The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-02-07
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
Some Very Original Views on the Educa
tional Question.

Some Very Original Views on the Educa-
tional Question.
The following were the remarks OF
Gen. Gary in the Senate on Monday last
OH the bill to provide for the organization
of the State University:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the Sen
ale: am opposed to the passage of the
bill now before the Senate. I object to
that portion of the resolution that says
"that said universities or colleges shall
forever enjoy precisely the same privi-
leges and advantages with regard TO their
standards of learning and the amount OF
money to Be appropriated by the State for
their maintenance" I regard this reso-
luton as q violation of the uniform prin-
ciple of legislation adopted by all law
makers, that is: to try and meet the
demands and wants of the citizens with
out regard to race, color or previous con-
dition of seryitude. To give to the col
leges and universities intended for the
colored people the same advantages as
regards their standards of learning, would
be to anticipate their wants, or it would
lower the wants and requirements of the
white race. I am in favor of the princi-
pie of supply and demand regulating the
appropriation made to these universities
and colleges. 1t is an admitted fact that
NEARLY all of the taxes paid in this State
are paid by the white race, and it would
be an unjust discrimination in favor of
the colored race to give them an equal
amount of money for their universities
and colleges as you give to those of the
white race. The fifteenth amendment OF
the United States Constitution only ap-
plies to any denial or abridgment of the
right of the citizens TO uote on account OF
"race, color or previous condition of SER
vitude." 1t does not apply to restrictions
or differences in educational advantages.
1 object to the section of the bill that
makes the South Carolina College and
Claflin College one University. j am in
favor of keeping the two colleges sepa-
rate and distinct as the resolution advises
and directG 1t is, in my Judgment, for
the best interest of both races TO keep
them apart; God has made US two races
SSpeople, and any effort to unite US upon
the same educational plane, must prove
q QlSdSCcI W UOtu. 1uC plnSh INV va
separation and difference that has been
drawn by the hand of Providence cannot
be changed by the puny fingers Of man.
AS we'll might you attempt to unite oil
and water. There has never, as yet, ap-
peared Siamese twins composed of a
negro and white man, and when it
does it will be regarded as monstrosity
in nature; so this attempt to connect the
South Carolina College by legislative lig-
aments with Claain University must
shock the sensibilities of the Caucasian
race everywhere.
further object to the bill on the ground
that there would be no legal barrier pre-
venting the negro students of Claf1in
University entering the South Carolina
College. Article 10, section 10 of the
Constitution of this State, reads as fol-
lows: Gall the public schools, colleges
aud universities of this State, supported
in whole or in part by the public funds,
shall be free and open to all the children
and youths of the State, without regard
to race or color" If you will inspect the
bill you will see that there has been made
no distinction as to race or color, or to
who may be admitted into these colleges.
In;section Goth of the bill it says: "There
shall be admitted into each college Of the
University one student from each county
OF the State, who shall be entitled to tut
ton free of charges" but it does not
specify that the one that enters Claf1in
University must be black, and the one
that is admitted to the South Carolina
College must be white; both may be
black or both white, or they may COM
promise upon mulattc. There is no
protection from this in the bill, nor can
there be- any until the 10th section of the
10th article of the Constitution of the
State is amended. The necessities Of the
State demand the early conyocation Of
a Constitutional Convention to change
and modify the organic law of this lard
to meet the wants and necessities of the
white and black people of this State. l
am in favor Of broad, just, progressive
and liberal system of education, but l
ada in favor of making haste slowly in
this matter.
lam opposed to the 18th and 18th sec-
toss of the bill, authorizing the board
of trustees to establish such schools as
they see fit, and prescribing such course
of studies as they may select. | desire
to reserve this right to the General AS
sembly, and there is no subject more
worthy of the most minutest legislative
action than that of education. 1t under
lies our future welfare and greatness.
The object of all education is to disci-
pline the mind. This has been uniyer-
sally conceded as the grand objective
point in every system of education. The
next point is now to preserve this great
desideratum and at the same time teach
the student such branches as will disci-
pline his mind and at the same time pre-.
pare and fit him for the duties of q good
and successful citizen. We must pre-
serve this discipline of the mind, and
still give the student practical, instead
of an ornamental. education.
Il is true that anything that is taught
in schools and colleges confers some de-
gree of benefit upon the scholars, but in
an age where so much is TO be learned,
we must keep abreast with the progress
sive spirit of the times. The system we
should inaugurate must keep pace with
the advanced ideas upon education. In
England and in America the eclectic
system has been adopted. If we wish a
vigorous growth in our future system, we
must cut away the dead limbs that I'M
rede its perfect development.
The study of Latin and Greek must be
dropped from the curriculum of our
schools and colleges. They are dead
languages, and should be allowed to
scep quietly in their tombs. Whatever
was valuable in their authors has long
since been translated into the living
languages; and why take ten years TO
learn TO read them in the original, as a
task, when you might read them in day
or so in good translation? Life is too
short to study dead languages, or to
dream over dead issues. We, have to
grapple with the present, and prepare for