Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-08-25
The Normal Institute.
GnnENYlL1E. s. O.. AUGUST l6. 1ss

GREENvILhE, 8. c., August l6, 1881.
MEssRs. EDIToRs: The Normal Institute, now
holding its sessions in this city, has 28l teachers
enrolled, .thrcc.fourtbs of whom are ladies'.
Prof +. l.. Sodan, Of 81. Louis, is tho efficient
principal, aided by q full corps of assistants.
All tho teachors seem to take great interest III
tho lectures AND exercises. bit the large chapel
Of Furman University is 80 crowded that many
find II difficult ITO take notes." Tho Institute is
evidently growing in favor aud has been visited
by representatives from nearly oil the colleges
| in The State. s'
| 10 promote the cause Of education q Siato
Teachers Association has been organized With
Dr. Jas. II. Carlisle, President.
The lectures by tho different Professors are
spoken Of as very instructive and entertaining,
especially those by Prof. Soldan on school nun.
agement, and Prof. L. s. Joynes, of Tennessee
on English. Dr.. Joynes has tho faculty of
making the drycst subject enchanting. Tho
unit Of tho grammar Is the sentence. Grammar
is not Tho art Cor soence) either of reading,
writing or speaking correctly Evidently we do
not learn TO read aud write from our granlmars
nor do we thus learn to speak. Wo learn to
walk by ,calking, not from study Of mechanics
and physiology. We learn to sec by seeing, not
from works on optics; SO wo learn TO talk by
talking Grammar Is the doctrine of the SEN
tcnce. The dictionary is tho museum of the
language in which tho words are tho fossils
Grammar deals with the living sentence aud
points out the office and function which words
perform i'll the sentence. Grammarians do not
make language Language is u growth and
usnge determines tho correctness or incorrect
ness OF expressions rs well as Of words. 1T is
me- is not wrong. Idiomalio expressions arc
above grammar and good usage determine whc-
thcr or not mn expression is admissible.
Want of space prevents notice of the MI.
dresses OF Rev. Dr. Curry, the agent of The
Peabody fund, and Of Hon. John Eaton the
Commissioner Of Education for the United States
Col. Thompson, in q graceful speech ut the
Opera House, madc fine ploa for popular clu-
cation and accounted for Tho unsatisfactory
condition Of the public schools in this State.
lie has made some important suggestions relative
to the public schools TO the legislative commit
tee, now holding its sessions in Green lille
Though secrecy is necessary for the present
Col. Thompson said that in the future he would
advocate local taxation and Il closer connection
of the county school officials with the State Su
pcrlntendcnt. Local taxation would be an i'm
provcment on the present system aud would
remedy many of its defects, and your cores
pondcnt has heard several express the hope that
whatever changes may be made in cur State
oilicials next year that present Superin;cn,l-
ent may still have the opportunity of remcdying
anu periecting the system Of popular education
Tor which he has been so earnestly working.
'thc fact that the public schools have not given
satisfaction in South Carolina is not due to nny
derclction OF duty on the part Of Col. Thomp-
son, and the hope is expressed that he may he
retained in his present position, even though
this should prevent tho acceptance of the
highest Office in the gift Of the people of the
state W. S. NJ.