The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-06-18
FARMERS AND SCHOOLS.
\ Pointed Article From q Leading South
Nrn T2rmeT.

s3Ji:!r iiifi% tine Slilc>. l HICI%, lci
!u; E:.jj.::..,,... al ;;lt:cis Oh farmers
,:!,t 49, = :li.5 ;.:tici2 Was intended
tD go 49,. more interest ii the devei
npmcn! Of our agricultural resources.
I an y;.i,5;ing nov upon farmers and
sri,ou!o 20 awaken more interest III
t!tr kin,:!,eii subject of education.
Dia :..>0mc from our farms viii
serve hut poor advantage, if the pGlt
necessary is not given to the intellec-
tual culture andimprovsment OF our
children
There nre bat few misfortunes
more fnll Of evil 10 any community.
than the aDscneeo o: educational train
Ing. The farmer makes a great
mistake. who allows his children to
grow up without such mental train
ing and such general education as
will fit them, at least. for the practi-
cal duties Of lie.
Itoccurs to me that we are not
giving proper attention to those de-
mands in the rural districts In the
absence OF schools, many children
rare put upon tie community as illit-
crates, who become burden to So
ciaty and the State Why not make
these boys and girls. by training end
education, good citizens, useful to
themselves and Dclpiui TO the State!
Many men excuse themselves from
! the duties necessary to maintain q
ncighborhood school. by putting the
onus upon the State Tho State, say
they. has undertaken the education
of it's children and they feel them
selves relieved. The question is not
as to the undertaking Of the duties,
as much as its discharge. Are the
advantages for an education il cur
country districts fully up to the de-
mands OF the communities? # not
is it not the duty of citizens OF such
communicate begin at once to
remedy these defects?
No man IN believes our country
schools arc what they ought TO be,
nor what they might BE, under prop
CT effort ard proper interest. "a
many sections OF the State oir
schools arc not continued longer than
three Or four months.
The amount paid IS not sufficient
to warrant the services ct even a.: or
dinary teacher, and The limited time
ot The school cannot give such III
srruction as will remain with The
child until the school opens again.
The lack of competent teachers is
Of itself sufficient to destroy tie Ell:
cheney Of tie instruction. & would
seem. then The first thing we need
to Go. IN order to improve the coun.
try schools, IS to advance the standard
for teachers. To goss better teach
ars, however, II viii be necessary rC
pay better pricca. AID TO earn better
prices we must extend tic time OF the
schools. At best. therefore. 1t would
appear that The first thing to do;sscar.
range means 20 eytent! The thus 0:
the schools four 10 nine months, AID
then al other possible advantages
viii follow.
If tie State cannot be induced to
extend the appropriation sufficient tc
warrant the additional time for the
schools, then the farmers should
themselves and among themselves, by
voluntary assessment. raise such
amounts as will be necessary to c1-
tend the time and establish such
schools IS the community may DE-
mand.
Some people make the mistake to
rely upon the pittance furnished by
the State as sufficient for ordinary
demands, md excuse themselves
upon the ground OF the aid furnish
Ell by the State. OF demand more
a:d from the State rather than cXer-
else their right 10 = personal contri.
button to the education OF their
children. Formerly the State lid
none OF this work and the parent
was left to do it all. The TACT that
the State rclicTes the citizen OF
about ono-half this burden does not
ut ali excuse tho citizen from cheer
fully carrying the other half.
If farmers, Ill over Georgia and
! the South, would cnlyrecogDiZe their
duties in this connection and go to
work, using the aid of the State. as
far as it goes, ana supple:ncnting,
when this ia exhausted, by drawing
upon their individual purses for
the building o; good and comforta~
bic schoolhouses and the mainten-
ance, IN every community. OF good
schools, our rural homes worlc: be
more cheerful and happy, orr chill
Gren would be more intelligent, and
the country would take on a look of
thrift ard gladnes3 that would open
m era of prosperity to the State.
Imay have more to say upon coun-
try schools in subsequent number.
". J. NoRTuEE