The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-31
THE WHITE HALL SCHOOLS,
VARIOUS WRONGS" ENUMERATED,

VARIOUS WRONGS" ENUMERATED,
The School Commissioner Points Ont
Various Errors Into Which the Ed
itOr OF the "Press and Banner -
Has Fallen.
ABBEvILLE, s. c., March %, 1885,
In reference to the W hite Hall schools please
publish the following brief statements In re.
ply to your report as far as 1t concerns myself,
You say: 1--WE discaaim any intention to DO
any wrong y We merely wished to be
convinced of our error" I think can con;
vince you or any fair minded man OF several
"er,ors' In your report. and show YOU many
instances where you have done me the Coun,
White Hall township grievous ''aavng.''
/. In places too numerous to mention you
did wrong" in using school Commlssloner,'
instead Of County Board OF Examiners. ts,
peclally is this unjust when the appeal and
the reply thereto are both directed properly
"7o tie County Board Of Examiners Of A6oe-
w. ;. You did wrong" in publishing the pri.
vatc letter of Capt. Carwile to me against my
earnest protest, verbal and written, when you
were in formed that the letter formed no part
of the proceedings in the appeal, and that all
the matter contained In the letter was found
8. You did "wrong' in using misleading
"hcad.lines." because it will be seen by an inn
partial and disinterested investigation that
the action of the County Board OF Examiners
haf ssSoS sh That V
have acted rs conscientious "public servants"
so as, in our opinion, .'best to promote the ed
ucational interest of the district" We recog-
nize the impracticability of opening tree
public school at every mans door or on every
mans plan ntati0n.
4. You did wrong" in supposing that the
School Commissioner had any "rnhng 10
make without consultation with the other
members Of the County Board of Examiners.
5. You did ..wrong" in mlstaking the off-
cial courtesy and inpartiality of the School
Com missioner for n Favorable dec1siOn: Es-
pecially is this unfair when You, and all 9th
ers concerned in this appeal were informed,
over and over, that the School Commissioner
would not "intimaie q decision without COLI
sultation with the County Board and then we
would decide the case on its merits.
School Commissioner denied any body a fair
claim" The "claim" referred to was "denied"
by the County Board of Examiners, and we
assert emphatically that we believe honestly
the educational interest Of White Hall town.
I. You did wrong" in insinuating that
three honorable men, from three honorable
ed to give 'Justice' because you "neg gected to
employ a lawyer to present your case -.
S. We believe that you did not do wrong"
when you intimated "on behalf or the pat
ever" should attach to the County Board Of
Examiners.
0. You did wrong" when you insinuate
that our decision WIS made "without 1nVestl-
eation," when we made the fullest and ireest
before an appellate tribunal (as our Beard
waS) without original Jurisdiction.
10 You did wrong when you, "distrust.
ing your own ability TO give fair Judgment
as to the merits" Of the case, printed so
''mnch bet,ceen the lines" that was really out
ii. You did "wrong when you say that
1.-THE trustees, In their official capacity, used
that the trustees did not intend to be offensive
nor does their language bear such constluc-
ton.
l2. You did "wrong" in saying that the
"School Commissioner put us To great unnec-
essary trouble and Inconvenience In Conduct
ing this appeal" What the school Commits
siOner required of all concerned was in con.
formity t0 the requirements of the law. and
was absolutely necessary for proper decision
in the case The unnecessary trouble and in
of which you complain was
wholly voluntary on the part of yourself ana
the friends OF the new school resulting from u
Is. You did wrong" In saying that the
School Commissioner did not inform himself
as to the merits OF the case, and that he turn
ed a deaf ear to your just complaint. All the
papers and circumstances In the case 90 to
show low untrue these bald assertions are.
The "complaint" and the "reply" will indi-
cate to the diSimterested reader whether our de
cisiOn was Just" Our own cOnsciences tell
us we were honest i'm our decision. and that
ton OF both sides of the question.
II. You did "wrong"-a very grevous
wrong-to the School Commissioner in his
honest endeavor to promote, in every way.
I 70 nj hk. schools
and unkind criticism Is read in the light Of
"Section 10TH of your "appeal," uDleSS 1t Is
meant fortto use your head !ines) "taffy FOR
the School Commissioner" Here are your
words referred to: "Ihdt zee haze on, dbiding
faith in yosu' disposition to increase the efficiency
of the schools. and TO promote alike the i,1est Of
GlN in property rearing and educdftng our chtt.
dren, and in n.dking during The short period that
they may be under our CONTROL as positive deuet-
opme,ts for naetr good US our circumstances. can
admit
Is. You did wrong in bringing your con-
temporaries, the Messenger and Medium, into
this matter without any provocation.
16. You did wrong" ito put it mildly
when you Intimate that the School Com mis-
sioner said that distance would have moth
Ing to do with our decision" / ask yourself
lshed table OF diSta noes furnished by two
trustworthy gentlemen with the 7th section OF
the appeal" 1t reads this way: "1hat IL is
not Of the dixtdnoe but the natural obstacles tha
eSSoe
side of Hard Labor creek that ,Ue complain"
II. You did "wlong," Il do not say THAT 1t
was Intentional, however much it may appear
SOY in reporting that you got from my office
the fact (s,.c;,lled) that there were only tDo
white schools in White Hall township. I
gave you the names of four schools located in
the township and several just on the line. !
gave you the names of Mr.. V. Griffin and
Misses Ross, kclar and Morrow. reported
from "White Hall township" gave you the
names OF the teachers who were paid out of
the White Hall school fund, stating that I
could not inform you whether some Of the
names were iu the township or just over the
line.
Is. You did "wrong' to the School Commits
sioner, the County Board of Examiners, the
local trustees and yourself in many other
particulars, but knowing the QuiXetic pro.
cliviteS of the Press and Banner. and that 1T
has cultivated malignant and sens0rtaus
spirit so long that it will "find fault with a
rose and growl at the sunshine" will make
no further corrections.
GEO. c. HODGES;
School Commissioner y. g.
IN REPLY TO HON. D. W. AIKEN. .
Hon. A. p. Butler Gives His Views,