The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-11-03
For THE HERALD.
The State Military Academy.
Economy Combined with Efficiency - The
System Of Education for the Times.

solicitude- 10 the minds of mapy pa
rents in this State.
The cause of advanced education
has been sadly neglected and the small
percentage Of our youth who are now
receiving j collegiate education Is
truly appalling. This, too, nthe face
of the undouLtcd fact that higher
state of culture will be needed to ex-
eel, in the walks Of life, in the next
generation than has been renuired in
this.
The colleges of more prosperous
States are filed with young nlen eager
to compete with our own. ou our own
soil. and with equal merit and more
attainments will excel them Whenever
they are brought into contact on any
thing like equal terms. 3:
Our people are willing aud anxious
to give an education to their s"us. and
to deny this in any individual instance
would be equivalent to offering ao in
suit to the person alluded to.
What. then, is the cause OF this ap-
parent apathy? The entire South has
suffered from the effects Of tine war,
aud more particularly the uiisgovern-
ment which pillaged US afterwards.
Nowhere have these terrible conse-
oueuces been more keeuly felt than IN
our own State. Parents readily plead
as an excuse their inability to provide
for their sons the expensive courses OF
college life When the tuition is high,
aud the emulation of youth in ez-
travagant display is too frequently re-
carded as Que of the nccessarlcS OF ex-
lstcnce.
To have military school with a
high STANDARD of education will in a
measure counteract this plea and
bring within the means of many the
ability to provide for their sons. The
discipline though not severe and ten.
pered to the age Of the pupil express
/ lg provides that every moment of time
shall be strictly accounted for, aud
thus habits of indulgence and eppor-
tunities to vie with each other in
lavish display and expensive pleas
ures are avoided. The very dress is
prescribed, from the style Of cap to
the precise GU aud particular make Of
the shoe. To vary in the mlnutest
point is punishable, and the minimum
of expense in dress is obtained.
Admirable as this may be in Mill
tary schools generally, how much more
so would it be if, under the patronage
| of the State, the "OId Citadel Acade.
nv" was revivcd2 There the State
gave the education and sought to de
rive nothing more than the privilege
Of rearing her young men to adorn
and uphold her reputation, regarding
it cheap if in the expenditure Of an
otherwise generous sum only one
"should in the day of peril defend
this Nation, and, like Perry, cover
this couDtry With the mantel of bis
OWE glory; if only one of them, in the
holy offices of religion, should illumiue
the path of virtue and purity if only
onc of them should ably advocate in the
Senate the liberties of the country and
the rights of the people, to say moth
ing of that more numerous but 40 less
important class who would be hereby
fitted for the unambitious, but useful
Offices of private life .
No profit was expected to be de
rived and the youth was educated at
the least possible cost. The charge
for pay cadet was $500 per annum
out Of this. sixty dollars was returned
to the student direct, in the shape Of
clothing, the remainder, one hundred
and forty dollars per aunum, served to
pay for his board, fuel, lights and
washing. His tuition aud text books
were gratis. His discipline was per
feet, ard without cost he was taught
| that honor was the goal Of his ambi,
ton, and soldier and gentleman 10 its
purest senses wele synonymous terms
More than this, thirty or forty ben.
e6ciaries were yearly admitted, as the
appropriations permitted, from the
,neritoriops but poorer youths who
| we're unable to provide anything to-
wards their own support These
were apportioned to each judicial dis.
trict according to the population and
the taxable property included there,
in; and perhaps the most beautiful
and admirable portion Of the system
then enforced was that this youth was
not made to feel his dependence, but
all were on an even plane. With el
| bow touching ia toe ranks no one
knew whether his Deighbor was 'spay'
or "bene6ciary,'' and as no. oppor'
tunity was given for display, this was
not asccrtained even though your com
rade was your classmate or your room
Gaie. ...
At 10 better tiuc, therefore, thar
the present could this subject have
! been broachcd Many Of our people
are recovering their independence,
and would be glad to have the op,
portunity of educating their sons at
figure within thei. means, and TIE re.
opening of the State Military Acade,
my will in greater measure than any
other plan known achieve that re,
suit.
By all means then let it be done,
and the sooner the better.
ECONOMY.
For THE HERALD.
An Old Citizen Goes West.