The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-12-04

tary instruction. Ii we did not consider
seriously and sensibly the question,
"What shall We do with them ?"-lefs in
deplorable ignorance and yet possessed
of terrible power, they would soon force
US TO- consider the startling question,
"What will they do with rs 81 The "uni-
versal voter is uncanny at bis best; the
ignorant universal yoter" is to BE fenred
moro than the pestiltnoe. If there 10 to
be Constitutional Convention in this
State. let II not lneddle with the public
school fund. 70 abolish the s,hooI tag
would be blindness and madness.
OUR PRESENT PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
AND, ITs FUND 81
have o very brief history, to which 7
shall briefly refer:
/. In 1868, when the Constitution was
adopted, 1t was made tho duty Eof the
General Assembly 20 make provision for
o liberal and uniform system OF free pub
lie schools. (Art. x, Sac. 81
2. In the same Article, Section; s., the
General Assembly was instructedt to levy
an annual tax on all taxable property for
the support of public schools.
3. BY the same Section the poll tax
was set aside as permanent fund 20 be
applied solely to educational purposes;
and General Statutes, Chap. XXXVIII,
Sec. g. to be expended for school pur.
poses in the school district from which it
was collected.
4. The power to increase the school
fund by local taxation was conferred on
the inhabitants of the respective school
districts, said tax not to exceed three
dollars for every child of scholastic age
to 16 yearsl in the, district. (Gen.
Stat, Cha.,: xxx, Sec. 15, s4th.)
3. BY Joint Resolution Of the 5enate
and House OF Representatives. approved
March 2e, 1875, o constitutional amend
Sec. 5, and empowering County Commits.
sioners to levy an annual tax of not less
than two mills on the dollar upon all
taxable property in their respective
counties for the support of public schools,
This amendment was ratified by the votes
Of the people at the general election in
1876. The annual appropriations were
thereby suspended; and
9. by an Act, approved June 8, 1877,
to amend Sec. Is, Chap. AXXIX, Gen.
stat, the power to levy local tax was
wisely revoked.
we have therefore now no annual State
appropriation and no school district local
taxation; and it Is hoped that future
General Assemblies will be on their
guard. against reviving either. The abuses
attendant on the power to levy n local
tax caused it to be revoked in 1877. It
is strange that in 1879 we should find in
various parts of the State the desire ex-
pressed that it be again put in force. It
is strange that part of the unfinished
business of our Legislature last session is
Bill, which was reported on favorably.
providing for the revival of the local tax
poweri in cities, towns and incorporated
villages. Let our Representative be.
ware OF this wolf in sleeps clothing.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND
is derived from two sources-the two
mill tax and the poll tax. AS q perma-
nent f:':.d it will keep pace with the pro-
gress OF the Commonwealth, increasing
in amount simultaneously with the in.
crease in the value of taxable property
and the increase of our population. at
present 1t amounts TO nearly $340, COG, of
which tho two IN iii INK contributes aiuut
$270, 900, and the poll tax the rest-a
large part of thepoil tax not being col.
lected. When we add to this vast fund
the SOD, 900 raised in Charleston blythe
local tax system, which ass been cstab-
lished in that city for many wears. we
find that the public schcci fund of South
Carolina amounts Annually to nearly
$400, ,000-that Is, nearly fifty cents o
year for every man, woman and child.
white and black, in this State. South
Carolina has certainly NO reason for self.
depreciating in. this regard. Aa a; State
she contributes &c public education o vess
Dee! ;;o:S than any ether State in the
ITninn
Such is in brief history of public ed.
ucation in South Carolina; such and SO
great is the provision made for the main
tenance OF our present system. I need
not weary ynn BY detailed explanation of
the Official machinery to whose manage
ment tne system is confded-the State
Superintendent with his State Board, the
County School Gommissionerslwith their
County Boards, the School Districts with
their Boards OF, Trustees. 4 Nor in proi
ceeding to discuss our achool system. MS
IT now stands, need take time to demon-
Btrate $, ~ ~ fAs'.-
CERTAIN IN sEsr,ASLIsHED PRINCIPLES
upon which we are we'll enough agreed.
and which we may take for granted. t
shall only state these and then pass on to
certain Others which still are more or less
in dispute:
1. 1t is an established principle with
us that the educdttoN of the people is q
matter which is not to be left wholly to
prfvate etiott and sense of parental G,lfy.
but Shat Is toia certain extent the duty
9f the State. Some may doubt the valid
ity Of this maxim, but the logic of evepts
at least is against them. and Il ia nnv too
late in South Carolina to argue the point
The duty Of the State to. care for and bro.
vide in part for The education of{aii her
children is part OF our organic lev. deem
ly and enduringly imbedded in cur Con.
stitution; and ample provision has been
made by the last. constitutional amend
m9nt Tor h q performance. Gf the whole
duty OF the State in this regard.
Y lt .ls also All established Hprinciple
Win as, and is In IN fact expressed en-
phaticaily in the Constitution, that the
go &c, With tic e5a5s,sT aud
nas stEi tie religious education OF her
children. R9 ara thus rcljeyetf in South
carolina of the FancoFous religious diff
entity, and the odl;ttB kheclogict1n does not
intTnae itself Into the discussion of our
public school systsm.
These principles being Rrantsd, let US
now consider the question,
HAS soUTH CARoLIszA DoERTeR WHOLE
DUTY
ia thie matter OF public odncatior7 She
certainly has furnished money enough in
her public school fund she has e5tab.
iished by constitutional taxation per
uianent and ;sncss.AssisiE fans greater n
proportion to her population-much
greater 10 proportion to her taxpayine
poP,llati than has been lroSided for
public education by any other State ia
the Union. For each child actually at