The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-02-24
SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE
UNDER DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Many More Scholarships Provided for In
That Time Honored Institution-How
the Members Voted.

Many More Scholarships Provided for In
That Time Honored Institution-How
the Members Voted.
COLUMBIA, s. c., Feb. 2O.-In the
House ON Tuesday an effort was made
to abolish all free scholarships in the
South Carolina College, out instead
of doing this the House increased the
number, allowing each county as
many free scholarships in the college
as they have Senators and Represen.
tatives. The fight WAS brought on
wher MIR. E. D. Smith proposed the
following amendment in the para
graph of the appropriation bill relat.
ing to the South Carolina College:
Strike out, Provided, That suitable
courses of study are provided without
fees for tuition o. matriculation for
two young men from each county,
and also for admitting young women
qualified to enter the college so that
it shall read: provided, young ladies
are admitted who are qualified to en-
ter" he spoke against any free tut
ton. The people are taxed to pay for
the education of one in the normal
department and then taxed to pay him
for teaching. His ides! was to require
a pledge that the money spent on his
education should be returned to the
State.
Mr.. Patton asked whether the gen.
tleman's position was that the State
should be taxed to support the college
and yet ch ,rge $40 tuition, thus pre-.
venting some poor msIn from getting
the advantages of education2
Mr.. Smith said that was it, and it
would tax those who attended for the
privileges enjoyed.
Mr.. Cushman said if the amendment
prevailed, we might as we'll close up
the college.
Mr.. Kibler said he certainly favored
giving two boys in each county free
tuition.
Mr.. Ilderton said thsIt instead of
striking out the provision, he thought
more ought to be given the benefit of
free tuition.
Mr.. Gage asked whether these two
SCHOLARSHIP ps referred only to the nor
NAL department.
Mr.. John P. Thomas said he had an
amendment conflning them to the
normal department. He introduced
the amendment aS a substitute to Mr..
Smiths amendment.
Mr.. Price agreed with the amend.
ment of Mr.. Thomas. We have not
arrived at that point in South Carroll
na where we can do away with free
tuition, he said. He spoke of the ne.
cessity of keeping up these institutions
80 that our young men can be educat'
ed at home.
Mr.. 81. j. Kinard said the argument
indirectly was that this institution
could not compete with the denomi'
national colleges. 1t must have free
tuition in order to get patronage.
There is no deficiency in teachers and
there is no necessity of this free tut
ton. As the friend and supporter Of
a denominationsl college, he could
not see its doors thrown open to pull
down these colleges. There is no de
mand for the South Carolina College.
The friends know it and are trying to
mislead the members in the matter.
Mr.. Patton asked whether the in
tention was to assert that he intended
to mislead the House by false state
ments.
Mr.. Kinard denied that, but wanted
to know why the friends of the col
lege didn't come out squarely and say
what they wanted free tuition for.
This colleges standard should be
above that of the other colleges in the
State so that they can take post.
graduate course.
Mr.. Patton asked did the gentlemen
not know that there was no such in
stitution in the country2 Mr.. Kinard
did not answer directly, but said it
was admitted that the standard was
too low. He said the college was q
drag ON the State, and this free tuition
idea was just to bolster it up. The de-
nominational colleges educate more
boys on much less money, and as q
business proposition, he did not see
why the South Carolina College
should be supported.
Mr.. Wyclle said he had been struck
with the remark that we had an abun.
dance of teachers. He held, however,
that all of them should be better pre-.
pared, and he wanted to see the nor.
NAL department increased in eficien-
cy. It is the grandest feature in the
whole affair. E[e protested against
this covert effort to stab the normal
department.. Our teachers are not as
we'll qualified now rs they ought to
be. The State could not do too much
for the teachers, he said.
Mr.. Kinard asked whether it was
right for man to be taxed to support
a college which would pull down an
other2
Mr.. Patton said he would have to
pay the taxes anyway whether stud.
ents were educated free or not. He
held that all UNCONVENTIONAL colleges
help the South Carolina College, but
if one wants to cripple denomination
al colleges, let him teach the doctrine
that State education should not be
furnished, and soon the people will
begin to believe that denominational
education is useless. The great foe of
education is a feeling that money
spent on it was thrown away. Speak.
ing on his resolution, he explained
that it was intended to give every
county as many scholarships as it had
representatives in the House and Sem
ate, these to be appointed by the dele
cations any way they saw ft-either