Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-07-02

lie as special pleader whose dependence IS
upon his rhetoric rather than his facts.
The board, it seems, adopted novel way
of getting the information they desired as
to the efficiency Of the College. They first
inquired of the faculty as to the conduct OF
the students and then of the students as to
the conduct of the faculty. They seem to
have been mutually satisfied with one an
other. After this statement Mr.. Capers
said:
81 call this splendid record. Ought not
this to be enough to satisfy the friends of
the College? Allow me to assure you that
they are satisfied. But unhappily there are
among the people of this State some who
are your enemies. The opposition to the
College is formulated on these two hypothe-
ses: First, that the College is not in adj
vance of our denominational colleges in
its curriculum of studies and the advanta-
ges it offers, and is therefore not entitled to
the support of the State. Second, that it is
the rival of its sister institutions in South
Carolina and injurious to them. AS to the
first charge a careful comparison has been
made of the catalogues of sixteen colleges
in the South, including all the State insti-
tutions and the denOminatiOnat colleges OF
South Carolina, and it has been found that
the standards of admission and graduation
very best Southern college. From this
comparison only Johns Hopkins Universi-
ty is excepted. That is SUI ge,leris and COM
mands special funds. This is broad asser-
tion, but it is the simple fact. Your stand
ards are just as high as the best of them.
AS high as the universities of Virginia, OF
North Carolina, of Georgia, or of Alabama" ."
If Mr.. Capers meant to declare that the
actual requirements for admission and grad
uation in the South Carolina College are as
high as those in such institutions as the
University of Virginia, he has either been
imposed upon himself or he is attempting
to impose upon others. No one who knows
Mr.. Capers can suppose for a moment that ne
meant to deceive any one. He has, there.
fore, been led astray by comparison OF
catalogues, and not comparison of work
or actual facts. AS we'll try to compare the
speed Of.two horses by comparing their size
and color. From Saturday morning til!
Monday night ought to have been sufficient
time for the absurdity Of such position to
the South Carolina College as Mr.. Capers
I commend to Mr.. Capers and those who
think with him the following quotation
from a paper on Southern Colleges and
Schools of DIR. Charles F. Smith, of Wander
bilt University, published in the Atlantic
Monthly for October, 1884. The whole Of
that wholesomely truthful article might be
read to profit by our people. DR.. Smith
says: "a professor in a small Southwest
ern College once gravely informed me thai
the course in Latin in his college was higher
than that in the University of Virginis
and proved it by his catalogue" That j:
the proof Mr.. Capers offers for his "broac
assertion" and the conclusion is as gooo
in the one case as the other. 1t would ap
pear from what is here stated that the
South Carolina College is far in advance
of the denominational colleges of the State
for not one of them claims to have "stan
dard just as high as the University OF Vlr
ginia." Now what is the fact as to the com
parative standard of these colleges? A stu
dent from Wofford, Erskine, Furman Oh
Newberry who brings from the faculty O.
either of these colleges certificate OF gooc
standing in any class can enter the same
class in the South Carolina College without
examination. But hear again:
"As to the range of studies our univer
sity offers thirty-four subjects of study anc
investigation, and this is greater number
than is offered by any other Southern col
lege except the University Of Arkansas
AS to thoroughness we have forty y-six class
es for recitation. Only one other Southern
institution has as many, and that is tht
University of Georgia, and our list does no
include the sub-collegiate of professional
classes, and this work is done by eight pro
fessors and four tutors, at a cost of $25,O00
of which only SIT 800 is paid by the State
Think of it! Could Sl7,5OO be applied to
nobler purpose, better use, a more sub
stantial result? The education of th'
hearts and minds of two hundred young
South Carolinians. The
old college, our pride and glory, had sixty
four hours of recitation week against 0ul
one hundred and thirty-one and half. |
had twenty-five subjects of study Versu!
our thirty-four. The board of trustees have
had an eye to progress. If science has ad
vanced so has your College advanced. l
literature has progressed so has your Col
lege progressed I have proved, l think
that the first hypothesis is untenable:"
Now, this is extensive work. How in
tensive is it? Eight professors and four tu
tors for lone hundred and thirty-one and
half hours for recitation week, forty-slA
classes and thirty-four subjects of study
Surely "the board of trustees have ar
eve to progress" Is there an educator ir
South Carolina who knows anything o.
how college work ought to be done to whom
this statement in praise of the college does
not appear ridiculous? / make no doubt
there were members Of the faculty Gf they
were present) who were laughing in theil
sleeves while these facts were being brough,
forward.
In speaking of the second ground Of op'
position to the State College Mr.. CaperS
says:
GAS to the second, good many good and
true men in this State who love their church
es and colleges, believe that this South Car.
olina College is injurious to her younger
sisters, but l am sorry to say that there are
people in this State who make the charge
tiippantly, without care for its truth, or who
press it in their demagogy. There is moth
ing so potent, so sure to conquer in South
Carolina as truth When it is earnestly, at:
fectionately, sincerely put forward it will
always triumph in this State. There is a
rivalry which is good for US all. 1t excites
to effort. 1t urges to higher achievements,
1t elevates and diffuses nobler spirit. II
absolutely creates q demand for education
Such a rivalry may be engendered by the
reopening Of this old institution, but no
other.
"What are the facts? These: Since the
rehabilitation of the South Carolina Co..
lege the attendance on tne QenOmlndtlOHal
colleges has increased. get this fact from
your president who bases it on a careful ex-
animation of the catalogues of these colleges.
l can speak myself for Furman University,
which has in five or six years almost doub-
led it's attendance, and the same may be
said for the colleges at Due West. The eff.
forts of the friends of the denominational
colleges have since the reopening of this in
stitution positively doubled on account OF
this good rivalry which have admitted" ."
This is very good rhetoric, but what OF
"the facts ?" Prof. Cook, of Furman Uni
versity, in an article in the Greenville News,
shows that Mr.. Capers is wholly mistaken