The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-04
THE CITADEL.
A Graduate Of that Institution Comes
to its Defense.

! n OFauuNte Ok thaG SoahSH
to its Defense.
Stuart Va, Sept. "a. 1893.
Editor Press and Banner:
In your issue OF Sept 10Th, under the cap
tion different Kinds OF Education, l notlce
the following remarks:
| Now, the point we wish to make ls tnls
That the State ought 10 treat all OF her Doys
alike The Citadel boys are given the Des'
place, and the places are awarded upon q
] wrong basis and upon an unjust prlnclple
viz: TO the best educated ana pest eqnlppeu
not the stronger OF It's sons. Other'
wise stated the Citadel is aristocritic 10 lie
conduct.
| Is the fact that boy is only partially cdu'
Gated when he leaves the institution. He has
perhaps made great progress In the STUDY o.
mathematics aud military science, but he
lacks much OF having received the good all.
| round education which best prepares poy
for the peaceful pursuits of life."
| Now, MIR. Editor, how Is ~ II the Stale
should treat all of It's boys alike that you say
Immediately afterwards that 1t should help
| the weak er and not the stronger Of Its sons.
| Is that treating them alike?
| But contend that In the matter OF Citadel
appointments the sons OF the State are treat
ed alike or at least those OF them who are un'
able To secure an education for themselves.
The State provides instruction 10 the public
| schools for all. The competitive examlna-
tlon for the Citadel Is based on the branches
taught in those public schools. Every boy
whose parents have not the means OF edu.
eating him may be examined by the Board u
| they will comply with the law which Is rigid
| in barring all who are able 10 acqu an edu-
cation otherwise. Then OF course the best
man wins. Who would have IT otherwise
| 1t is not a right OF the few, but OF the many,
| but there can be but few winners. IL Is true
through life. We have many aspirants for an
loffice-one man wins-docs any one cry ior
an abolition OF the office because all cannot
get IT? Does any one say that the right to
Gold office has been abridged? Is the princi-
| pie unjust?
The INDECENT student feels that he has fair
chance and that is all the Anglo-Saxon asks.
Then let merit win. 1t is only another case
| OF the survival OF the tittest. and you cannot
turn back ward the immutable laws OF God.
4 place In the Citadel is possibility within
Now, as to the Citadel being aristocratic In
| It's connuct. I know a boy, Mr.. Editor, who
some years ago was between the rio" nan,
dies. The only aristocracy that he could
| claim was an honest hard working ancestry.
He did not have enough money to go to
grammar school and colleges with free tui,
| tion were beyond his reach because he could
not pay his board; MS parents could J. 40 mo no
Citadel and former teacher prepared him for
the examination free OF charge. He won the
place and graduated four years later. Glenn
son or the South Carolina College would have
been an impossbility to him. This is one OF
many cases. Is there any aristocracy In
that? Most OF the Citadel aristocrats won
their titles in the war with crab grass and a
cotton field was the battle ground. There is
only one arislocracy recognized there and
that Is the God given aristocracy OF brain and
man nhood.
partial, and so 1t Is in every other school.
This is au age Of specialists But ain not
prepared TO admit that graduate OF the Cita,
| del "lackS much OF having received the good
all round education which best prepares
boy for the peaceful pursuits OF HE. | pre-.
sumo that this thrust reters to the TACT that
Latin aud Greek are not taught at the Cita.
del. The mathematics, Mr.. Editor, IL one oi
assure You that IT is of more value IN the
peaceful pursuits OF life than all the love oi
Greece and Rome.
Those languages are employed. I under.
much as dumb bells are used for the mus.
cles. and for the man who has tine aoo
means this Is good. But the majority Of our
people have neither time nor means. They
must get this exercise in connection with
sonnet hing of practical Use. TO do this we
emuha mathematics. 1t Is as the plough
which the laborer uses. II strengthens. buI
at the snmo time eurns. He Is more practical
who can construct q railway than be who can
trace Greek root, and he who can plan
bridge than he who can coDjugate Latin
verb. :.
taught at the Citadel. The course In England
Is especially strong. Which Is more practl
cal, TO write good English or good Latin?
| line sons OF LQe ClIuuel III Iuc pcdCSiui
practical walks of life show that they are well
educated and occupy places fully abreast with
| The graduates OF other schools. LDok at par
TALLY educated Ellison Capers. John Thomas
Hugh ). Thompson, Johnson Hagood. Asbury
Coward, or John b. Patrick. If partial educa
tion gives us such men as these, Tor heavens
sake let us have more of 1t.
| do not say that The Citadel IL better than
other schools. but do say that In the charac
ter Of her instruction and In fitting her son.
for the real battle of life, she is mot one Will
behind the cbiefest' OF them all.
| Let the ola institution stand. Doubly lap
tiZed by fire she has twice arisen re1nvenatec
| from her ashes. Her sons rise up and call heI
blessed, bid her on 10 long years OF future use
fu lness, and curse the man who raises his
hand against her.
Strongest In Southland, and grandest, and
best
Centre of chivalry, proudly caress.d,
| Mert!-thy walchword-instilled in eacf
breast,
All of thy soldiers, o mother! be blesi:"
| f &. McCauts,