The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-21

that The total deficit amounts to $o7.
"a 30. The superintendent reports
total liabilities $lS,31O.92, making
grand total $l3,6l2.l6. Assets report
ed, cotton 81, ,O2O.OO; amount due from
contractors and other sources, contin-
gent 70, l0S.l6; 2,50O bushels of oats at
~ cents, contingent, $1,000; value OF
PfoauctS on hand not to be sold, for
consumption in prison S2i, ,707. 1t would
&c propc" under the circumstances to
stand OH the products on hand for las,
year and for this year Us this year a.;
thcy will be consumed. The suplrin-
tcndcnt reports that he will be able to
pay every dollar the institution owes,
including the 50, 600 for the purchase
OF the Reed farm bought last year, and
pay cash Tor tho next years guau0 SUP.
plies, which has been bought some
time ago at u very low price. This
cAnnot he done If the amourt duo tuc
State IS refunded. 1t was the ;ntcn-
tlon OF the Legislature to REQUIRE the
salaries OF the institution to be laid
out OF Its earnings, and it can never
De SAID TO be sclf-supporting as long as
The people arc taxed to pay such s;.a-
rles, no matter what showing is mn.n
as to improvements. am satisfied the
institution Is in q better condition than
1T has ever been and trust that in the
near future it will be a source OF reyc-
nue. to the State.
THE COUNTY CHAIN GANGS,
The county chain gangs arc worked
successfully IN nearly all the counties
Oh the State and are adding materially
TO the wealth of the people by afford
ing good roads. In the county Of Rich
land over fifty miles Of road have been
built and put in perfect condition and
IL drive around the county affords an
excellent object lesson Of what will
soon be the condition of the entire
state. In some counties they arc en-
barrassed by the restrictions Of the law
which limits them to conviots whose
sentences do not exceed two wears. 1t
is as easy to keep ten-year convict on
the chain gang as it is u two.year con-
wet and the statute should be amend
ed, giving the court discretion, as more
depends apOn the character Of the
convict than the term Of sentence.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
1t Is u matter OF pride and congratu-
latlOn to the State to note the incrcas-
ed Zeal the people have displayed i'm
taking advantage of the improved
educational facilities afforded by the
government. The basic principle of tho
The masses, has been taken up by all
clases until our schools and colleges
show a more prosperous condition than
ever IN lhe history Of the State.
Inc report ol the superintendent Of
cducatlon herewith transmitted is an
excellent pictorial and statistical adj
Vertlacmcnt OF our institutions Of learn
ing and astudy OF it may prove both pro-
htable and interesting to sthc icOno-
elastic member who would put out the
States brightest lights. In 1890 thc
common schools Of the State showed
an nro.mcnt of POI, ,2GO pupils, com
posed OF 80. 372 whites and Ill, ,SSS col
orcd. In 1896 the enrolment showed
232, ,331 composed Of 100, l30 whites and
l23, l6 colorei. n total increase of
SLOT, OF which 1877 were whites and
ii ,29O colorcd 1t is interesting to
note that the whites show much
large Increase than the cOlorcd chill
uren. The enrolment for 1895 was
223, OBI, composed OF 1913, 729 whites and
ll9, POP colored, which is 9,3l6 less than
for The present year. The increase in
enrolment. for the present year con
slstS OF 1856 colOred and ), ,43O whites.
| believe the cause OF the great in
crease is the educational qualification
Tor suffrage in the now Constitution.
The value Of school buildings and fur
niture in 1890 was $447, 1852. In lS!d
$S2l ,229, showing aD increase OF nearly
100 per cent. The amount available
for all school purposes ir 1890 was
$o2l,Sl6. In 1896 over $SOO,OO0 was
available. This Includes, Of course,
the one mill tax imposed by the Con.
stltution. This docs not include the
appropriation for the States colleges,
which would swell the amount tc
nearly 81 ,00O, 600. Ii will thus be seen
that South Carolina in proportion to
her wealth is spending more money
for the education OF her citizens than
any other State OF tho Union. The
Constitution provides for the collection
OF ~ supplementary tax by the comp
troller general and for the application
Of escheated estates and the dispen-
sary profits to this fund. There has
been covered into the State treasury
to the credit Of this fund $50, ,2lG.SI,
which has been invested according to
law in State and United States bonds
81 ,O3S.S9 in cash will be invested in
such bonds as soon as possible. The
length OF the school term has been
gradually Increased and We confidently
expect to reach tho constitutional re-
quircmcnts OF six months within the
ensuing year.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE.
This institution, tho just pride Of so
many OF our citizens, Is in hcalthv
and prosperous condition. The Eu...
Der OF students enrolled during the
present year is lGl, of whom l57 are
from - counties in this State, the re-
malnder from other States. While
the enrolment shows a small decrease
from the year preceding, it may be
observed that it is larger than the
average in flourishing antc-bellum
times. " From all that [ can learn
from conversation and corrcspon.
dence," says President Woodrow, in
his report, " there would be a much
larger attendance, but for the fear
that the college would be discon-
tinucd,. fear caused by tho balcful
discussions Of It's right to exist" | am
sure these fears are without fOunda-
tlon as the college has warm place
In inc hearts of toe people of the STATE
and It's work today on the part Of the
faculty and students is OF q higher
order and more satisfactory than that
,G T.. a