The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-18
THE SCHOOL And The STATE.
WHEN THEY ARE SEPARATED, THE
vExED EDUCATIONAL QUESTION
MAY REST ON A PROPER AND
SOLID FOUNDATION.
The Good and Honest &idi III. Browne
. Gives Our School System II Few
Solid Knocks which are Worthy Of
Consideration.
Christian Neighbour.

When Education and the state are sseparat-
ed form each o~thcr-when the State has no
more to do with educating white or colored,
rich or DOOR than it has with furnishing them
perplexing and unsettled question of "Educa-
ton" rest on u proper and solid foulldat'on:
When this shall have been done, the way VIII
he open for building up educational establish
ments on a Just, equitable and permanent bal
sis. Although according to the present sys,
tenn, some receive the benefit of the free
tuition who paid tax. thus receiving some
thing, but it is not so, anu cannot be so, 3y
all, The system is unequal, unjust, costly,
and far short of justifying results. The
amount Of tax paid, compared with the bene-
tit received by the taxpayers is unequa'-
some receiving more, some less, that is cor
respondent, ands0me who may pay large tax
receiving no benefit at all.
Admitting that all this is, with taxpayers,
inseparable from the present system, the pro,
fessed object of free tui.ion-the benefit OIL
the poor-is attained in quite Il limited and
Scanty measure. If the ."free" tuition tund
were applied exclusively and economically to
relieved of one prime objectionable feature.
But some rich or able come in and get thelr
share of n feast prepared pr"fes<edly Tor "tne
poor" And moore; q largely excessive Pro
protion of the "frce' tuition is appropriated
in such q way as to make 1t next to lnprac'
ticable for any besides the rich or the able to
get any benefit from such appropriation. ms
reference is to the South Carolina College.
Such inequality and ~injustic are inseparable
from the present arrangene
1t is in place to inquire what better system
can take the place of that which now obtains?
Answer, respectfully: Relcgate the entire mat
Ter Of education to individual, family, philanl'
thropic and corporation enterprise and effort,
the same as is done with procuring shoes.
clothing. hats, hominy and heaping up OF
treasure. Thus will the way be open for boys
and girls of themselves to make something OF
themselves and feel justly eirindependence.
And occasion may not be wanting among
Others of the poor for practical philanthro-
ply by those who would help the poor at their
own cost. The common and the poor people
of the State have had quite enough of theo-
retical, rostrum and legislative philanthropy
Mt the cost of other people. Further: why
should not a rich or able family educate their
own children at their own cost. the same as
they feed and clothc them at their own en-
pense? What would such parents and sons
and daughters say if 1t were made puDllc lhaI
their clothing. &c, were obtained at the cN-
pense of the State, supposing such 10 be a
fact? =,
Still further: Whatan inviting field would
he opened to the churches and to voluntary
corporations to establish, schools, academies
and colleges. Then, If philaEthropiStS,
churches and corporations so choose, thcy,
can give aid to the worthy poor, and such ala
will be entitled to be called free in sense OF
truth, eqaity and charity.