The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-07-10
Education and the New
Constitution.

the State Teachers Association by Maj
a. Fraok Wilson, Of this city 1t
presents matter of great importance
70 the State in light that all should
see it:
The ;nvitation to prepare this paper
assigned three reasons for my under
taking the task. with your expert
ence." says the iovitarion. ''in public
life. iu law and in Education. you are
lust the man to handle it," At first [
was inclined to resent the inference
which could be drawn from even the at.
temp. to follow such varied pursuits,
and to suspect that perhaps I was a
sort of Jack of all trades. trolling
stone gathering no moss )" but then |
concluded to console myself with the
reply of the irrepressible gamin, who
answering a sauus of this same kind
from his mother, said. "Well yes ma
that's 80. but then you know, its the
se,sin hen as never gifts fat"
Realisipg that to be proficient in
either of the lines suggested, should be
enough to satisfy the ambition of any
one mau, and that to attempt more is In
itself perhaps prima facie evidence Of
proficiency in neither still, whatever
of experience l may have gathered
from them, shall be used to Great in as
practical way as possible, this impor-
taos subject. the proper settlement Of
which, must tend to the advancement
of the commonwealth weiove so we'll.
To attempt, within the limits Of this
paper, the full discussion of sub
iees, SO big with living issues. so far
reaching in its results for good or i'll,
would be futile task. The question
Of prime importance. which meets Us at
the very threshold Of this broad sub
ject. is that to which I shall con6ne
myself, for, am persuaded, that upon
its foal adjudication. depends the real
success of the public schools of South
Carolina.
say public schools advised!y. and
10 that I mean to include primary and
secondary education, from the kinder
garsen through the graded schools.
While there may be force and merit
10 the arguments of those opposed to
the States educating her citizens. when
applied to the higher institutions Of
learning-the right aud duty Of the
State TO teach music and art, latin aud
greek. the ologies aud higher mathe-
natics ;-sbey lose their convincing
power when applied to the common
schools. for the reason that in gov
ernment like ours, when the sovereign
power is vested, at least. 10 the people,
aud they constitute at once. both the
governors and the governed, it is OF
paramount importance. indeed vital
oecessity, upon which the purity aud
eficiency-nay the very exis;cnce-ot
the government itself depends, that
the State should provide. and if neces-
sary enforce. at least, such instruction
as will fit her citizens inselligeutly to
exercise the right Of sufrag ge
How best to secure this end is one
of the burning questions now agita-
ting the public mind, iu view of tn.
approaching constitutions! convention
b I'd almost said the burning question
for indeed. it is second to none. not
even TO the freeing from corruption
and fraud, the election laws Of the
State
To the question then. should pro-
vision for public education be consti-
sutiooal? | answer yes. at least so far
as the public schools are concerned
By provision We mean that the coosti-
tuition should itself provide and def.
nitely 6x the tax which should annual
ly be collected for the support of the
public schools
The political leaders are committed
TO maiotaiu and support the education
al institutions of the State, but this
pertains more. perhaps, to :he Inssitu-
tons for higher education. than TO the
common schools. 10 the compromise
sought to be made between conflicting
views. as to Incorporating 10 the new
constitution definite provision for the
public schools. to wit the present 2 mill
tax aud the one dollar poll tax, it was
suggested that there should be 20 con.
ssitutional provision but that this
ebould be left to the Legislature, With
the saving clause that if the Legisla-
ture did not make an appropriation.
then that the Comptroller General
sho1;d be empowered to levy aud col
lect the present 2 mill tax.
This plan, even with this saving