The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-04
Fund to dispose of the large amount of
land on the Forfeited Land Record, and
recommend that such legislation be had
as will accomplish this object.
TAX LAWS.

as Will accomplish this object.
| TAX LAWS.
| lnasmuch as Commission has beer
appointed to revise the tax laws Of the
State and report more suitable system
OF assessment and taxation, / shall moi
attempt to make suggestions on the sub
Ject. The report of the Commission will
| be submitted TO the General Assembly Il,
this session. / concur, however, in the
| recommendation of the Comptroller Gen.
eral as to q change in the time Of taking
returns and of collecting the taxes and
II consistent with the general scheme oi
| such tax laws as may be passed at this
session, !! recommend its adoption
would ask your careful attention Ia
the full and able Report OF the Comptrol.
!er 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 improvement in
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,O2S
white pupils, and l0l ,59l colored, making
total of 1860, an increase of 1854
pupils over the large enrolment of the
previous year. According to tho calcu.
lations of the Superintendent this enroll
ment is found TO be 65 per cent. of the
total school population or stated accord :.
ing to race, 823 per cent. of the white.
and 5f 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 ia
$50; 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 $47l ,17l.19; for 1928 it was $5l7,-
937.27. The amoun, for 1883-S4 cannot
be definitely ascertained until the final
accounting of the County Treasurers next
April, but there is every reason 70 be-
lleve that 1t will exceed that OF tine pre-
cedinng year. Most of the School Com.
mlssloners 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
lnaugurated in 1880. The comp,rte and
suggestive report Of DR.. L. 8. 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 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 / 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 80 guarded as to prevent the
possibility of unjust and burdensome tax.
alton, aud to protect fully the rights of
property against encr0achment. 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 Ior 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
no more State control than is necessary
to secure the harmonious and orderly
working of the System. Experience in
other States has shown that local manage.
ment ID the vital principle of we'll organ.
lied public school system, and that
without 1t all that is most essential for
the full development Of any scheme OF
poohS SuuSatiOu Will u6 3USL.
One of the pressing wants in our
school system is for good high schools.
The only plan which can suggest by
which euch schools can be supplied is to
supplement the State school tax By local
levies.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
The University of South Carolina, as a.
present constituted, comprises the Claflin
College, for colored students, at Orange.
burg the South Carolina Military Acad.
emY, at Charleston, and the South Caro-.
lima College, at Colunbia.
CLAFLIN COLLEGE.
No report Of the operations of this Col.
iege for the last session has been made to
me, but have no reason to doubt that
the work done last year compares well
with that of former years. Under the
able and efficient management of the Rev
E. Cooke, D. D., this Institution has &C.
complished much good for the youth who
have had the benefit Of its Instruction
and through them the improvement ol
the colored race in this State.
THE MILITARY ACADEMY.
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
1t exhibits a high.grade scientific and
practical school, the curriculum of which
is thoroughly pursued.
Thio institution was reopened on Oc
tober !, 1882, since which time il ha,
been in active and regular operation. One
hUnd rod md ehivfo-af,vht ~ IL.