The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-06-06
OUR SCHOOLS.
EXPERIENCED TEACHERS-PROPER AIM
. E' OF CONVENTIONS, ETC.

. Il y Gc CCNOOG 'OOHCHCtSoCOtCF
Looking forward to the Teachers
Convention, feeling deeply interested
(, in the matter Of Primary Schools, and,
!, having had seven years. experience
in teaching, the seven years covering
an interval of fourteen, think may
claim to know something Of "Old
Field Schools,"iI therefore take the
liberty Of addressing you on the mat
ter, in advance Of what may be said
in the coming Convention.
I fear there is fatal error so far
prevalent on the question Of educa-
tion.s The Primary Schools have
not been fost tered with the care that
is necessary. If any attention has
been given. to the piney woods schools,
it has been more as matter Of form
than any persistent effort, and such
j would have been almost unknown,
had it not been for the advent Of
wandering teachers called-somo
T., good, many worthless, settling down
to this free and easy way Of living,
because the, territory was found to be
unappropriated by competent persons.
I fear that the efforts Of the Con-
yention may drift into aiming at the
moon when the proper mark is on
the horizon and allow me TO say
that you, sir, having charge of the
interests Of the Primary Schools Of
this county, should try to devote the
advantages that may arise from this
gathering to the many benighted and
unreclaimed sources Of this, SO TO
speak, educational stream.
It has heretofore been the practice
(fortparents to send off their children
to somc much advertised institution
at an expense Of several hundred
/, dollars yearly, when at the same time
that amount of money would have
employed an unexceptionable teach
er in the neighborhood school
house. Thi9 suicidal practice is still
going on without diminution, except
Through financial inability: :
have incidentally mentioned or.
ser this tii imp tant question tss
educational river. Let me follow out
the idea--colleges, seminaries, vii
lage schools, &C., make salutary
: current of intelligence, but our isola-
ted country territory is but dismal
swamp of comparative ignorance. All
within the sparsely settled districts is
pool, sluggish inertness, miasma of
intellect, and fog which the lukcwarm
attention Of our Legislatures has SO
far only partially succeeded in dissi
pating.
# this Egyptian darkness is TO be
dispelled, let the Legislature or the
Superintendent, o: the Commissioner
or who eyer could move in the mat
ter, begin at the source of this stag
nation. Let the ground, swamped by
these dark pools and dead water Of
this neglected bacl1-woods, be opened
to the sun, that the stream may be
bright, clear and continuous with the
broader current and wider banks be-
yond.
Does farmer say, my corn is too
small, I'll wait unit! it gets taller be-
fore I mould it2 No--thc reverse
he knows that the moulding is as nee
essary to make the ear rs the latter
working. Does he say the outlook
Z of my side crop is so satisfactory
that I will bestow all my means and
labor on Tiny credit as planter
will be guarded by it. No, he knows
that few acres of superior crop will
not give character to the plantation,
n but that the barren spots, the hill
sides, the shady grass covered hooks,
and the rocky places must have each
it's share Of at cntion rs well, other
wise, the true story will be told by a
half filled crib and pitiful looking
stock.
Itis to be hoped that some Of those
who may be at the Convention will
have we'll considered plans Of q meth
.od for running the public schools,
that will give the masses, white and
black, the opportunity to learn to
read and write especially and rs
much more as possible. We have a
right to expect this from q convcn-
tion Of teachers, and it is to be hoped
the attendance Of the people them
:, selves, This should not be a one