Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-09-11
Some Very Good Suggestions
Upon the Vital Matter of Ed
ucatiOn, by q Georgia
Teacher.

Upon the Vital Matter of Ed
ucation, by Georgia
Teacher.
Mr.. EDITOR: ALI enlightened
nations have their public school
system deening it wise to provide
for the children all opportunity
for at least an elementary educa-
ton. How to do this and give
Justice to the whites who pay most
of the taxes as we'll as to the ne
gro who needs charitable consid-
Grafton isa question confronting
the Southern States. A convic-
ton is growing with the whites
that the taxes paid by them for
school purposes should be appro-
priated only to white schools, and
| the taxes paid by the nogro should
60 to only negro schools. This
then is certainly a fundamental
question for the consideration of
your convention. A government
undertaking to raise every mans
children from birth till of age
would rightly be denominated a
parental government. To try to
school them all II cir school age is
about the same thing; a very
slow parent at that to send the
children from six TO eighteen,
.welve years merely 10 learn the
elementary studies.
Most old countries limit the age
| to fourteen and no doubt f"r the
purpose of ceasing parental charge
at a time when merit of the child
or sacrifice on the part of the pa
rent should sustain further educa-
ton, as welt rs to give the chill
dren their elementary education
that early. Even if the taxes of
the two races for school purposes
can be separated aud appropriated
each to retrospective race it would
be wise to limit the age to four
teen instead of eighteen or evsn
sixteen in teaching merely the ele-
mentary branches. Many espe-
ciallv of the negro race are grown
in size at the age of fifteen or
eighteen. There being no public
register of the ages large num-
her of negroes go to sch 'ol from
three to fvo years after eighteen.
But LET the limit be fourteen and
the appearance of children will
show when they are over age. That
age will no doubt give the chill
dren the same leaning as now at
eighteen, for the parent will then
do his best to keen his children
constantly in school whereas low
he is Indifferent, thinking there is
plenty of time 70 learn the elemen-
tery studies. He will not put the
eleven year old boy to work as is
done at present, but realizing that
'lfurther opportunity for public aid
lie short be Will make greater sac.
riices to continue the boy at school
Iduring the whole of every school
term. A child thus constantly
and continuously in school fol
eight years can be taught even
better than one going irregularly
through twelve school terms, be.
sides giving the former the advan.
tage of four years in which to add
to his learning by mis- own exer.
tions or otherwise. The fourteen
years old boy or girl will certain
! ly be prouder and more ambitious
than the one at eighteen with the
same learning.
Overgrown negroes going to school
and slow progress of children
in consequence of irregular atten
dance rather condemns the public
school system. 1t is the practice
if not necessity among the white
laborers and farmers to keep the
children over twelve at home te
aid them in their farms during
crop season, while the negro liv
ing OH half rations continues hi
children at school even after eigh
teen.
Again I repeat let the schoo
age be between SIX and fourteen il
order 10 put overgrown negroes tt
work out their own education, t.
foster spirit of sacrifice by tn
parent to keep the children il
school and have them learn tn
elementary studies early, to foste
a spirit of self-reliance and indi
|viduality with all families an
youths of The State, and to d
Justice to the convictions and in
terests of taXpavers by limltin
charitable SEPARATIONS to lea
sonable aid. q lis and the Stat
will have for her public schoo
system higher appreciation Q
it's merits and greater co-operativ
efforts to make it operate we'll.
am aware that, wise laws ar
based upon a comprehension c
what the people will do under SUI
rounding circumstances and nj
e upon what they ought to do, bu
E, nevertheless | give my reasons fo
II the faith / entertain that the Stat
e will accomplish more with th