The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-09-06
Pubic G0ucation.

The citizens sf Ninety Six held n meeting
in the iHtcrvst 'df'educaiion on last FIsAhS
n week ego. ~ which addresses were {seliV
| cred ny 'Srhfe Superintendent Of S,lacasfoh
Coward, Hon. d. Wyatt Aiken, Dol. SHthes
n. Lipscomh. Secretary Of State, ind Ssfa-
tor Cnllison Of FdgcGcld. ColORel OSWard
took the position That THO free School Sys-
tenn should nc rhGfntaintA. ne said Il was
not perfect, but shonld be improved from
time 10 time. IA sase course Of his ren,rks ne
said?
"On recent Nissia 70 Pickens e. e., he
was imircssca%ith Fhe number Of children
present 1T tie opening Of the Piedmont In
stilute, and l,c Wns 9hformcd that all Tint
was 7fcces'ary %as TO shake n bush and A
hoy or 'kfrl would run ont. fFe ti,ouei,,. the
prospects Of Ninety six we're no iess fia,,er.
ing Tor he Was informed they were born
there three at VINE"
We Also spoke OF the objections to the
Free Schoel system and OH this sel6ccs
Bnil:
"'rhe strongest Objection arose from the
matter OF taxation. This is true Ii il un>
equal. but when We rise to the high plane
~ "fc'tizenship which a liberal minded gea
ero"s *ffd FRngnnnimous people ~Hcre ex-
Pected to attain this matter ~ inequality
dwindles into insigniicnncc and Is lost sight
OF IN the grnnder conception that all are
citizens. The. nre ciiiz.ns and we cannot
ignore II, hence such objectionable TEXTURES
Will he forgotten In tho luftier patriotism of
the intelligent citizen. We never get full
rclnrts directly for ,hethx we pny. We nro
expecIcd 70 surrender something for the
H'n'o. On this high plane Of citizenship il
Is sordId and mean IL wc cannot 10 come
thing in return for the elevation OF eycrY
member of The body politic.'
Col. Coward nlso sn;d TINT the system wn,
an economical ono.
"ARd tirca raid ilfM ia efficient working
depended wholly on the cfkciemcy Of three lo>
cal or district trustees who nre chnrged with
It's Immediate supervision and application.
" they are inefficient. the whole syst EN- fails,
or II efficient. and they nre not sustained
amt respected hy the community then the
responsibility IL on these whose duty il wus
and they did it not"
Col. Aiken said that VIC were committed
TO some system Of education bur CONDEMN
ed the present system, and III il ought to
be nme@ded. lie thought there were too
mnny schools, "thnt the nmonnt nppor,
toned among so many schc''s WAS so small
that we could not secure the services of those
who were competent to teach, and hence
the system was defective in this most vital
particular"
Colonel t.irscNmHc took ground squnroly
ngninst the Froo Sschools and said:
''lIe believed in the good old nnti -bellum
system which Ind Taught our fathers and
mothers, tdHn wh"m n"nc were helter.--
The present system WAS Of foreign grating,
and for one ho would never consent to 70
t"in II when he Ind nn opportunity to re-.
jcct it,"
We have always been a fcirud to the pub
lie schools md TO higher education. We
believe il is the duty Of the State to place
the means OF obtaining. nt least, common
school education within he reach of all her
citizens. We admit That the present system
| is defective, hut Il IL much better thnu no
aystem at NIL. There arc many poor chill
drcn who nre at lenst acquiring the rudi-
mcnts Of an cducntion in tie free schools,
TINT would not know one letter from M
''i ~ . ."' ''0' g." 'h"m. As Col. Cow