The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-05-20
EDUCATION AT The SOUTH.

EDUCATION AT The SOUTH.
Che north, and especially the re-
publican portion OF it, has been 10
the habit OF sharply criIicising the
southern leaders on account of the
ignorance of the masses. 1t has been
alleged, and not without some truth,
that many of the political and social
evils iuathe south are directly trace
able to the lack of educational iacili-
ties, and to the opposition to popular
education that has been something
OF 8 characteristic OF the better class
of southern people. There were three
classes in the south-the Rristoorats,
who owned the plantations and the
negroes; the "poor white trash"
ne'er-do. well people who occupied q
sort of hallway position betReeD The
respectable whites and the blacks,
and the slaves themselves, who,
though they we're human, were re.
gRrded by themselves and their own
ers as cattle of little higher order
than the other domestic animals
about the plantation. The first
named we're highly educ Atsd, more
for the purpose OF shcwing that they
we're rich snd aristocratio than with
an idea to its usefulness. But there
education practically stopped. The
theory OF education at the public ex-
pense was never popular at the south,
one reason being the desire of those
who had the property to mark the
contrast between the classes. The
poor could not educate. and being in.
dolent and without the ambition that
one observes in more rugged climate,
and also having only vague ideas of
the value OF learning, it is doubtful if
they we're anxious to obtain the ben
efts and advantages Of education. Of
course the thought Of educating
the blocks never entered the hands Of
the masters. 1t was rather the desire
to keep them in ignorance, as they
could thereby be more easily managed.
Practically tle south has known
nothing Of the free school System, ex-
cept by observation, at the / orth.
Lately, however, q change has come
over the southrons. snd the results
are highly gratifying. It is also
pleasing to know that the new de-
parture may be attributed to the
southern people themselves. and has
been more distinctly marked since
those people have acquired control OF
their government affairs. II is not
6 carpet-bag invention from the north.
Indeed, the schools Of the south are
now suffering from the carpet.bag
rule and ruin OF the country.
The mayor OF Charleston, South
Caroline, has presented report from
which some interesting facts are OBJ
tanned. In 1860 the number of
children In this public schools OF the
city was 1900. These. of course,
we're all white, as the negroes were
not taught in those days. In 1880
Charleston had in her public schools.
4,140 children, 2,071 whites and 2,069
blacks. The population in 1880 was
$4,000, being very little over the
number in 1860, and was about
equally divided ss to race. Thus,
while the number OF children to be
educated has been doubled. the st.
tendance has not increased. More
than one-half OF those of school age
are without the means of public in-
struction, and there is neither
room nor money to provide for more.
The mayor clearly presents the
facts, and says: 'OhArlssIon is
doing more than she ever did |
before, and more, in comparison,
than any state in the Union" This
statement seems strange in conneo-
ton with the comparatively small |
school attendance, but it is explained |
in the mayors report. The assessed
value Of property ia 81. COO. 600,
while in 1860 it was $45, 900, OO0-"a
reduction OF more than one.half of
taxable value in the tsoe of an obi
CATION to educate more than double
the number OF children In 1880,
the school tax was 81 mills. The
mayor shows that this rate is nearly
IS much sgsin as that Of Boston,
"whose schools are models, and
whose people have the worldwide
of giving literally fer ed
ucatiou." In brief, the report is
pretty conclusive argument TO prove
that the city cannot at present edu-
cate her children, and for this rea.
son: "The burden and evil that is
upon US is the common ruin of war,
and the common fate OF political
anarchy and plumber for q term Of
years." What is true Of Charleston
is also true Of the state End OF the
south generally. The country is i'm
poTerished and debt'burdensd, and
must besr the expense Of educating q
race made citizens By a power sp-
piled from without. and that race
pays but 8 per cent. of the taxes.
Bad a. the eitustion is, however,