The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-20
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THE CONVENTION, TAKES UP THAT
IMPORTANT MATTER.
A Lengthy and Interesting Discussion of
the Article as Submitted by the Commit

A Lengthy and Interesting Discussion o
the Article as Submitted by the Commit
tee.
COLUMBIA, Nov. 13.-The conven
ton this morning commenced the
consideration of the article entitled
Education. The first section wen
through without debate, in the follow
ing form:
Section 1. The supervision of pub
lie instruction shall be vested in
state superintendent of education, who
shall be elected for term of two year:
by the qualified electors of the State
in such manner and at such time a!
the other State officers are elected hi!
powers, duties and compensation shall
be defined by the general assembly.
SECTION TWO.
When section 2 was taken up, Mr.
Efrd offered this substitute:
Section 2. The general assembly
shall provide by law for the election
or appointment of such county, town
ship or principal school officers as oc
casion may require.
Mr.. Patterson then offered the fol
lowing substitute:
Section2. The general assembly shal
make provision for the election or ap
pointment of all additional school Of
ficers.
Mr.. Efrd was willing to accept the
Patterson substitute if he would strike
out the last clause.
Mr.. Mitchell, the chairman of the
committee, asked that the amendment
be tabled. The article left to the leg
islature the selection of all officers
save the school commissioner. These
commissioners had never been paiC
properly. The commissioners shoulc
be paid an adequate salary. These
men had to visit over 1900 separate
schools. He thought they should be
careful and provide a good system.
Mr.. Ragsdale thought the commit
tees report was superior to either oi
the substitutes. The office should be 6
constitutional, elective one. If any
thing had been taught by the gentle
man from Edge6eld in the last few
years, it was that they should do away
with appointive offices and allow the
people to elect their officers. There
was no use in talking about appoint
ing them. It was not Democratic. HI
wanted the people to choose their OF
ficers from the highest to the lowest.
There was further debate, by Mes
srs. Perritte, Field, Sheppard, Parrot
and Prince.
Mr.. Efrd inquired whether Mr.
Pstterson's amendment did not con
fict with section 4.
MIR. Patterson said he would move tt
strike out those sections when he came
to them and leave the appointment O.
all these minor offices to the legisla
trre.
The motion to indefinitely postpone
was lost-nays SO, yeas So:
Mr.. Patterson then withdrew tn
latter part of his substitute reading
land also for system of free public
schools throughout the State"
Mr.. Patterson's 8 substitute was adopt
ed by a vote of 70 to mo further
count demanded"
SECTION THREE.
When section 8 was called up, Mr.
Patterson offered the following sub
stitute, which was adopted:
Section 8. The salaries of the STATE
and county school officials and com
pensation of county treasurers for col
fecting and disbursing school money.
shall not be paid out of the schoo
funds, but shall be otherwise provided
for by the general assembly.
SECTION FOUR
was, after a brief discussion, passec
over for the present.
SECTION FIVE
was taken up, reading as follows:
Section 5. The general assembly
shall provide for a liberal system O.
free public schools for all children be
tween the ages of 6 and 81 years, no
mentally disabled, and for the diyis
ion of counties into school districts.
Mr.. Ragsdale moved to strike ou
on lines 2 and 3 the words mot men
tally disabled.
Mr.. Patterson thought the conven
ton was on section 6 and he sent VI
substitute which he withdrew.
Mr.. Ragsdale amendment was adopt
ed.
Senator Tillman then offered t
amend by inserting after the word
"school districts" on line 8, the word
''as nearly square as practicable, no
to exceed 49, nor be less than 16 squar'
miles in area; provided, that in cite
of 10000 inhabitants and over tn
limit shall not apply.
Senator Tillman spoke in favor o
the amendment.
There was further debate by Messrs
Rogers, OTIS, Perritte, Smith, T. E
johnson, Hamel and Woodward.
Mr.. Breazeale then offered the fol
lowing amendment to the amendment
Provided: That school districts ma.
be established with a less area than II
square miles in which there is located
an incorporated city or town which
has erected school buildings for fre'
school purposes by the issuance O.
bonds, or by taxation, or by donation
by citizens, thereof who may desire tt
do so.
The further consideration of section
5 was continued till the night session
SECTION SIX.
This section, as reported, was thel
taken up.
Mr.. Mitchell, the chairman of tn
committee, made strong speech ex
planning the features of the plan em
bodied in the section. He then, b.
permission, offered the section a