The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1896-07-09

ton Of every State college was neces-
sssy to give us a cn'nplete common
school system wo;iid be in favor Of
doing away with them ell. for belisre
ia the greatest good to the greatest
number. This wc-!d not, however,
Increase one iota the efficiency Of our
common school system. Indeed I
think the contrary would be true. for n
careful study of the census will s:lnm
that the States with the best facilities
for higher education have the best
comnon school systems IN South
Carolina i is certe;aiy true, for since
the building OF Clemson anG the aeita-
ton upon the subject of schools there
has been marked improvement u
the free school sye!en, .! this State,
ard there ss plenty Of roor. for more.
Some superficial thinkers imagine
that State sid for colleges vul common
schools test upoo different goverlaent-
q principles, because theT claim Que is
for the few: TIE other for the many.
This is partly true as fact, but the
man who nses that as an argument
against State aid for colleges fails TO
comprehend the basis upon which rests
the obligations of Government to
educate its children. He conicnnas
tie Individual with that great complex
aggregation of individuals called the
State. He utterly coufnses private
with public rights Individually I.
John 7: EicLaurin, have no more
sight to demand that the State pay for
the tuition Of my children than I have
to expect it to pay my doctors bill,
or Other itens Of domestic expense.
Il IS the public, not the individual,
interest in the matter which creates
the duty and gives Importance to edl-
cation as e matter OF governmental
policy. Viewed in this light, tits easy
is..: -iIuiLlAt H. sane. .,arineinls auplies
to commco school and college. Anoihef
mas said: Estate education rests upon
great public grounds. Its foundations
ere political and moral, and it is Only
permissible from the close relationship
which the experience of ages has de-
morstrated exists between the public
welfare and all the clements Of nation
al prosperity on the one hand and the
enlightenment of the population on the
other.
It is not for the rich that State aid
is wanted; they can get it anywhere,
either IN or out Of the State, but many
a poor lad has been made great man
through a collegiate education, State
aid, when he could have received it il
no other way. There should be ample
educational facilities in this State SO
that none need 60 abroad for al edu-
cation.
There is something peculiar about
-,;li+erv-se,h+,4al--- ---Tho-,..>iia,..aa--t
regular routine, the discipline and for
malities are fascinating, and for some
natures no place will 80 we'll develop
the best that is in them. [ know /
needed just such training to hold me
in check. 7 often laugh now at how
much We all stood in awe Of Colonel
Thomas. HIS formal politeness, digni-
fed bearing and military prom ptDess
absolutely overwhelmed us. He was
bigger man to us than the ''Czar Of al
the Russias." Col. Thomas impressed
two things on every boy. First, that
Col. Thomas was the greatest ma1 on
earth; second, that the boy was the
next. How every boy that had been
up to some devilment trembled when
we we're drawn up in line and ''the
Colonel walked slowly up and down
and looked at rs. have suffered the
tortures of trial, condemnation and
exectioD, for I just felt he was looking
right straight at me, and knew that l
broke garrison lest nj: afhsta sign
Of great relief 7 heaved when be passed,
and what mental VOW I swore never
to do so anymore. To tell you the
truth, I haven't got entirely over 1t
yet. 7 remember meeting 1.-The Col
onel' few years ago in Columbia,
with cigar in my mouth, and, boys,
before knew what I was doing. l
slipped it out OF my mouth, eased 1t
round behind me and out into the gnt
ter. Perhaps I ought to Say, how
ever, that it wasn't very good cigar,
but if it had been q fifty cent full Ha-
wanna, I would never stand mp and
smoke in Col. Thomas's face, and heis
the last man on earth that I would wish
to know that I was guilty of a dishou-
orable or mean thing, and there IS no
treasure that value more than do
his confidence and respect. 4 teacher
and school like that is what | want
for any boy.
Young, gentlemen, far e and riches
are to be desired, but if all OF Us in
stead of devoting our lives to their mad
pursuit would more cultivate and prac-
tice those simple courtesies, human
ties and virtues which adorn and bea;-
tifv human life, We would be happier
and the world better. Fame and
riches may be secured by low cunning
and rapacity. Arrogance and peril
nacity may raise you far above your
and moral superiors, nad
place one in the chiefest seat Of arnbl-
tion, but vulgar admiration can never
atone for the conscious lack OF those
simple but grand attributes that con
stitute the ideal of the model gentle
man. These fertilize the lowest grades
of human existence and best adnrn the
mountain tops.