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

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That the general business depression and
gloomy agricultural outlook in'so many
counties of the State have affected the at
| tendance SO little, is as surprising as 1T IS
encouraging to the friends of the College.
The work of reorganization has been rap
idly perfected. The courses Of study offered
by the institution are comprehensive and
varied, and the instruction afforded thor
ough and progressive. The discipline is
good, the bearing of the students admirable,
and the relations existing between them
and the faculty kindly and harmonious.
The requirement for admission, at first ju-
diciOusly conformed to the educational ne
cessities of the State, are being steadily adj
vanced, and the standards for graduation,
as high as those which obtain in the major
ity of the leading colleges of the country,
are rigidly enforced. While loyal to the
traditions of the past, and therefore deslr0us
of maintaining its reputation in the lmpor-
tant department of classical learning, the
authorities have wisely determined to adapt
the college to the circumstances OF our peo-
pie and to the activities and the demands OF
the present day. During the last session the
courses intended to prepare young men Tor
the learned professions, for scientificpursuits
and for the ordinary business avOcatiOns OF
life have been extended and improved, and
new courses of instruction in law, in the
science and art of teaching, in physiology
and pharmacy added. The scientific teach
ing is not confined to theoretical instruction
in the class room. Thorough and systemat-
ic drill in the laboratory and field is offered
in surveying and engineering in general,
and in agricultural chemistry, in mineraio-
gy, in botany and in pharmacy. The series
of experiments made by the agricultural
department during the year is extensive and
valuable, and the results will be given to the
public this winter. That the influence of
the college is already felt in our educational
affairs, is shown by the fact that of the
twenty-fOur graduates sent out last year,
thirteen, or more than fifty per cent, are
now engaged in the work of teaching.
The organization and work of the college
are beginning to attract the favorable no
tice of the leading educators of the South.
A distinguished college president predicts
that "this work will soon place South Caro-
lima in the lead among the Southran States
in university education"
What has been already accomplished
gives abundant promise that the future OF
the institution will be in every way worthy
of it's past, and that it will, as in former
years, repay the liberal support and pat
ronage of the State by equally liberal
returns. TO the value and largeness OF
these returns many of the most distinguish
ed among my predecessors in office have
borne willing and eloquent testimony-tes-
timony with which every one at all conver-
SAINT with the history Of the State is ia
miliar.
TO dwell upon the many beneficial results
which can, with confidence, be expected to
follow from the establishment of the Uniyer-
sity of South Carolina in all its branches
upon a safe and permanent foundation, or
to press upon the General Assembly the
Importance ofaccording to it liberal support,
is surely unnecessary at this time, when
our political skies are SO bright with prom
Use, when hope and confidence have return
ed to our people, when loyalty to the past
and proper regard for the future, when the
teachings of experience and the best philos-
ophy of the day, when enterprise, progress
and true wisdom all demand that our insti-
tutiuns of higher educations should be hon
Ored and cherished as a certain means OF
advancing the material, the moral and in
tellectual interests of the citizens of this
Commonwealth.
The reports to be submitted to you will
give full estimates of the amounts required
to support the different branches Of the
University during the year. / would ear
nestly recommend that such appropriations
| be made as may be necessary to maintain
! their usefulnessand to promote and increase
their efficiency.
The Governor next reviews the opera
tions for the past year of the Institution for
the education of the deaf and dumb and
the blind, to which department. for color
ed pupils has been opened and is in success
full operation; and he recommends such ap-
proprations for the repair of the buildings
and the support of the Institution as is ask
ed for by the board of commissioners.
In reference to the Lunatic Asylum he
says the report of the Superintendent shows
that the number of patients at the begin
ming Of the last fiscal year was COB number
admitted, 293; readmitted, 8; making the
whole number under treatment during the
year 9Ol. The number Of inmates at the
close of the year, G2S, was diminished by
remanding 33 imbeciles to the care of their
respective Comfy Commissioners, as author
lied by Section 1895 Of the General Statutes.
The average number of patients was 66
more than in the year previous. The sani-
tary condition of the institution has been
highly commended by the State Board of
Health 1t appears that the number of COL
ored patients is 50 steadily increasing, that
they will, probably, in few years, consti-
tute a majority of the inmates of the insti-
tuition. The policy of providing for them
| in separate buildings, or, possibly, in sepa-
rate institutions, on economic or other
grounds is commended to the serious con-
sideration of the General Assembly. The
per cttDid cost of maintenance has been re-
duced from Sl4G.54 last year to $l42.7S this
year, and the estimates for the support of
! the Asylum for all purposes are less by
! 50, ,4S2 05 than the amount appropriated last
year.
The Governor next refers to the report
of the board of directors Of the Pententia-
ry, from which it appears that the number
| of COnVictS on the 3lSt OF October last was
95G, an increase Of 60 over the correspond
ing period of last year. OF this number
S56 we're colored males, 3S colored females,
GO white males and 2white females. The
work of completing the North wing of the
prison has been pressed forward as rapidly
as possible, and a large workshop similar to
the one now in use is in the course of cree
ton. Until the North wing is finished it
will be impossible to provide Accommodations
within the walls of the prison for all the
convcts now undergoing sentence.
The plan of hiring convicts to contractors
| to be worked without the supervision of the
officers of the prison is open to many and
serious objections. Whenever employed
under contract they should have the super
vision of officers who have the vigilance,
Judgment, and skill in the management Of
large bodies of cOnvictS which can be at
tained only by experience and secured only
by official responsibility. In no other way
can the great object Of prison liscipline-the
reformation of criminals-be promoted.
The Penitentary is now not only self-sus-
tanning, but is source of revenue to the
State. With continued good management
the income from this source will increase.
The cash receipts for the last fiscal year
were S75,0S3.22; the disbursements, S74,-