The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-12-08
Ject ofim fation, and to express the hope
tnat you<wisdom will devise measures
whio hwPromote this desirable end


STATE Aolie ruRAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY.
This socje has borne m important, mart in
The developmSht of the material interests of the
State. Or8snised in 1865, it received an annual
appropriations Of So, 900 from the public Treas.
lury, and vas handsomely endowed from other
sources. Dnfing the civil war its buildings
were destroyed and it's endowment dissipated
Four years after, It's revival and reorganization
was the first Indication on the bart of capitnl
and intellisencerof reviving hope in the future
that awaited our industries. For the last three
years II has annually received On Appropriation
Of So, 500 from the State.
This society holds Summer meeting for dis
cussion Of agricultural and kindred subjects.
at which iscllcited much valuable information
deretofore1 1tstranactions have not been publish.
ed in permspsnt from but its increased resour-
ees will nov permit. and il is intended in
the ensuing yenr to collect them in oompen-
dious form. Nsa11uais fairs ars held, at Co.
iumoia In November. At the last, 10000 per
sons attended ; the premium list amounted to
So,ooO and there were over 1000 entries for
the premiums offered. Order and good feeling
pervaded the throng. and during the entire week
it was necessary to arrest but one person for
disorderly conduct. continuance Of the nm
preparation for this society is asked.
EDUCATION.
The educational system of the State, as now
n.
hnds its development in the Public schools, the
University and in the Institution for the Educa-
ton Of the De If, Dumb and the Blind The Uniyer-
SHY consists ofthe Clafin College, the Military
academy and the South Carolina College, This
distribution of the aid given by the State to ed
ucation is comprehensive and judicious. The
iuii development of these various schools will
IN my Judgment, accomplish all that can be done
ny public instruction in qualifying the rising
generation for the high duties of fctizenship and
earnestly commend each Of them to continu-
ancc Of your fostering care.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Report Of the State Su: perinten.lent of
Education shows gratifying impro vement in
the public school system. During the last year
there was in attendance upon the public schools
65,399 white and 80. SIS colored pupils. making
total Of 1884. This is the largeset number r
of pupils ever enrolled in the public schools of
this State in any one year. The average
length of the school session was four months
q slight increase over the sessions previously
reported. The number of teachers employed
was-white 2, 126; colored ], ,287 ; total 3,4l3-
being an increase since the last report Of lG4
The number of schools was 3,lS3-an increase
of l26. The school fund has steadily increased
since the adoption Of tho amendment to the
Constitution relative to the public school tax
The fund for fiscal year l8Sl-82, the last year
S452, 965. .44-this amount being the largest ever
available in one year for the support Of public
chools in this State.
The public school fund is now almost free of
debt. The amount of the claims outstanding
against the school fund in October, 1877, was
5000 ,94066. In nearly all the Counties this
debt has been iquidated. The claims now aris-
ing against the school funds are paid each year
out of the current funds. The effect of the prop
per management Of the school fund is seen in
the enhanced value of teachers pay certificates
which are now paid in full each year by the
Treasurers of the several Counties.
The Report of the Superintendent of Educa
ton contains full accounts of the management O
the two large and successful State Normal Insti
tuteS-one for white and one for colored teach
ers-held during the last scholastic year. Tn,
public school system is now firmly established
in this State, and the friends of popular educa
cation may look forward with confidence to its
steady progress and improvement.
cLAFLIN COLLEGE
This College is endowed with a portion
of the fund donated by the United States
government for the promotion of agriculture
and the mechanic arts. 1t is located at
Orangeburg and is set apart for the benefit
of colorcd stu lents. 1t has been in benef-
cial operation for some years and the Prcsi-
dent reports the past as the most successful
year in its educational work since its organ.
ization. There have been 344 students in
attendance, Of whom "a were in the Collie.
giate Department, 1876 in the Normal School
and lS4 in the Grammar School The
Normal School is doing perhaps the most
important work in this College. Both grad
yates and under graduates readily find EN-.
ploymcnt in the public schools for colored
children Of the State. An Agricultural farm
of one hundred and fifty acres is attached
to the institution and is proftaby worked
chiefly by student labor, under the instruc
tion and direction of a superintendent.
THE MILITARY ACADEMY
Before the establish ment Of the Military
Academy S24, 900 annually was expended
in the support of two companies of enlisted
men, who were entrusted with the care of
the ordnance and ordnance stores of tho
State. In 1912, by Act ofthe Legislature,
this appropriation, afterwards increased to
$50, 900, was diverted to the maintenance
of military school, the cadets of which
should also discharge the duties hitherto
performed by these enlisted men. The
school was modelled upon West Point and
approximated that institution in the thor.
oughness Of instruction. Its career of
usefulness was continued for TWENTY-FIVE
years, when at the close of tn, civil war its
seat, the building known as the Citadel in
Charleston was taken possession of / y the
Federal government and used for military
purposes. In anticipation of the return of
the Citadel to the possession of the State, at
its last session the Legislature directed the
reopening Of the Academy and appropriated
SIS, 600 for the purposes ofrepair and main.
tenance for the short period which would
probably elapse between the recovery of the
building and the close of the fiscal year. The
Academy was also by law made branch of
the University. The building has been res.
tored to the State, and on the I'd of October
last the Academy was reopened with 1T