The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-02-01
For THE HERALD.
Why Does the Free School Sys.
lem not Prove q Success

In the first place many do not want it Il
succeed. It is cursed, aud obstacles arr
| thrown irI its way. 1t is war measure. Thi
Republicans set it on footsiu this State dur
/ ing their rule. The Democrats put it iutC
their platform in 1875, because it was popu
| lar with the masses whose votes were neces
sary 10 success. Great men had pledged theil
word and could not go back on their pledges
But an ignorant peasantry is most easily
impo> ed on and controlled. To control the
slave before the war, il was thought neces.
sary TO keep him ignorant. An ignorant
mass is the most eficient factor in building
up a privileged class and making artificial
distinctions. Those who have wealth sufi.
cieni to educate their children, thus place
;bem infinitely above Others naturally their
eq uals, who have not means.
There is something very fascinating in
living well without much labor. Talleyrand,
the a>tuie statesman, said, "Society consists
of two classes the sbearers and the shorn.
Be sure that you are alwa,s in the former."
Many clergymen throw influence agaips.
il. We hoped the age was past when the
priests wished to perpetu&te ignorance.
The above causes have pfodaced faiiures
in almost every detail of The system.
Those who were its warneSt friends were
those who most felt its need and had least
facility in advocating its claims. Meaeer
appropriations have been made. small
salary is paid for four or fiye months 10 somc-
body 10 'erch school kmm well qaaEfcd
10 tc'ch fiud> better busiEcss aud foilows H.
4 sni.,E portion % the tax levy is for schools
Twice or thrice the amount would hurt no
one, If properly cNrende1 and b.. of infinite
beneiif 20 the who.e people. Most schools
are run by private subscription for nine or
ten months in the YEAR. Tie patrons paw. or
,omc in,y libcralIy and others pgy nothing.
Would il not be more equal and equitable TO
levy the tux and lei al pay aiike2 Pay good
salaries und get goot teachers. Pay the
sch oil commissioner fkir salary. Elect q
wide awake man for the: Office. a practical
enthusiast. He should be i "NoftnaisInsri
tute" IN himself He Should devose his
whole time 10 it-not TO make il side show
visit from school TO school, engraft here
aud eliminate there. lie should do moro
than distribute The pitiuucc .al'oacd the
teacher who CONES up like Il pen.ioner Of his
for sn allowance His board Should he men
of pr:,c1cal IDEAS OF teaching and in hearty
sympathy with the cause OF cducation,-not
only measuring capacity, bu. infu>ing life,
method and energy. Local trustees should
be men who advocate education and will
watch closely after the interests of the
children in their townships; not dcadhaads
who may think it an honor 10 approve papers
simply. When we ges This, the voice Of
dissent will be shamed into silence. and intel
ligencc and virtue, twin sisters, will flourish.
rhe purse of the people should not he open
ed to buy parasites, to sp1rn yet live upon
them. Let higher education take Care of it.
self 'ua'ess it is given more practical turn.
Unless tha, cultate tends to promote the re-
nora;ion of our wantonly dcspoiled soil, and
te''ds 10 simplify our Yil!ainously complicated
system of laws aud courts, it will not be
worth ;he peoples money. Millions 10 make
the masses more prosperous and happy
more prod more independent, less
liable to be heecedl But not one cent to
create >uobs, .ricksters and deadheads.
ZERO