The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-08-08

teachers in the public schools have no
time to do this. That system is all
machinery, and the teachers have all they
can do to keep up with it.
Under the old system it was an ilnpor-
tant consideration whether the teacher
had gift for teaching and liking for
the calling. But now the sole question
is one of scholarship. The examining
board write out so many questions, and
the candidates write out the answers, and
that settles it. If an applicant fails to
tell that it was Andrew Jackson who first
promulgated the doctrine of "to the victor
belongs the spoils," she is marked down
point or two, although she may be the
best teacher in the school. Then, again,
the time and the place of writing out the
answer is too severe a trial to those who
are nervous and not always aelf-possessed.
A sensitive young lady might be ever SO
good scholar, and she could not do
herself justice under such surround.
ings.
And then the books-the beautiful
books-was there ever an age in which
the children had so many attractive
school books? 1t makes US wish that We
were children again. What wonld we
have given for such readers and geogra-
phies and histories? How we would
have feasted upon the beautiful pictures
I yeEily believe that the average boy or
girl could, with these books, and q little
help from father or mother, get good
education at home; and there is really
no use for school or a teacher except aa
perouader, that is all. I believe that
two or three young girls could get
together by night out doors, under the
starry heavens, and learn for themselves
everything that is in Mrs. Bowen's as.
tronomy. II is splendid work and ne
are pround of her as Georgia woman,
and proud of Professor Derry and Pro.
fessor Sanford and Miss Fields, all from
Georgia, whose books are growing into
popularity. Ofcourse We prefer southern
books to northern, especially the histories.
It is just impossible for northern man
to write fair, impartial history Of the
late war, or of the causes that led to it.
The ignorance Of some of these historians
is amazing. Here is school book before
me which has on one page the six great
est federal leaders and On another page
the six greatest confederate leaders of the
late war. Among the latter are Buc.
hanan and Mitchell as our chief naval
officers. Where he got hold of Mitchell
nobody knows. He does not mention
them nor Moffet in his book, and mentions.
Admiral Semmes only once, and thatvery
slightingly in foot note. He seems to
have been entirely ignorant Of the fact
that semmes destroyed over fifteen mil
lions of their property, and that il took
Uncle Sam about twenty years to bulldoze
the damages out of England for selling
tho Alabama to him.
But re feel encouraged with the bright
prospect of soon removing the shame of
our illitcracy. DR.. Boggs had done the
State great service in arousing cur people
to the importance of education, and DR..
Chandler and DR.. Nunnally are cooper.
ating nobly. They may differ in plans,
but not in the great purpose. We feel
sure that our law makers will do all they
can do prudently. Let the stools" be
placed in the nauds of all our children,
and then let those climb higher who
will. Mrs. Bowen is right. Let there
be normal school to educate female
teachers to teach. The country wants
hundreds of them. There ought to be
one for every five miles square of the
populated territory. That would require
thirty for the county. and cost about ten
thousand dollars. Tax the people to pay
it. 1t would be paid more willingly
than tax for courts and juries and jails.
Let us remove the shame of our illitera.
cy. DR.. Boggs says that nearly all the
great men of the nation come from the
country. Then let us cultivate and pro.
tect it. Henry Grady says that the cit.
les and towns of Georgia have grown
sixty millions richer and the country
fifty millions poorer since the var. Cities
and towns are on craze after money,
and they are getting it, and so let us tax
the rich to educate the poor. Maybe
that will help restore the equilibrium
maybe it will.
P,rr App