The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-11-30

county during the last summer, KNOW IuaC
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 to give us better schools The times
are stringent ard money very scare, but all
along this line all necessary increase OF taN-
alton will be cheerIully 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, ana mas
been the head Of our educational system, is
not In a satisfactory condition. The attempt
TO makeit university some years ago had
failed dlsmally, although there was an al
ten dance of 22G students in lSS9-9O. The last
Legislature ordered the dis9ontinuance OF the
school as university, and the organization,
instead. of II first class literary. classic ana
scientific college. 1t was natural, and expect
ed that the transition would cause laflihs az ing
collegiate year in June, lS92, The nulnoer haa
decreased to ninety-e!ght. 1t was hoped ana
expected by the trustees that with the open,
ing of the college In September there woula
be an increase of students, but we nave been
disappointed, and find that there are now
only seventy In Attendance There are sev-
eral causes which have produced this result.
and I will briefly outline some OF them.
There is great financial stringency among
our people by reason of the low price ot col
ton and the Inability TO bear the expense, mas .,
caused falling off In the patronage OF all the
colleges. But the small attendance al Ibis
college may be ascribed almost wholly 10 the
political and social antagonisms when exist
| in the State The college Is located al the
| ca pital the people OF which are bitterly OPP
posed TO the present administration, though
| it. was put In office by an overwhelming ma.
| iority on issues, the principal OF which was
what should constitute our system OF higher
education. The old idea was In favor OF liter
| nry and classical culture, at an expense 100
| great for any but rich mems sons. inc new
Il. tAa at,n n.Nlt
| education, with practical knowledge and ap-
| plication of science 10 agriculture and the me-
chanic arts along industrial lines. There Is
need of both and room for both schemes.
| Clemson college embudes the one and the
South Carolina college the other. They Will
| not compete with each other, ana there
| Should be no anlagonism between them ana
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
because they could not have their way IN con
trolling It,, and the county OF Charleston'
which has always supported the college zeal
ously, has at this time no student within tts
walls, The adhercnts Of the new order OF
things, while paying taxes 10 maintain the
school cheerfuily, and indicating their inten-
| ton and purpose, In no uncertain manner, 10
sus 1t literally have feit no inclination , 10
| mosphere surrounding IL. Another thing /:
there is competition between the college and
the denominational institutions at Green
Vile, Spar,anburg, Newberry and Due West,
to which schools the refofmers of the State
are sending their sons in preference 10 send
| Ing them here and this wi II continue as long
as the present conditions OF social and poIiti-
cal antagonisms exist In Columbia: The
wealthier class Of boys from both political ele-
| ments are being sent out OF the Stale to Har-
ward, Yale, Princeton and the University OF
Virginia. The competition and consequent
unfriendliness Of the denominational colleges
TO the South Carolina college can be gotten
rid OF in only one way, and that Is 10 MAKE
this college so much better and higher In us
requirements and facilities for teaching, that
| their students will seek its walls 10 complete
their education, and when this Is done the In
centve for young men to go abroad VIII no
longer exist. Fractional feeling must sooner
or later pass away or 1t will wear itself out.
| If the good sense and community or interest
of our people do not frown upon and destroy
| II The broad and patriotic view, then. 10
take OF the situation, Is TO give the schooi an
the money 1t needs and leave time, the physi.
clan, to restore it 10 health and vigor. The
pledges given by the March convention oi
lS0O must be sacredly kept, and the friends OF
Clemson college continue 10 give a cheerIu'
| support to the South Carolina College. The
trustees are keenly alive 10 the responsibility
| resting on them, and. with your cooperation,
long, occupying It's wonted place in the affec-
| ton and confidence OF every Carolinian, be-
cause IL 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. am thoroughly
informed az TO the condition and prospects OF
Clemson College. The original purpose of the
trustees was To build and equip college for
not exceeding 2JO students, but the popularity
Of the idea OF Industrial training caused such
large number Of applications 10 be made for
adm ission that the board felt constrained to
enlarge the whole plant, and we are prepar.
| ing room for 600. The claim was made by my
self and others, and II was generally under
stood by the people, that with the privilege
lax. formerly expended by the AgriculL Lural
| 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 l so
stated in my last message: but at the end o!
the SECOND year we find ourselves constrained
| to ask the help OF the Legislature for money
to complete the buildings and give us par.
tial equipment so as to open the college next
spring. After careful and thorough investlga.
| ton INTO the kind Of work remaining to be
done, and of the needs Of the Institution, ]
am OF the opinion that If the Legislature will
give US forty Thousand dollars the school can
would he sufficient funds to run IL the balance
OF the year. The board OF trustees ask for
fifty thousand dollars, and am free to admit
that the sum Is appropriated the equip.
ment would be much more commensurate
wit b the requirements of the institution. AS
an explanation of the failure on the part OF
the board to redeem It's promise that the
school would be completed in two years With
out taxation, would direct attention to the
| fact that this year there was falling Off in
the amount received from the privilege tax
o. S20OO. 1t was estimated that the sale OF
Agricultural Hall would add to its revenues.
but the property has not been sold. The low
est estimate placed on that property was
$40 .0N0, and the TWO together made deficit OF
| . ~, ina hnn ri
has not deceived the people, for their promises
would have been kept had this money been
available. In asking the State 10 make 1t up
to US, we only have at heart the best interests
of The institution aud of the large number OF
boys and young men, nearly thousand, who
are awaiting the opening Of It's portals. The
report of thepresldent OF the board will give
full details as to the progress of the work and
| the scope Of the Institution.
| THE CITADEL ACADEMY.
On the 18th dny of March last the central or
main building OF the Citadel Academy was
almost wholly destroyed by fire. The proper
~ was fully insured, and the question which
presented itself to ME was whether 1t should
be left in this condition, subject 10 further In.
jury by reason of exposure To the weather, or
| / should arrange for It's being restored. l de-
cided at once, both in the Interest OF the
| school and as matter Of economy, in the
| preservation of the States property. that 1t
was better to rebuild without waiting Til ac-
ton could be had by the General Assembly.
Had the Insurance money been paid into the
treasury there Was no authority Of law TO use
| 1t, and besides did not like 10 assume the re-
sponsiblllty of deciding how much Of the in-
surance money was due the Slate. The iusur-
ance companies hen proposed to restore the
| building rather than pay the whole Of the il-
sprance, and the matter was adjusted OH This
basis. Desiring 10 see that the work was thor
oughly done, appointed as the agent OF the
State TO supervise The contract Maj. e. s. Gads
den, resident member Of the board OIL vsi-
tors There WAS no fund ont of which 10 nav