The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-09
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF CHARLESTON

The editor Of the Meaos and Courier,
commenting on the closing exercises of
Charleston's public schools, has this to
say:
The Easter holiday of the pupils of
the public schools of the City OF Charles
ton began yesterday, and in the different
schools there were the usual exercises
and the distribution of the premiums to
the leading pupils Of the scholastic year.
The attendance OF relatives and friends
of the pupils at the different schools was
unusually large, and it was more regrst'
ted than ever, that there should not be an
opportunity to bring the school children
and the public face to face, at least ouce
a year. They who now attend the COM
mencement exercises, at the pubic
schools, are necessarily crowded into a
corner of the hall in which the exercises
take place, and there is not room for q
tenth part of those who would wish to be
present. 1t is highly desirable that ar
.rangements shall be made next year to
| have the school exhibitions in such man
ner;that the public will be at liberty to
see the admirable results of the good
work for which the public pay. =.
The public schools constitute a gift
which, for the common good, the whole
community make to the school children.
All the property in the city, OF every
kind, is taxed for the support of the
public schools, and they who have no
children, as well as those who send their
children to schools in other places, pay
their part of the school tax. There is,
therefore, an obligation upon the chill
dren in the public schools to justify the
taxation which is imposed for their
special benefit, which they can justify
fully by assiduity in study, and by "a de.
termination to understand what is taught
them. There is correlative obligation,
on the part of the parents of the school
children, because of the school tax which
they pay, and of the school taxes which
their neighbors pay-the obligation to
take care that the children attend school
regularly, and are not kept away, or
allowed to remain away, for insufficient
reasons. They should likewise show
their personal interest in this matter OF
education. 1t is not always done. The
diaries showing the standing of the
pupils in their studies at the different
schools are sent home every week, and
are required to be signed by the parents
or guardians of the children, who can
make such remarks as they think proper.
The means are given the parents Of
measuring the progress of the pupils, and
of fixing their own responsibilities. II
| is fact, although it will hardly be be-
| lieyed, that in some cases parents are
known to have signed these diaries fol
several weeks in advance, SO that "they
might not be troubled any more about
| it." These parents surely have not re-
fected upon the value of education, OF
| upon the interdependcnce of home life
and school life. The boy or the girl who
is tractable and industrious at school,
may not be so always at home, but it is
safe generally to assume that the home
life will be reproduced at school, anc
that the child who is properly trained Al
the freside will behave we'll in tht
school room.
Charleston has good reason to be prouo
of the condition of the public schools o
the city. They are, we believe, the bes
| in the South. But the world moves, and
| if our schools are unchanged in theil
modes of teaching, they may expect tt
be left behind. It is, therefore, of the
utmost importance to take care, as tht
new Superintendent doubtless will, tina
the schools shall not fall into ruts, bu
shall be kept abreast Of the best methods
and best ways of the times. And whel
we say the best methods and best ways
we mean only those methods and ways
whereby plain but thoroug h rudiment
ary education, at the public expense
shall be given to all children who desire
it. The public schools are no place io
the frills and furbelows of education
The boy or girl who takes the utmost ad
vantage of the opportunities given hin
in the public schools in Charleston has
but the ground work of education. Bu
he can build upon it by his own effor
afterwards or at the expense of hl'