The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-17

Don't be uneasy, my friends; as soon as
We get orders from Columbia to stop the
schools, we will post you.
coMPos1TIoNs.
We give place below to three compo-
sitions written by young men in one OF
the Anderson schools. They were writ
ten in the presence of one of.the teach
ers, and are purely original. The first is
by young man whose home j about
five miles from town. He is County
raised" See what he says:
THE DUTY OF A STATE TO EDUCATE
ITS YOUNG.
A. large proportion of the people of
this country, and especially in our own
State of South Carolina, have no idea of
the Importance of education. ea
The objects Of education are manifold:
Many people get education because it
makes them: more sure Of success in life.
Many have. "a natural thirst for learning
that makes them endure hardship and
priyation, willingly, in order that they
may enter andEexplore the field s1of'
knowledge, and open to their vision-beE-
precious and inexhaustible treasures.
Did I say many2 Alas there are too
few. If there were enough of this class;
I would not be, writing on this subject to.
day. But, surrounded by circumstances
such as they are, I am firm. advocate
ofthe education of the young by the
State.
The parents of the majority of the
youths Of this country are plain and un-'
educated people, who are incapable of
approaching the value Of an education,
aud are not, therefore, disposed to cdu-.
cate their children. They were reared
in tneaaays of slavery when man'sipo.
sition in society was measured BY the
number Of negroes bis father possessed,
instead of being measured by any real
worth Of attainments. Thank God /
those dark days are past now, ard .
brighter period of intellectual light siss
dawning upon our sunny South. tsaiD rs
/ ssy, that because Of the prejudice
that soms ignorant parents have against
education, aud because the. young them
selves, from their inexperience in life,
fail sto appreciate its Importance, it not
only becomes expedient for the State to
takethe matter in hand, but it Is clearly
its duty to do so. The future welfare
aud prosperity Of our country depend, in
very great degree, upon-the education
of her. boys and girls. Then should a
matter Of such grayeimportance be left
to the whims of parents, who, fromtheir
own want of education, are 30 ignorant,
that they "don't see no use in book
larnin"?
Some people are very much opposed
to the idea Of making education com.
pulsory. Yet, if they will only think
they will see that nearly every one who
gets an education at all, receives at least
part of thunder compulsion. What girl
or boy, between the ages Of babyhood
snd sixteen years, would, of their own
accord, ever study anything except mis-.
chief and fun? I hold that education
by compulsion is to be commended. It
is better if there is free will on the part
of the one receiving the education, but
that free will does not come until the
person has arrived at the age of about
sixteen years, and not then without he
mas tasted enough of the bitter roots of
knowledge to realize the sweetness of its
fruits. ,a go: ). -, 80. 4
I suppose some objections might be
made to this. plan efseducation by the
State, but they, sink into insigni6cance
when we consider the importance of.uni-
yersal education. Perhaps some onesays
thestate cannot aford.to make the ex-'
penditure Of money necessary TO support
such system. Stop, my friend /! use
your common sense little. The money
which the youth, of this country throw
away through their ignorance, with its
companions-folly and craftsmanship
diciously expended, would be sufficient
to educate every boy and girl in the land.
The monster, war, has swept over the
South, devastated her fair fields, and left
herst-uggling in want and misery: But
God has again blessed our dear home,
and again she has bloomed forth with all
her original freshness and vigor. But,
alas though she is everywhere crowned
with peace and plenty, her youths con-
tinue to grow up in vice and ignorance.
Citizens of South Carolina, arouseI
Your duty to your country demands that
Won should act in the matter. Will You
let the youths of our State grow up in
ignorance, when you have power to in.
s!itute a system of schools that sciN Sc
cure their education? Will you allow
them to sink into sin, misery, poverty
and werthlessness, when you have the
power 10 develop them physically, men
tally and morally? Will you permit
them to sink into obscurity, when you
have power to send them forth into the
world like brilliant lights, proclaiming
by their attainments the worth of knowl.'
edge? believe this subject is destined
to be much discussed by the politicians
of this country, and may God speed the
day.
Let the State tax the citizens to get
the money necessary to educate the
young, and then make education com.
pulsory. What wrong can there be in
Il.k an,,o1 kbn -, oox,