The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-18
THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL.
DR.. wADDELL AS A TEACHER AND AS A
SCHOLAR.

SCHOLAR.
An "Ardent DiseipIe' Gives Some
Historical Facts fn Reference to
this Celebrated School.
Editor Press and Banner:
I find In the columns Of your paper Of July
7th, an article, written 1t would seem from its
tone and temper, for the purpose OF disparag.
ing Dr. Waddell and his celebrated school at
Wellington, one of the most famous and sucs
cessful teachers ever Known in this country,
IL we are to judge by the number of distin-
guished men, who received their Academic
training under h i'm, rs we'll as by the number
of less extensively known, more humble; but
nevertheless useful citizens, who were once
his pupils. Many Of the latter, although "un-
known to fan1e" exerted Il powerful Influence
telligent portion of the District. To the forih-
er was South Carol ma greatly indebted for the
high position which she once occupied among
the States OF the Union.
1t Is far from my intention to utter word
in dctraction Of the teachers mentioned In
your article Some have done and arc still
doing useful work, and many of their pupils
have been an honor to them, and to the State,
but when you make unfnir and unjust com.
parisons between any OF these teachers, ana
their pupils, and DIR. Waddell and his pupils,
l must enter protest, particularly when such
comparisons are made to the disadvantage OF
the latter,
To what legend is 1t that you refer as hav-
Ing been ESQ often repeated by Judges, litera.
ry speakers and orutors that the people know
1t by heart, notwithstanding the fact that all
such statements or differences, are subject to
q thousand disprovals by tangible facts and
by volumes OF indisputaole evidence, yet
strange as 1t may appear no man has ever cor
rected these statements"
Strange indeed, passing strange, that 1t was
reserved for the editor Of the Press and Ban,
ner to correct the "error Of these statements"
hnnn f,,r three
Speakers a and orators,S during i the lifetime Of
those most deeply interested In their c0rrec-
tion, and at n time when the tangible facts
by which to disprove them were more aecess-
bic than they are to the editor Of the Press
and Banner. You charge Col. Harry Ham
mond with slack of correctness in histori-
cal facts" which, yon say, "it Is presumed ne
intended to perpetrate IN his excellent histo-
ry Of South Carolina in men tionlng the VIII
lington Academy as conducted by Ilr. Wau-
Col. Hammonds statement that "the, wild
woods OF the Savannah resouptled with the
echoes of Homer and Virgil, and Cicero and
Horace, as the winged words Issued from the
| lips Of this venerable preceptor or his ardent
disciples.' Wherein has Col. Hammond been
guilty Of 'incorrectncss In historical factS'
let me ask2 Has he misstatcd them? Or
does his great sin consist in his eulogiztng the
renowned teacher Dnd his ardent disciples?
Has such praise repeated as II has been FOR
more than half century by "Judges. literary
speakers, and orators become unpleasant
Does 1t suggest silent comparisons ?
ed Of hearing Aristides called ''The Just and
he was baniShcd.
Yon say that "the story of Dr.. Waddelrs
school Is always incomplete without refer
ence to Geo. McDulfle whose name Is men-
toned In religious respect, not only for his
greatness but fOr the honor Of Ids teacher, and
after his name y half dozen other lesser Lights
are usually tackled on as n tail to the kite,'
"a nSSprt
and as great men who were taught by james
L. Lesley" Us were ever taught by DR.. Wad
dell.
Ing historical facts" because he Onhlts to men
ton of any other school excepting DIR. Wad-
dells, but have you not been guilty OF great
cr pcrversion of historical facts, not only In
MAX Ing the charge against Col. Hammond
which is not true as he does mention several
other schools In the county besides DR.. Wadr
dell's, but In trying 10 make IT appear that
Or. Wa,ldclls fame as teacher rests alone,
upon his having taught McDuilie.
Or. Waddells fame as teacher does not
rest upon the reputation OF any one pupil. III
so other names I'M distinguished as McDufhe
have chrOriclcd the pupils taught by Mr.. Les
Icy whom ii is claimed by you was "a greater
teacher than DIR. Waddel ever was" and you
assert that You "can name as many and rs
great men who were taught by the former as
were taught by the latter" Now for the proof
You have published Your roll and although
com parlsons are OdiouS. / Will accept your
challenge and leave it to an unprcjadiccd pub
lie 10 decide
From among the names Of DR.. Waddell's s
pupils I'll mention VIM. II. Crawford OF Geor-
gIa, Eldrcd Simkins and John c: CALHOUN,
then n few years after these come w. d. Mar
tin Judge and NJ. c.: James l.. PettigrnJ tne
eminent lawyer; Andrew Govnn, NJ C.;
Hugh S. Lcgare, NJ. e.. Attorney General,
Du1fle, NJ c., Governor, United States Sena-
tor; George II. Ttliman, NJ. G. and Governor,
Georgia; George Carey, NJ. G., Georgia; John
Walker, NJ G., Alabama; Henry ". Collier,
Crawford, NJ. G; and Governor, Georgia; Pat.
Judge; +. il. Wardiaw, Chancellor; A. B.
Longstreett, Judge, President Of Oxford Col,
lastly the inlmitaible Ned Bruce OF the "Geor.
gia Scenes" Do you cali all OF these small
lights? even lesser than - McDutfe? Are
there not many even In the above iist - before ore
palcs? How many colleges are there that
can boast such an array Of great names upon
the roll of their Alumni? Some OF them
huvc made regulations not confined TO the
American Continent, and will you compare
any pupil ever taught by any of the teachers
named by you to some Of these? In trib,
ute to DR.. Waddel one Of his distinguished
this man have gone forth one Vice President,
and many Foreign and Cabinet ministers,
and Senators, Congressman, Governors
Judges, ITcStuclltS ttuu 1IOleSSOES VI SOiICSS',
eminent dvines, barristers, jurists. legisla,,
torsJ physicians, scholars, military and naval
officers"
Are all these statements and differences sub
ject TO- a thousand dSprovais by tangible
facts and volumes Of indisputable evidence
If so, call upon you to disprove thcm.. You
have undertaken to do so, and after volunta-
riy assuming the responsibility you will be
expected to do it. Although. as you have
said, these statements have been "repeated
by Judges, literary speakers and orators, un-
TIL the public know them by heart" still no
deny them. You have given the names OF
EIdred Simpkins wasa pupil of Or. Waddells s
and John e.. Calhoun, long before Mr.. I.esly
was born. Whitfield Brooks, father OF Hon.
Preston S., was IL student in the South Caro-.
lima College In 1912, also before or near about
the time Mr.. Lesly was born. T. Z. Perrin
was in College in 1896, six years In advance OF
Mr.. Lesly who was In the class OF 1882. w. G.
Moragne went to College from the Wilmington
school with p. 5. Brooks and Ii. G.. Middleton
with whom he roomct so the latter informed
me. Mr.. Editor, when your Hist is reduced TO
lis proper length, some of the most inpor-
tant and prominent names are lost to the tail
of Your elaborate kite. So, Mr.. Editor, you
must reconstruct II. Another error into
which you have fallen Is in the statement
made Gy you that "ubout the same time that
DR.. Waddcll taught his famous school OF VIII
linGton there was institution Of learning ut
Due West presided over by such as the Press
Tvs and Ioungs." From tho year lSO6 to
1SlOn snyS tho author To whom ain indebted