Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-30
FREE SCHOOLS.
Ihe Early Development OF the
System I'm the South.
Ralffnlore Sun.

Baltimore Sun.
1t is often assumed by professed mo
nopolizers of knowledge that free schools
owe their origin to New Englanders.
The fact is, however, as was shown in a
paper read recently before the Historical
and Political Science Association of the
Johns Hopkins University, that free
schools were established in Maryland
before the close of the seventeenth cen
fury. They are first mentioned in bill
| dated April 10, 1911, which passed one
branch of the Legislature, but failed to
become a law. The first bill for free
schools approved by both houses was
passed October IS. 1894, by the aid of
Governor Francis Nicholson.
ut provided for the erection of one
free school at Annapolis, and contem.
plated the erection of others in various
parts of the province. The first school
was erected entirely by the aid of vol
untary subscriptions, Gov Nicholson
contributing literally, and nearly every
member of the Legislature following his
example. The school was continued by
revenues arising from special fines and
taxes appropriated for its support. In
1896 the colony sought the patronage OF
| King William for a college to be erected
at Annapolis, which foundation, called
King Williams School, was made by
authority of the Legislature in 1904
In 1923 legislative provision was made
| for a free school in every county,
TO be governed by a board of seven
| visitors. Among the eighty committee.
men thus appointed we find Governor
| Charles Calvert, twelve Colonies and
| thirteen ministers, the others being plant
ers and merchants of acknowledged in
tegrity and public spirit. These schools
were supported by fines and impOsts,
including duties upon the importation OF
negroes and the expectation of tobacco.
Donations from private individuals were
not infrequent. BY statute passed in
| 1928 provision was made for the educa-
ton of poor children in each county.
The frequent mention of free schools in
the statutory law of Maryland attests
their popularity and importance in the
minds of Legislators, who fairly repre-
scented the better sense of the colony.
Considering how slowly Maryland
grew, how isolated her people
were (their manor-houses being
widely separately, 1t is remarkable
that free schools were so early
established. That these schools exercised
considerable influence upon the culture
of the people is beyond question. Mr..
Edds, in his letters from America in the
last century, remarks upon the purity
and even elegance of language in Mary
land. OF Annapolis, where the college
was located, he said. few towns in the
British dOminions can boast more pol
lshed society. The present prosperity
of the school system in Maryland is in no
small degree the outgrowth of that first
planting two centuries ago by wise legis-
latOrs and philanthropic citizens"
The free schools of South Carolina also
are of ancient date, being coeval with the
parish and the district. Says the author
of another paper read before the same
society:
"The early legislators of the colony
were deeply impressed with the impor-
lance of popular education. So domi-
nant was this idea that it had much to
do with the division of the counties into
parishes, in order to obtain aid from the
society in the mother country for propa-
eating the gospel in foreign parts. This
society lent its aid IN supplying parish
ministers and preachers. ParoChial lib
raries were founded and parish schools
were established, at first under the i'm
mediate control of vestrymen. The his
tory of popular education in South Caro-
lima dates from these parish beginnings.
AS far back as 1910 a free school
was established in Charleston. Similar
institutions were planted at Dorchester,
Childsbury, Beaufort, Ninety-six, ST.
Thomas parish, st. James, Santee and
elsewhere. Many of these schools owe
their origin to legacies bequeathed them
by generous Pensioners, like Beres-
ford, Ludlam, Childs and others. With
the growth of primary education the
demand for the higher education in.
creased, resulting in the establishment
of no less than five colleges and several
academies before the expiration of the
eighteenth century. Many charitable So
cieties also maintained schools, usually
for the education of the poor. In
some cases even slaves were taught to
read. The State constantly encouraged
education by donations, immunities, and
by vesting in school board escheated
property in villages and parishes. In
1901 the South Carolina College was
founded. By the year 1911 the demand
for popular education had so increased,
and the country was being so rapidly
settled, that a general system of free
schools was inanguTated. From this
time on there was a steady increase in
educational facilities until the outbreak
of the civil war"
The fact is that the proprietY of estab.
fishing free schools was recognized early
by all the colonies, and the system attained
different degrees of development in each
quarter, according to the varying con-
ditions of density of population, occu-
what has been added from abroad to the
original Maryland system has not been
in the direction of pretentious super
tlcialism rather than real efficiency.