The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-03
State Superintendent Education.
TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF RICHMOND


No iinconsidorable part of our recent
stay; ID Richmond was given to close
and patient inspection of the manage
ment and working Of her public schools.
For much Of the information ne derived
we are indebted to Profs. Fox and Pen
dleton, principals respectively OF the
City High School and the Central public
school. To them are we especially in
debted for that degree of patience they
manifested and courteous attention
shown US while. they answered our per-
haps too numerous questions. But we
meant business-we went to learn-and
frankly asked these gentlemen to pardon
what might appear to them to be idle
curiosity, but what was in truth an earn
est desire to learn something of the
school life and policy Of the historic old
city on the James. We propose from
time to time, through the Teachers Col
umn and in the school rooms of Ander-
son County, to give our teachers the
benefit of the Impressions made upon
our mind while witnessing the regular
routine work of the Richmond schools.
To one thoroughly interested in the cause
Of education and charged with the super.
vision of the schools in rural district,
visit to the well,regulated and strongly
manned schools of any city is either
fearfully discouraging or wonderfully
stimulating. Let US pause here long
enough to confess that we cane home
more hopeful. than ever before of the
ultimate success of the schools in Ander-
son County. The cities have plenty
money, the apparent sine qua non, the
"lnbricating juice" as a distinguished
colored divine recently said in address
ing an audience of white people-they
have money-but they have no purer air,
no stronger constitutions, no finer brains
than mark the rural districts all over this
sunny land. Let our people once feel
the need, the imperitive demand for cul-
ture as our brethren in the cities feel it,
and what a revolution we would witness
in the matter of preparing our children
for the duties and responsibilities and the
final issues of life! Our teachers are
just as clear-headed, just as earnest, just
as sincere, just as determined as the
teachers in the cities-what they need is
light; facilities for drawing on the expe.
rience of others. This light must come
through the Teachers Institute. To
hear of how thing may be done is one
thing; to see it done is another. As we
witness the workings of successful
schools, we are more and more convinced
of the genuine wisdom and correctness
of the policy we have adopted and pro.
pose to carry out: teach our teachers
how to teach, and then expect fruitful
and valuable results. Teaching is a
science, teaching is profession, and he
who would climb to the topmost round
of the ladder, he who would win, must
first himself be taught, must sit at the
feet of those who have succeeded.
Outside of the attractions of the Cen.
trail public school of Richmond, the fact
that it occupied the White House of the
Southern Confederacy made it doubly
interesting to us. The spacious halls
that almost quarter of century ago
echoed to the tread Of the Chief Magis-
trate of the proud but sholt- t-lived Repub.
lie are now alive with the music OF
children's voices, who read of her glory
Us thing Of the past and soon to be
forgotten amid the hurry and hustle of
another generation. Some of our readers
will remember, doubtless, that little Joe
Davis, the sou Of the honored President,
lost his life by falling from the back
portico of this building. A visit to tho
different rooms of this historic building
was suggestive of sad thoughts even to
one who was too young to know it CT