Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-12-04
Y. DECEMBER 4. 1884.

causes tending to impede the work during
the last year, very decided advances have
been made. There were enrolled in the
public schools 81, ,O2S white pupils, and 1O1, )
;j91 colored, making total Of 1869, an
increase of ,524 pupils over the large en-
rollment of the previous year. According
to the calculations of the Superintendent,
this enrolment is found to be IS per cent.
of the total school population; or, stated
according to race, 80! per cent. of the white,
and Sc 1-9 per cent. Of the colored children
were enrolled. This percentage shows that
the schools have been brought within the
reach of the children as fully as is done in
New York or Pennsylvania. The increase
in the number of teachers is 100; in the
number of schools, 2l3. The school fund is
also increasing with the enhancement of
property values. The total available school
fund for 1882 was $471 ,17l.19; for 1928
it was s5l7, ,937.H. The amount for 1888 "a
cannot be definitely ascertained until the
final accounting Of the County Treasurers
next April, but there is every reason to be-
lieve that it will exceed that of the preced-
ing year. Most of the School Commission
ers report better teachers, better school
houses and greater interest in education
on the part of the people. These results, in
the opinion of the Superintendent of Edu-
cation, are largely the outcome of the Nor
NAL Institute work inaugurated in 1880.
The complete and suggestive report o.. DR..
E. S. Joynes, which forms a part of the
SUPERINTENDENT Annual Report, gives a
broad comprehensive view of educational
forces brought into play through these In
stitutes. They have become factors of great
Importance in the development of the State,
and I cordially recommend them to the
continued support of the General Assembly.
The Superintendent of Education makes
various suggestions for the improvement of
the public school system which l commend
to YOUR earnest consideration. Among
them is one asking for the enactment of a
law giving, under certain restrictions, the
power to cities, towns and Incorporated vii.
iages to levy local taxes for the support of
public schools. The power to levy local
when conferred by the Legislature, should be
so guarded as to prevent the possibility OF
unjust and burdensome taxation, and to pro-
tect fully the rights of property against en-
croachment. Several Acts have been passed
from time to time giving to special commu-
mites the right to levy such taxes. The uni
form success which has attended the work
ing of the public schools wherever the plan
of local taxation for their support has been
fairly tried, proves that this mode of raising
revenues is the one best suited for supple
menting the State school fund. Under our
system of government public education can
only attain the highest results through local
support and local control of the schools.
The local governments, reaching as they 90
most closely to the homes OF the people,
can best be entrusted with the care OF the
educational interests of their respective
communities.
In giving further shape to our education
al work, we should not overlook the import
ance of attaching to it that feature which
puts the management of the schools almost
wholly in the hands Of local authorizes.
The best government for the schools is that
of the people, with no more State control
than is necessary to secure the harmonious
and orderly working of the system. EX-
perience in other States has shown that
local management is the vital principle OF
a we'll organized public school system, and
that without it all that is most essential tor
the full development Of any scheme of pub
lie education will be lost.
One of the pressing wants in our school
system is for good high schools. The only
plan which l can suggest by which such
schools can he supplied is to supplement
the State school tax by local levies.
The University of South Carolina, as at
present constituted, comprises the Clatiin
College, for colored students, az Orangeburg ;
the South Carolina Military Academy, at
Charleston, and the South Carolina College,
at Columbia.
No report of the operations of Clafiin Col
lege for the last session has been made to me,
but have no reason to doubt that the work
done last year compares we'll with that OF
former years. Under the able and efficient
management of Rev. +. Cooke, D. d., this
institution has accomplished much good for
the youth who have had the benefit Of its
instruction, and through them for the i'm
provement Of the colOred race in this State.
ask to call your attention specially to the
report of the Board of Visitors ofthat branch
of the University known as the South Car
olina Military Academy. 1t exhibits a
high-grade scientific and practical school,
the curriculum of which is thoroughly pur-
sued.
This institution was reopened on October
|, 1882, since which time it has been in
active and regular operation. One hundred
and thirty-eight Of the youth of South Car
Olina are now receiving its instruction, and
the result cannot but rebound to the best in
tercsts of the State. Every county in the
State is at present represented in the Acad-
envy, and the number of cadets would be
much larger were it not that the standard of
scholarship, which the system in its thor
oughness demands, annually depletes the
ranks of the classes.
| The course of instruction embraces a thor
ough and comprehensive scheme of studies,
such as addresses itself to the needs of the
State, especially in the sphere of technical
and industrial training. Nor should 1T be
overlooked that the military regulation and
discipline which lie at the foundation Of this
institution are valuable agencies in the
proper moral and physical development OF
the youth Of the State.
The corps of officers and professors, agree
ably to the application Of the Board of Wis
itors, has been reinforced by the addition OF
competent officer of the United States
Army, detailed by direction of the Presi-
dent as Professor of Military Science and
Tactics.
BY virtue of my Office, I have been a
member of the Board of Visitors for the last
two years and have given close attention
| to the affairs of the Academy. am salts
| fed that it has beer conducted with all the
economy consistent with the standard Of
usefulness that has been established, and
that the estimate submitted for the main-
! tenance and education of the beneticlarieS
of the State cannot be safely reduced. If
the full amount of the appropriation asked
for is not granted, some Of the beneficiary
cadets must be dismissed at once. From
the fact that these cadets have entered into
an obligation to teach for two years after
graduation, in the public schools of the
State, it is but due to them that none of the
number be dismissed without fault before
the completion of the course upon which
they have entered.
The wisdom of the Legislators of our State
- L. C4,,k. t{,,xy