under it's former Infringement; com.
mapded tho respect aid received
the patronage of tho best people
of tho state. Aside from tho posi-.
two benefit to be derived from the
mastery of its cursici,lum or the
enjoyment of any Of it's honors,' it
was dAc'hsd II privilege to receive
instruction from the men who
occupied tic shvoral profcssorships:
That the instikt,ticif, in tho form to
which it was changed ufthr the war;
accomplished h,ucl, gold for tho
young m'G Of tho state; cafinot be
denied. Jiist when the fruite Of
its l,hors wcio most abundant and
most recognized, the radical party
took charge Of the institution. It is
unnecessary to trace the successive
downward steps it has mudo since
that time: Tt is enough to say that
under its present management it
has dcsHrv1dly forfeited the patron
ago anil fhe respect of the good
people Of The state. Of th1 prcsi-
dent: Or: A. w. Cumn'ings, We
know but little. Ho first came into
public notice by tho services he
rendered to the, committee sort by
congress to loot inso Eu-kluX out
rages. WHha1& also heard that he
a 'tractHd much iioticc by making n
tour OF several Northorn states and
giving lectures upon tho R,,-klux
organization, himself .atpoarh,g in
the costume of II vcriSable h1enibc,
of tho KAN. Be this as It may cor
tain it is that his appointment to
his profcsaorsll9p followed Close
upon the heels of his s;crvicos to tie
XII ulimx con1iAittcc, and it is fuir to
presume TINT this %'as. tho chief
ground Of his selection. Tt night
have bcc'f well 10 hava similarly
honorcd Mayor Mcrri,,,' Commits
sionor Wi!Ncs, Detective Tr;ster,' and
others who apprchcndtl offenders
at the moderate price of two HIM
'lrcd dollarJ apiece Hester's ap
pointmcit might Eavtd done good,
by Mastering that rcpcntantc6cj and
reform which he sGoms to have
mdcrgdne--~for We notice that he
i now a leading member Of the.
Young Mems Christian Association
IN Washington. FIe would doubtloss
make n 'iho lecturer upon ethics
Whatever may be Dr. Cummings
merits MS a SCHOLAR. wo feel sufo in
saying that the entire state might
have bc"n searched in vain for one
more distastr'ful to tho best people
Of the sthto ard uiore calculated to
bring the rriivcrsity into general
disrcpu!H. Th;s latter end has
been fully accomplished. Other
professors have been solicited, who,
while not as odious as Cmminnrs,
had no reputation sufficient to
co'mtcrac:.'t the evil inffiicnccie' Of his
prcscncs, and no positive status
in the literary OF professional world.
In short, tho oncd highest institu-
ton of learning in the state has
been made an asylum for snlf seek
ing. politicians and pretended
rh'lanthropists. The grade of the
nst'tntion--if it may be said to
have any ut all.--has fallen below
that Of a sccohd rate high school :;
the number of students is small,
and tlF'sc NJ" ',iosfly benoticarics
who could be just as well and much
NOR" economically educated in the
fror schools. The establishment is
Il useless burden to the taypaycrs
and its expenditures aliorid nj once
be stopped or greatly cu1raiIea Tho
us''tl appropriation has 'bsen about
thirty or laity thousand dsoahrs
annual1l' This might be- rriuccd
to five Thousand, giving the literary
friends of tho -l"eis1aturc ,the'us of
the buildings: JndGsd, tho. entire
appropriations might be stopped,
and no great ihconchienco' would
bc felt by the Taxpayers The
university is now moro burldsqne
upon collegiate education, and its
shspchsion wovlI he, nowisoo' 1isa-
grcoallo 70 those who.arc taxed for
its maintenance Of course couiir's e. if tho