The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-22
"THE EEUUcATIoNALP PRoBLEMI IN TIE
SOUTH-A PLEA FOR TIE EDU-
- CATION OF THE MASSES"

.."THE EEUUcATIoNALPRo IN TIE
= SOUTH-A PLEA FOR TIE EDU-
- CATION OF THE MASSES"
IAd6ress delivered before the Literary So
eieties Of Newberry College, June 1892. by
Rev. L. z. Busby, Of Laesvil.e, S. C.l
Young Men of the Literary Societies
Sef Newberry College: l deem it unnec-
essary to express my high apprecia-
tion of the honor you have shown ne
in e!ecting me to address you-an honor
augmented by the two-fold considera-
tion that, on the one side, 1t is the
; spontaneous expression OF your kind
suffrage, while on the other, 1t Is q
s compliment unsought and unexpected.
The prestige Of this position, long
since secured by the orator, the scholar,
and the statesman, lays your humble
speaker under an embarrassing weight,
the avoidance of which would be
source of pleasant contemplation. ]
have, however, made the oft-repeated
advice of the sainted DR.. Bittle, founder
of Roanoke College, the motto Of my
life: "Never to shrink from any work
when duty calls" Under the inspira-
ton of that feeling I am present, not to
presume to teach yoa, but with you to
discuss matters of grave moment
Itis more than passing pleasure to
review, in some manner, the associa-
tions OF other years. Almost twenty
years have come and gone since the
tender ties of college days were broken.
The iron tread of intervening days
and weeks and months and years has
ruthlessly shattered the speculative
and ideal images of those Innocent (?)
days-the fantastic dreams which
wrought a weird influence over a
younger life have faded from the MEM
ory-and under the stern law OF real
existence and rigid discipline, the links
that bind the heart 70 other scenes
seem one by one to break; yet deep
down n~my heart Of hearts there is,
and has always been. that loyal love
for that kind mother-olnaG mater
whose breast furnished the intellectual
nnurishinent for my first young life;
whose gentle arms sheltered my mex
perience; and in whose indulgent heart
found ready forgiveness for every
wayward step. In this presence I re-
pledge that love-the honest love Of a
Ioyai son!
I present as subject for your consid-
Grafton, plain and practical discussion
os "rhe Educational Problem in the
South;a Plea for Universal Education"
Among the myriad questions OF
worldly character that of Education
rises, like Giant Saul, proudly above
all others. 1t has been justly styled
the ssBottom?" In the majestic sweep
of its onward tide the traditions and
antiouated policies of our fathers are
being swept away; and the revolution
in the domain of the social, industrial
and intellectual realms for the last
quarter of century has, perhaps,
found no parallel in the history Of
nations. This iconoclastic revolution
has broken In pieces the speculative
ideals of the past, changed the entire
aspect of great questions aud policies;
diverted She current of public and pri-
vate thought; and has evolved new
and startling era in the annals Of our
history. -t.
nodirection have mightier changes
been wrought than in that of educa-
ton. Here in the South we are brought
face to face with the contrasted con-
ditions of the post -belluyn times and
those of ante bellun times.
Early in the settlement Of the colo
MES and the organization Of the States
fragmentary efforts were made to edu-
cate the youth OF the country, and by
the establishment of private schools to
furnish facilities for the intellectual
improvement of the people. But q
critical study. of the systems Of educa-
ton will show that they were shaped
by such policy as to militate against
the education, and consequent eleva-
ton, of the common classes OF our citi-
Zens.
In the Northern tier Of States popu-
lar education early struck the public
heart, and readily received the encour-
agement and support of the State;
while here in the South educational
development was left in great part in
the hands of the indiriduGt. We have
not far to look for the cause of this ab-
normal state Of things. The Southern
colonists were the scions of aristocratic
English families, whose feelings and
sentiments were embedded in the
hearts of their descendants; and when
these latter came 20 these shores they
brought with them the aristocrat!c
feelings and inflated predictions Of
their sires. In their touch of sll social,
politic&l and educational policies they
Iefs the impress of their narrow views
and keen ~-judices.
In ths domain of education the ethi-
s cal idea prevailed; whilst the utilita-
rian idea, and the great principle Of
human brotherhood found but a mea-
gre footing. The beau-ideal was found
in the classic gentleman and in the ab-
struse accom- nplishments of the higher
mathematics; while the practical, the
everyday, the "hoDaespun" branches
of an education were decidedly insignifi-
cant. Such system naturally moalded
to1o classes of citiZepsbip-the aristo.
the lowly-the master and the seri.
The former by reason of their wealth
rose superior to circumstances by re-
ceiving the "hnishipg touches" of their
education "beyond the Sea-; the latter,
helpless both by poverty and ignorance,
were dependent for their eCHcstion
upon the meagre advantages of infre-
qGent private schools. The proof Of
! this statement may be drawn from the
public records of Sir VIM. Berkeley,
who, in 1871, wrote this remarkable
thank God there are no
..free schools nor. printing; and l hope
I'VE shall not have them for a hundred
iyears; for learning has brought Gisobe-
schience and heresy and sects into the
ID Eorld, and printing has divulged them
) I'D libels against the best government.
IL Iod Seep us from both"
AMrWe are not only startled at such 8
sp ptiment, but we blush that it ever
Aand an advocate in the section in
@ ich we live!
sSith such officials to govern the
I'd ile, and such sentiments to orig
entf and enforce public policies we
sss sss,, snot wonder that ignorance and
acy have fettered the minds and
I'D the consciences of the masses
To hundred years! A period OF
led transition came, however, 100
Ago. The Revolution of 1776
along with the horrors of a
seary strife one Of the greatest