Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-01-04
sNistellanepns &eaaing.
For the Yorkvllie Enquirer.
THE FREE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

The greatest force may become dltfused so
extensively in it's application as to be practlc-
ally powerless. The merest tyro in the field
knows that some guns scatter so badly that no
game is brought down, though charged with a
handful of shot. An estate may be so split up
as to be of no substantial value to any inherit
or. The largest oak may be so splintered as
to become as weak as the smallest broom-straW
We must guard against excessive diffusion
with the same jealousy that we watch central
i,ation. Power distributed, but not broken
into the smallest parts, rebounds to the best
results.
Since. as Col. Thompson says, 'Popular ed
ucatiOn in South Carolina is no longer an eX-
periment," this communication briefly lnqul-
res. whether the system might not be very
greatly enhanced in its good attainments, by
Il more concentrated employment OF the funds
and agencies of this important department OF
our civilization. To borrow the language OF
business men, Are we not attempting to run
business too extensive for our capital 20
The present policy seems to be to locate school
in every neighborhood. DO the best attalna-
BILE results accrue from 1t
Many difficulties intersect this plan and bar
out the true success desired by the friends Of
education. (1). 1t necessitates the employ
ment Of teachers who have not a tithe of the
qualifications. The average amount devoted
to the support of each school, last year, was
S14230. This salary is not large enough to at
truet a man with-well, second-class gifts, for
the position It results in holding scllool
sessions too short to accomplish any real and
lasting progress. The average session, last
year. was four months. (3) Consequently the
child is discouraged and resolves to enter upon
some other employment as soon as parental
authority will permit. A. Or the parent, see
ing this spasmodic study to issue i'll little or
no advancement, concludes his son will be
worth more to him in the field, and so with
draws him to follow the plow. (5) The sys-
tenn, while doing so little to implant higher
knowledge, crosses the pathway OF the sub
scription school, where tirst-class work IS
done. The best teachers are, consequently,
disappearing, because the State is taking their
trade from them. (G). The whole winds up i'll
the masses acquiring but smattering OF true
education, while the standard goes down all
the time.
It is cheerfully conceded that the system is
at fault solely for the want OF money. But
that farmer who attempts to cultivate hun
dred acres of land, where he has the means
only to work fifty, is pronounced unWlse; and
why should State, attempting similar thing,
be exempt from the same judgment Last
Y6dr Tile pubic SCuOOl lullu ttluOuuVCu w VIZ,
965. a, and there are 81 counties i'll the State.
If distributed equally among them, each coun-
ty would be entitled to about Sl3,322. 5O. Ii
this amount were employed to foundand main
tain first-class academies instead of being dis
tributed out to 90 schools-the average num-
ber at present in each county-much more sat
isfactory results could be obtained. AS much
emphasis should be laid upon the quality OF
these institutions as the number.
Suppose the idea should be to found and per-
petuate one good, first-rate academy in each
township, with money enough behind it to at
tract competent teacher, York, with her 10
townships and S13, 1922. SO, could have two such
schools in every township-one for the whites
and one for the colored people. With such
proposition laid before them, the people would
arect daees4t te contribution
The teacher, having a permanent and adequate
support guaranteed to him, could endeavor to
give character to his academy. The people,
behoking the good work done therein, would
send their sons and daughters. The schools
would acquire reputation, and would become
valuable feeders to the University and colleges:
This plan, roughly drawn, appears feasible,
and there cannot be two opinions about the
benefits of it over the present diffusive system,
with many schools, poor teachers, small sala-
ries short sessions and poor work.
May this dream of high education for~the
masses some day, some how, be realized. W.