The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-08-26
Merging the Military Academy Into
the university.

The opinion Of our respected contem-
porary, the Newberry Observer, that it
would be wise and proper to merge the
Military Academy into the University,
does not strike us with the same force
which it seems to do the Observer.
1t is true we want n great University
in the st, te, beyond which it will not be
necessary to go to complete any cduca.
| ton needed. AS we understand, those
entrusted with this matter are steadily
pursuing that end. Notwithstanding all
the talk about the low standard Of quail
| fication on which students arc admitted
to tho college, we take it, upon the best
of authority, that all that was practical
BILE has been done in this direction.
When the college was first opened, many.
youths applied for admission, who owing
to the hard surroundings of our people,
had not enjoyed such scholastic oppor-
tunities MS could have been wished.
Under the circumstaccs, to have sent
these ycuths.away, would have been to
discourage them and to defeat the very
object Of reopening the State College.
This was to put the opportunities Of
higher education alongside Of every
youth in the State who wanted it. To
make rcquirem ents Of these boys beyond
their opportunities, and turn them away,
was to forego the very purpose Of the
institution. TO admit them where it was
possible, and help them up the rugged
path with tho loving hand of tender,
watchful mother, we humbly submit,
was the better and wiser course.
Nor did this policy in the beginning
at all initiate against building up a
great institution, which would grow in
usefulness and stretch out it's educational
rounds up to the highest standards. 1t
was beginning. The holy Scriptures
itself tells US: ''Despise not the day Of
small things" The child must creep
before it can walk; and the University
unless We have been willfully deceived
has been steadily growingin in usefulness,
whilst it has steadily lifted its standards
OF scholarship from time to time as the
opportunity presented itself.
This much for the University so far as
its scholastic course is concerned. But
the institution has attached to it the
school Of agriculture, where tho oppor-
tunity should be afforded Of educating
our youths in the practice and science
Of sgriculture.. This is one Of the fun
damental propositions of the establish
ment, and it is ono which will be looked
after sharply by the great agricultural
class Of the State. We have heard it
claimed that only three young men have
been graduated in this course. II 80,
whose fault ia it? The graduation Of;
these three means the opportunity for
all who should havo sought the same
course Of instruction. If farmers and
planters sending their sons here preferr-
ed that they should take scholastic
course, to the exclusion of the agricul-
tural, what. was to be done about it Z?
II the young men themselves, with the
permission Of their parents, preferred
the scholastic course, how could the
Professors control it? You NAV lead
horse to water but you cannot make him
drink. archaeological education is new
thing with US. 1t is u yst desirable
thing to establish such schools in con.
nection with our University. We must
bend every effort to bring the public
mind up to n realization of this educa-
tional departure. Here we will find
ample room for NIL the best efforts Of
our State University.
The State Military School, on the 9th
er hand, is very different thing. If it
were only its object to teach boys to be
soldiers, it would be something, in =
country relying on its citizen soldiery
for defense; but as wc all know, this is
by no means the true object sought in
this school. Itis the decipline enforced
in these schools and tie practical course
Of instruction pursued which are chiefly
sought. This school WAS originally in
tended to put that sort of education as
largely alongside Of young men without
the means Of obtaining liberal educa-
ton as possible, whilst it opened the full
opportunity of such course Of instruct
ton Of young men Of better means who
needed or preferred 1t.
The institution was very properly
located in Charleston, where, from the
presence Of large city. population, it
would be put alongside Of more poor
youths needing such an education than
anywhere else in the State. This is
none the less the case to-day.
Not only this; it was best for the
State no, to put all its eggs in one basket.
It was best, all things considered, not to
have only one educational centre, where