The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-04
ANDERSON. c. THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 4, 1884

Fund to dispose of the large amount ot
land on the Forfeited Land Record, and
I recommend that such legislation be had
as will accomplish this object.
TAX LAWS.
| Inasmuch as Commission has been
appointed to revise the tax laws of the
State and report more suitable system
of assessment and taxation, I shall not
attempt to make suggestions on the sub.
ject. The report of the Commission will
be submitted to the General Assembly at
this session. | concur, however, in the
recommendation of the Comptroller Gen.
eral as to change in the time of taking
returns and of collecting the taxes; and
if consistent with the general scheme of
such tax laws as may be passed at this
session, recommend its adoption.
/ would ask your careful attention to
the full and able Report of the Comptrol.
Ter General, which contains much useful
information and makes many val.
liable suggestions touching the impor-
tant department of the State government
under his charge.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Report of the Superintendent of
Education shows marked improvementin
the general condition of the public
schools. Notwithstanding the existence
of many causes tending to impede the
work during the last year, very decided
advances have been made. There were
enrolled in the public schools 84,028
white pupils, and l01 ,591 colored, making
a total of 1868, an increase of 1854
pupils over the large enrolment of the
previous year. According to the calcu.
iations of the Superintendent, this enroll
ment is found to be IS per cent of the
total school population; or stated accord.
ing to race, 824 per cent. of the white,
and 56 1.9 per cent of the colored chill
dren 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, 213. The
school fund is also increasing with the
enhancement of property values. The
total available school fund for 1882
was $47l, ,171.19; for 1928 it was $517,-
93727. The amount for 1883-84 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 pre-
ceding year. Most of the School Com
missioners report better teachers, better
school houses and greater interest in
education on the part of the people.
These results, in the opinion of the Su-
perintendent of Education, are largely
the outcome of the Normal Institute work
inaugurated in 1880. The complete and
suggestive report of DR.. Z. S. Joynes,
which forms part of the Superinten.
dents Annual Report, gives broad,
comprehensive view of the educational
forces brought into play through these
Institutes. 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 1 commend to your earnest
consideration. Among them is one ask
ing the enactment of law giving, under
certain restrictions, the power to cities,
towns and incorporated villages to levy
local taxes for the support of public
schools. The power to levy local school
taxes, when conferred by The Legislature,
should be so guarded as to prevent the
possibility of unjust and burdensome tax.
alton, and to protect fully the rights of
property against encroachment Several
acts have been passed from time to time
giving to special communities the right
to.levy such taxes. The uniform success
which has attended the working 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 educa.
ton can only attain the highest results
through local support and local control
of the schools The local governments,
reaching as they do most closely to the
homes of the people, can best be entrust.
ed with the care of the educational inter-
ests of their respective communities.
In giving further shape to our educa.
tional work, we should not overlook the
Importance of attaching to it that feature
which puts the management of the
schools almost wholly in the hands of
local authorities. The best government
for the schools is that of the people, with
tot 30
to secure the harmonious and orderly
working of the system. Experience in
other States has shown that local manage
ment is the vital principle Of we'll organ.
lied public school system, and that
without it all that is most essential for
the full development of any scheme of
public education will be lost.
One of the pressing wants in our
school system is for good high schools.
The only plan which 1 can suggest by
which such schools can be supplied is to
supplement the State school tax by local
leyies.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
The University of South Carolina, as at
present constituted, comprises the Clafin
College, tor colored students, at Orange
burg; the South Carolina Military Acad.
emy, at Charleston, and the South Caro-
lima College, at Columbia.
CLAFL1N COLLEGE.
No report of the operations of this 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 the Rev.
E. Cooke, D. D., this institution has ac-
complished much good for the youth who
have had the benefit of its instruction,
and through them the improvement of
the colored race in this State.
THE MILITARY ACADEMY.
I ask to call your attention specially
to the Report of the Board of Visitors Of
that branch of the University known as
the South Carolina Military Academy.