The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-27
EuUcATIoU-y7o. !,

Mr.. EDITOR: Happy is the man that
findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth
understanding" is as sound in theory to-day
as when it first fell from the lips of Sole.
mon. Since that time, however, the
world has seen fit to make it read, "Iappy
is the man that findeth money, and the
man that gettesh goods.n Such doctrine Ii
pernicious, and should not be countenanced
Wisdom and understanding is man's best
merchandise. AS men become educated
they learn to be wise. People that arc ig-
noTnnt know nothing ef the blessings of an
education, and not unfrequently are dis
posed to look upon 1t with contempt. 9th
ers. again. have mistaken idea OF what
education is, and think the child or man
who iB able to repeat whole books from
memory Is, therefore. educated. Some peo-
pie would have you cram child's head
With the words of O book just as good
domestic would stuff chicken before bak-
ing, and then have everybody to fall down
and worship the calf. In days of moro sue
cessfnl pedagoguery the average couDtr
school teachers success was measured by
the length of the birch he used, and the
number Of useless phrases he nd learned,
by dints and blows, the child to repeat from
memory. H@great object in teaching was
to cram the contents OF tho book in the
childs head regardless of utility or practi-
cability. In such teaching, or education,
(call 1t such,) thare is both fraud and hum
buggery. The world has dane we'll to cali
such pedagogues, and Immortality has been
bestowed upon them by Washington Irving
in the ludicrous character of Icabod Crane.
Happy for the country that this class Of
teachers is fast dying out, and the places
that once knew them will soon know them
no more forever. The education of the
young has been left entirely to the whins
OF caprice OF their natural guardians. If
children are cent to schools In the country.
in many instances 1t Is for the purpose of
getting them out of the way ct home. No
attention is paid.to eny systematic course
OF study. The child goes to school for E few
days, 70 then stopped. While such system
Of schooling Is continued, the great number
Of children win grow up in ignorance.-
u i'll oil tho boasted civilization of the
North dread Of communism is beginning
TO take hoid OF tine peopfe. This spirit of
communism will not be confind there alone
like water, 1t viii seek its level, and will
permeate every community where ignor-
ahce prevails. 1--WE make. Q great fhistake,''
aaid the statesman Calhoun, Gin supposine
all nations capable of eelfgoyernment.D
Was he not right3 Do men know how to
govern themselves by inmate ideas of gov.
ernment2 Do we not have to be trained,
educated and governed at home around the
fireside in order to keep down endless con-
fusion in the family circle7 What families
are governed the best, the ignorant or the
edrested2 Whatnehons arc governed best,
those that are governed by brute, physical
force, or those thnt are governed by high
IDprari saiti. .iios,iai strength, Government
is Of divine origin. The world was made 10
to be governed, whether by few or many.
That people is governed best by govern
ment whose subjects know best how TO
govern themselves. And the question,
Should EDUCATION be compulsory ?'i is be-
ginning to receive moro safious corsidera-
tion among the thoughtful. Agoyernment
that seeks to protect minorities rs we'll ns to
concede the rights of u,ajoriiles, aust look.
with distrust on everything that tends to
Ueed q spirit OF communism anu now 10
avert 1t viii soon be question moro fraught
with Interest with statesmen than the SUBJ
ject OF enfranchising S,0n0,Ooo of ignorant
negroes to exercise the rights OF suffrage at
the ballot bog. Tfinstead of such q uniyer.
eal suffrage the great philAnlhsenist, and
the pArty Of great moral ideas, he'd bent its
energies to bring about universal educa-
ton among all the ignorant classes SO as to
elevate and ennoble the poorer elements of
society, white and colored, then that party
might have ione work which should last.
1t Is . bad thing to give child Sharp
knife. Nine cases out OF ten 1t will cut
itself SO It Is bad policy 10 put power into
the hands of those who know not even the
inst principles Of government. The power
they win use 10 their own destruction, and
TO the destruction Of him who gives, unless
soma E.aeens he I,eeI "a. avert IL II e.nr
government should be oyerthrown by COM
muniam, II Is scarcely entitled to sympathy.
1t has besn numing a poisonous reptile In
It's own bosom, whose sstal fangs may be
felt s. no distant day unless the monster
Is killed.