The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-09-28

aid, or shall hat paper mould the beliefs of
the Press ant Bannerf We believe that
each man will cling to his own opin-
ions. 1t would take n great deal Of talk
nvor!ng additional taxation to satiate the
desires of the NeTs and Herald while one
homeopathic dose would be more than our
constitution needs. For the benefit OF our
Board of Examiners We append cha the News
and Herald has 20 say for their benefit:
I'VE have rcpllel to the attack ostcnsibly
made on the State superintendent. because In
him the entire school system IS arratsned by
It's enemies The same spirit that ncluateS
personal criticism. aims to strike Il blow at
free education. The Abbtvilie Board of En-
amincrs have resolved TO press an amend
mcnt to the constitution striking out the pro-
vision far free %tnitiun, which Is the heart and
life of the system, and to make State aid
merely supplementary, requiring every pa-
rent, poor or rich. TO pay tuition for his child.
The Press and Ban:,cr' desires no nriStocracy
established in South Carolina" ict the
Surcst way OF establishing it is by denying
school privileges to tho poor.
While the Meas and Herald In this last re-
mark did no: say that the Press and Brnnrr
was in favor of denying the school privileges
to the poor" that expression may mislrad
some of our citizens. As to the amendment of
the Constitution which our contcmo orary
saws the Ahbeville Board have resolved to
press, the Press and Banner has nothing
10 do with it, has said nothing nbont it
and at this moment doesn't know what
II Is. Those of our friends who have read
our paper know that tho Press and Ian
ner fnvors the giving of free education TO the
poor onlr. We have never thought 1t right
for the state 10 relieve parents of their duty
10 educate their own children. O%nc-f"urth OF
our present tax property distributed among
the poor would do four times as mucn good
as the vast sum now expended in educating
"all the children alike"
Tho Constitution provides, not for public
schools, but for free pablo schools. And II
adds, ".All the public schools. colleges and
universities Of This state, supported II whole
or in part by The public funds, shall he Iree
and open TO all the children and youth OF tho
State without regard to race or color"
"If the memorial Of the Abberilie Board OIL
Examiners is ever pressed with rlg"r, VIC
shall then say In the language Of our contem:
porary, 'wc hope the people viii! not be caught
mapping when their organic law Is asSai'cd.'
From this expression our people may be
put on their guard. Fanatics on the subject
of free education arc willing TO ask every.
thing, but will yield nothing.
Dignifrd Remarks Of the News and
Courier.
The Impartial article Of the Ncus and Con-
ricr last Monday in commenting On tho nrti'
Gle of the HInnxtoro Ncws and Herald, Is a.
follows:
The Ncwv and Courier hopes that It's Wins
boro' contemporary miSsapprehcndS the sen
lilncnts of its Abbcviile contc,nporfr ~. 1t Is
not Likely that 1t will be seriously proposed
to abolish the free feature Of tho Public
School system. No measure so nndemocratit
can be carried If the people have the oppor
tunlty to vote upon It. This they will have
rs nothing less than q Constitutional amend
mendment can change the provision Of the
organic law that all our Public Schools. sup
ported In whole or In rart by public funds
shall he free and open" tn all the children o.
the State. hat law will stand, but there will
not be, of course, any mixing OF races In tho
schools.
The Abbera1e Press and Banner evidently
was misintormcd about Superintendent,
Thompson. /. That officer has always ndvo'
Gated what may be called n local option law
giving to each school district the right to levy
q school tax, in addition to the State tax for
education. but the condition is that a major
ity OF the taxpayers of the district shall APP
prove of the local tax. 2. Superintendent
Thompson is opposed to any Increase in tho
rate OF Inc NlULe lNS lot euuCUllOH, bc.ltNlI
that it is as high rs the condition o.
the State will warrant. 2. superintendent
Thompson approved Of the formation OF n
State Teachers Association. but had nothing
TO do with the movement and declined to DC
one OF the officers. When 1t was proposed by
the Association to petition the Legislature to
increase the State tax TO such an amount rs
would allow all the schools TO he kept open
for ut least six months. Colonel Thompson
opposed the resolution, and the result OF the
discussion was that the matter was recon-
mittcd. Col. Thompson went before the com.
mittcc and gave his views mt length, and
there the matter ended. There Is nothing In
all this to justify ccnsure Of Col. Thompson.
1t deserves praise, instead.
We havcnlwayS regarded the Ab6criIe PrrsS
and tanner as the firm friend Of popular ed.
not cndinsthere: The State has done won
dcrs inA%Det five years. but the task OF cd
ucatiNR children Of the State Is gigantic
ono, and it cannot be accomplished If influ.
entail newspapers strike at the feature which
gives the system its strongest hold upon the
people. Unless the schools are Of and for the
people, II will be difficult indeed to Obtain
the aid Of the National Government, without
which our educational fund, at best, must be
painfully inadequate to the present wants oil
the State"
The Neus and Courier says: "Tflat officer
" always advocated what may be called n 10.
" cal option law, giving each school district
I" the right to levy q school tax, in addition to
" the State levy for education" a is eS-
actly our cause OF complaint against the State
Superintendent of Education.
But We will stop. The tone OF tho article Is
so fair and free from Misrepresentation that
we confess that we were not prepared for 1t,
The admirable article IS refreshing, and
makes US almost willing to yield something
Of orr strong convictions. We would not be
understood as being opposed to education.
We are the friend Of education, and arc in 70.
vor OF continuing the present large State
appropriations for schools. But beyond this
we think education should be acquired by in
dividual effort. High education is too ralna-
bic n prize to be thrown Mt the feet Of those
who do not appreciate it, and who would
scarcely care TO pick 1t up. But a fair cducn.
ton every one should have. Thanking the
Ncws and Courier for It's courtesy, wehopc to
find no fnrther fault in so good an officer as
Colonel Thompson.