The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-27
The Literary U~ub..SchOols, Colleges
and the University discussed.

Tic IilcIiEt SluU cCiioolo3 CeiloSt"
and the University Discussed.
The Abbcvillc Literary Club mot last
Friday night, 22d INST, at the house Of
w. II. Parker, Esq. In spite Of the dark
ness and dampncss Of the night there
was a numerous attendance of members.
The following visitors were present
DR.. Will Wartlaw, OF Augusta, Mr.. G.
Walter and Mr. y. Frost of Charleston.
The vicc-prcsident, Mr.. w. C. Bcnet, or-
cupicd the chair, and Mr.. II. T. Ward
law acted as secretary, pro tenn. Mr.. j.
d. Chalmers was admitted a member Of
the Club.
On motion the hour Of meeting was
changed from halr-past eight to eight
O'Clock until further notice.
The cssavist for the occasion. Mr.. w. a.
Tcmpleton. read Il paper on 'Edncation'
a title not sufficiently attractive for the
admirable essay he read. Tho subject
might he more fully described as a re-
view of the present system of education
in South Carolina, to which was added a
strong plea for Il State University. Mr..
Templctou discussed thoroughly and
sucrinctiv the public school system,
pointing out its deficiencies and suggest
ing some desirable Improvements "a
subject with which as school Trustee of
several years experience, he is quite IA
miliar. lie then advocated the claims of
higher education us ob,ainable in high
schools, colleges and universities. His
arguments were strong, his idcas sound
and eHcellently well expressed. In max
ing his urgent plea for r~e-opcninS the
State University, the essayiSt paid just
compliments to the UNCONVENTIONAL col
lcgeS and claimed that there was 0
for all Of them and more; that the uni
vcrsitv should not be regarded as likely
to supplant these admirable colleges;
and that they should not be looked on as
n substitute for the university, but as
necessary training schools, intermediate
between the school and university. Mr..
.Templcton discussed tho whole subject
Of "Education'-usually considered the
driest Of dry subjcctS-in 4 most enter
tanning and instructive manner, reading
one Of the best essays the Club has yet
listened to. After the reading of the cs-
say
Capt. l.. ". White, in complimentary
terms agreed with the cssayist in his
opinions. He pointed out as tho chief
stumbling-block in the way Of Il good
public school system the presence OF two
races not in the least homogeneous. Ho
expressed Il preference for the old South
Carolina College. Referring to the pre-
tencc Of the dhmagOgueS who cry down
the university as an institution for the
benefit of the rich, he mentioned as a tri-
umphant rcfutation the names Of McDuf-
iie, Petigru, Thornwell, the two Ward
laws, Mcmninger, some of whom had
been poor bcnciiciarics of the College.
Rev. r. n. Pratt endorsed the cssaylsts
views on higher education and denoml-
national colleges, and hoped soon to see
established on q good foundation the
South Carolina College or the State Uni
versity, he did not care which.
Mr.. Hugh Wilson thought the univer-
sity a necessity, and did not think that
the enormous sums that had been spent
by this State and county on the common
schools had proved to be q good invest
ment. He did not think the returns
were good.
Mr.. j. Fuller Lyon agreed with Mr..
glad the claims of the university had
been so strongly urged by the essayist.
Mai. A. j. Wardlaw Thoughtful of moro
immediate Importance to open the uni
verSitv than to cover the and with COM
mon schools. lie believed with DR..
Thornwell that knowledge grows or
flows downward, comes from the unlver-
sity to tho college, high school and COM
mon schonls: that tho metaphorlcal ar
Cument was sound Il which say that
light comes from above and the streams
flow from the mountains. In reply to
the demaGogueS whose trick is to say the
university is for the rich, he would re-
mind them that on n occasion, while
George McDufic was s~hedding.lustrc on
his State, there WAS some opposition by
the dcmagogues of that day in the Lcgis-
lature to the appropriations for South
Carolina College, when Mr.. Huger, OF
Charleston. rose and brushed the OPPOSE
ton away by saying that if the College
had done more no than to educate and
send forth George McDufie, a poor Alb
bevillc boy, the State had been amply
paid for all the money it had contributed:
Mr.. George White said he ynly wished
to thank the ~cssayist tor his excellent pa
per and to express his hope Of seeing the
university re-OpcnGd.
Mr.. w. II. Parker combattcd the idea
that the ability to read and write was cd
ucation. or the lack of it q sure sign OF
TX hIlCSs L SlN vi hiSii Af
his acquaintance who could not make
their sign manual and yet were men Of
great intelligence. He differed from n
certain gentleman who had stated at the
Teachers Association that the white pco-
pic of our County were very ignorant.
The Chairman here assured Mr.. Parker
that the gentleman he referred to had
told him in private that he alluded to the
lack of "bo0k-lcarning :" that he consid-
cred the people of Abbeville County as
ahead of the State in general intelligence
and hard sense.
Mr.. Parker said that the fact that one
man couldn't write his name, that anotli-
or didn't know the name Of HIS county
paper, that another had no Bible in his
house, was no prof that the county was
living in ignorance and irrcligion. AS to
the university lie would strongly sup
port it. He thought that education Of all
grades, from tho lowest to the highest,
should be provided Just as stores had
counters for all pockets and tastes-iive-
cent, tcn-ccnt and dollar counters.
The chairman regretted the absence of
Gen. MCGOWAN, whU was suffering from
a cold, and reminded Mr.. II. IT. Ward
law that by appointment the Generals
mantle fell on his shoulders.
MIR. Wardlaw did not think himself
worthy to don the mantle Of Gen. Mellow
an and knew that he could not, especially
on the .subjhct of the university, WORTH
ly represent him. He was with the Cen
eral though, III supporting tho UNIVERSE
ty.
Mr.. S. C. Cason expressed the pleasure
with which he had listened to the essay
and endorsed the views expressed in it
and i'm tho discussion which had followed
it.
Mr.. L. w. Perrin thought the great
want in our public school system was a
supply Of good teachers. He said that
teachers should not only have literary
education, but should have high moral
attafnmcnts. In this respect he thought
the colored schools badly deficient and re-
commended that white teachers should
take charge Of such. AS an Alumnus of
the old College he was anxious to sec it
re-established.
AS guests Of the club Mr.. Walter and
DR.. Wardlaw said they had greatly en-
i0vcd the essay land the discussion. Dr..
Wardlaw remarked that he was glad to
find his native AbbcvillC so clearly on
the side of the university. Living III
Augusta, he had been misled into the be-
lief that the university had few friends
here.
Mr.. Perrin Wardlaw said that he had
very decided views OH ibis interesting
subject, but he would ask the president,
Mr.. Bcnet, to give expression to them.
He would endorse all Mr.. Benet might
say.
Tho Chairman thanked Mr.. Wardlaw
Tor the implicit trust and admired Lis
deXtcrity in evading the necessity of