The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-09-20
The Press and Banner
BY HUGH WILSON.
Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1898.
Different Kinds OF Education.

The State OF South Carolina offers various
kinds Of education on varying conditions.
lst The Citadel, where all expenses OF the
student are paid.
ID. The South Carolina College, where the
tuition Is free TO tn ose who are unable to pay.
Sd. Clemson College. where the boys are
expected to perform manual labor, and the
cost of living Is reduced to the lowest figure.
Now, the point which we wish TO make Is
this: That the State ought to treat all its
boys alike. The Citadel boys are given the
best place, and the places are awarded on a
wrong basis and upon an unjust principle
namely: To the best educated and best
equipped, whereas the State should help the
weaker and not the stronger OF her sons.
The only requisite in applying for the tut
tion in the South Carolina College Is Inability
to pay.
In Clemson College all the boys are required
to work and to pay alike.
Otherwise stated The Citidel is aristocrat
10 In Its conduct; the South Carolina College
makes class distinctions, namely: The boys
are divided into pay students and paupers;
Clemson is uniform, treating all alike.
Practically considered The expense OF
maintaining these institutions is largely In
creased by being in different parts Of the
State, and the iniquity OF giving scholarships.
clothing and board to the boy who has given
indisputable evidence that he Is In less need
OF education than his defeated competitors, Is
q system that should be abolished at once.
II the Citadel were abolished the military
drill could be taught at Clemson without ma
terially increasing the cost OF maintaining
the institution. Another matter connected
with the Citadel Is the fact, that boy Is
only partially educated when he leaves the
institution. He has perhaps made great
progress In the study OF mathematics and in
military science, but he lacks much of hav.
ing received the good all round education
which best prepares a boy for the peaceful
pursuits OF life. The objection to the present
double system Of free and pay tuition in the
South Carolina colleges must be apparent to
all. It encourages class distinction and
draws the line between wealth and poverty
But q great objection TO the division o,
our institutions OF learning lies In the fact
that the South Carolina College IS located In
q city where the temptations 10 vice and ex-
travagance ara great. In q greater degree is
the objection to Charleston as situation for
the Citadel. In the first place, 1t Is not fiee
from epidemics. The water Is bad. The pol
itical surroundings are such as to encourage
disregard Of law. The temptations to vice
are all that could be found anywhere.
In view OF the impoverished condition OF
this country, and while our people are suffer-
ing from the heavy burden Of taxation
now put upon them. 1t is we'll for the Govern
or 70 give this subject proper attention In his
message 10 the approaching session OF the
General Assembly. By a slight increase OF
appropriation 70 Clemson. well nigh hum
dred thousand dellars would be saved TO the
taxpayers Of this State; a better and more
uniform system OF education could be had.
and the efficiency of our educational institu-
tions would In no wise be injuriously affect
ed, The pride of the State would be better
gratified by the establishment OF one large
institution than II is present, even under
the enormous outlay OF money, in sustaining
colleges with different rules whereby the
most unjust discrimination Is practlced be-
tween her sons.
After the removal OF the Citadel and the
South Carolina College, the buildings could
be utilized for the establishment OF cotton
factories. The cities would not be hurt. The
property would then be subject TO taxation.
and the factories would give employment to
q great number of needy people,
There is no earthly need OF South Carolina
maintaining three parate institutions, and
II the buildings OF two of them could be util-
lied as factories they " ould be resource OF
much revenue instead OF, as now, heavy
draft on the treasury.