The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-30
While the yield of cotton on the State farm

on lQc SIdE6 IdEIn, WHICH was HuI CA6heCN Az
1890, and is being rapidly put in a high state
Of cultivation. The policy hitherto pursued
Of working on shares in The Consaree bottoms
with MesSrs. Seagers and others has oeen dis
continued, and the convicts are now being
hired out at a fixed rate. The 500 horsepower
" hich the State reserved when it donated the
canal to the city OF Colum bia has been devel-
oped under lease to the Columbia Electric
Light and Railway Company at rental OF
$500 per anrum. with q reservation OF l0V
horsepower Z { the uSe of the State whenever
ii may need it at a similar rate.
EDUCATION.
The report of the superintendent Of Educa'
are In as satisEa ctory condition as we can ever
expect them to be under existing laws
There are some radical defects in the system,
and 1t will have to be remodeled and an In.
creased amount Of money provided II the
schools are TO answer the requirements and
our children not grow up in ignorance. My
views on this subject are SO we'll known, and
the discussion OF the matter has been so gen
eral, that do not deem 1t necessary TO repeat
them at any length here. would only say
that, in my judgment, the State can furnish
education OF a proper kind and quality cheap
er than 1t can be done through private effort,
and we owe 1t to ourselves to put forth eI cry
energy towards perfecting the system. The
present system, IS humhus, and totally In
adeoua for.the purposes designed. The re-
port OF the State Superintendent of Educa
LlOQ, VINO is palpSLaR aDQ Ze2LOuS OIQCSE
shows decreased attendance Of pupils last
year as compared with the previous year
amounting to 28l0, but, from extended and
intimate association with the people In every
county during the last sum n1er, know that
there is widespread and deep Interest on the
subject of education, and that the General
Assembly will merit and receive the appro.
bation of the masses In anything that they
may do 10 give as better schools. The times
are stringent ard money very scare but all
his fnn a rC N nf 10 &
alton will be cheerfully borne, provided the
schools are run sufficiently long and proper
teachers provided.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE.
This Institution, which has been in exist
ence for nearly one hundred years, and has
been the head Of our educational system, is
not in satisfactory condition. The attempt
to make tta university some years ago had
failed disnally, although thers was an at
tendance Of 226 students in 1SS3S0. The last
Legislature ordered the discontinuance of the
school as a university, and the organization
instead, of q first class literary, classic and
scientific college. 1t was natural, and expect.
ed, that the transition would cause falling
Off In the attendance, and at the close Of the
collegiate year In June, 1892. the number Lad
decreased to ninejy-eight. 1t was hoped and
expected by the trustees that with the open
be an Increase Of students. but we have been
disappointed, and fEd that there are now
only seventy in attendance There are sew.
erai causes which have produced this result.
and will briefly outline some Of them.
There Is great financial stringency among
our people by reason Of the low price Of col.
ton, and the inability to bear the expense has
caused q falling of in the patronage Of all the
colleges. But the small attendance at this
college may be aScrlbed almost wholly to the
political and social antagonisms which exist
In the State. The college Is located at the
capital the people OF which are bitterly op-
posed to the present administration, though
1t was put in office by an overwhelming ma
jority on Issues, tbe principal OF which was
what should constitute our system Of higher
education. The old idea was in favor OF liter.
ary and classical culture, at an expense Toe
great for any but rich mems sons. The new
idea is TO provide cheaply. a thorough English
education, with practical knowledge and ap-
plication OF science 10 agriculture and the me.
chauic arts along industrial lines. There is
need of, both, and room for both schemes.
Clemson college embodies the one and the
South Carolina college the other. They will
not compete with each other, and there
should be no antagonism between them; and
certainly, Clemson not having yet opened,
there is no falling off In the attendance at the
South Carolina college on that account. But
the adherents OF the old regime have largely
Withdrawn their patronage from the college
because they could not have their way in con
trolling 1t, and the county OF Charleston.
which has always supported the college zeal
ously, has at this time no student within its
walls, The adherents OF the new order oi
things, while paying taxes TO maintain the
ton and purpose, In no uncertain manner, 10
sustain it loerally. have felt n in clination to
patroDiZe it because Of the inhospitable at
mosphere surrounding Il. Another thing
the denominational institutions at Green.
vile, Spartanbnrg, Newberry and Due West,
to W hich schools the reformers Of the State
are sending their sons in preference TO send.
t1 sk,tC 1N,,o
as the present conditions OF social and politi-
cal antagonISms exist In Columbia. The
wealthier class Of boys from, both political ele-
menis are being sent out OF the State to Har-
ward, Yale, Princeton and the University OF
Virginia. The competition and consequent
unfriendliness OF the edeuominatfonal colleges
10 the South Carolina college can be gotten
rid Of in only one way, and that Is to make
this college so MUCH better and higher in It's
requirements and facilities for teachtlg, that
their studentswi!l seek its walls TO complete
their education, and when this is done the iu-
centive for young men 10 go abroad will no
longer exist. fractional feeling must sooner
or later pass away or 1t will wear itself ont.
If the good sense and community OF interest
of our people do not frown upon and destroy
it. The broad and patriotic view. then. 10
take OF the situation, is TO give the school all
the money 1t needs, and leave time, tire physi-
clan, TO restore 1t to health and vigor. The
pledges given by the March convention oil
1890 must be sacredly kept, and the friends OF
Clemson college continue 70 give cheerfu
support to the South Carolina College. The
trustees are keeniy alive 10 the responsibility
resting on them, and. with your cooperation,
we confidently expect to see the college, ere
long, occupying It's wonted place in the affec
ton and confidence OF every Carolinian, be
cause 1t furnishes an education such as no
other college In the State can give.
CLEMSON COLLEGE.
AS member Of the board Of trustees, un.
der the will Of Mr.. Clemson, I am thoroughly
Informed as to the condition and prospects o
Clemson College. The original purpose of the
trustees was 10 build and equip a college fol
not exceeding $50 students, but the popularity
Of the idea OF Industrial ming caused such
large number OF applications 70 be made fol
admission that the board felt constrained tc
enlarge the whole plant, aud we are prepar.
ing room for $40. The claim was made by my
self and others, and 1t was generally under
stood by the people, that with the privilege
tax, formerly expended by the Agricultural
Department.: and with the funds donated by
the United States Government, known as the
Hatch, the Morrill, and the land scrip funds
the college could be built and run without
taxation. The expectation OF the board was
that this could be done In two years, and sc
stated in my last ne sage: but at the end O
the second year we md ourselves constrained
to ask the help OF the Legislature for money
tial equipment so as to open the college mex
spring. After careful and thorough investiga
tlon into the Kind OF work remaining to bs
done, and Of the needs of the institution,
am OF the opinion that IF the Legislature will
Dc f,r U nd dollar Spbnof r