The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-01-18

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& of popular education. An ideal pli
s. would be the combination OF all hight
= State institutions into single C
It educational university, but at presei
}. this is not practicable, and the nel
}. best measure is the organization
| these now diverse elements into on
# system, properly directed by compe
t ent officials, who should be, as far 8
+ possible, separated from political er
( tanglements and whose duties an
r responsibilities should be carefully dc
: fined by statute. The common countr
, schools, the more nourishing tow
, schools and the varions State college
should be SO related that no gap shoul,
occur in the succession of grade
through which the pupil passes from
rudimentary to postgraduate studies
Every step should imply the preced
ing step" every advance in classe
should be natural sequence of ante
cedent preparation so that the pupi
who enters the lowest grade in tn,
lowest rural school might move for
ward and without d break to au A. M
degree in the highest college in the
State. Especially should the higher
institution supported by the State be
| brought into cooperative relations with
each other. There should be no du-
plication of plants snd courses and
chairs and appliances that could pos
sibly be avoided. If there are to be
various State colleges they should fill
as various fields of educational work,
and in answer to a rational demand for
such variety of advantages ; moreover,
each should be kept strictly to its own
line OF instruction. Furthermore
there must be NO sentimental hesitation
in reducing the States higher educa-
tional system to the basis Indicated by
the peoples actual needs, present and
prospective. Lower education should
press ahead of popular demand and
seek to draw the people on to full
realization of their necessities in this
line Of education and culture. But the
higher education may, for the present
at least, be content to meet effectively
the imme diate demand From what
has been said above you may easily in
fer that the prime necessity for the
higher education in South Carolina is
that all the State colleges be brought
under the control of a single board of
trustees, who shall see that each is sup
ported and expanded according as the
needs Of the people shall indicate. No
one OF these should be allowed to trench
upon the province OF the others, or to
take from the necessary financial sup
port Of the othcrs, At present each
State college has it's own independent
board who consider themselves respon-
slble only for its support AID for its
success and who are naturally not con-
cerned, save in sentimental way,
with the prosperity or interests OF the
other State institutions. The control
of the States educational institutions
Is now in the charge of separate boards
of trustees for each college, divided as
follows: South Carolina College II
Clemson College l3; South Carolina
Military Academy II; Winthrop Col
lege IA; South Carolina State Colored
Normal and Industrial College Z.
The work of the several boards
could be better done and at consider
ably less expense to the State by a
board of seven competent members.
The trustees OF the various institutions
are, at present placed In an attitude OF
partisanship to their own interests and
of indifference, amounting almost to
hostility to the other State colleges.
Thus, each struggling to take care of
itself alone is by that effort brought
into competition with the others, in
stead of working with them and divid-
ing with them. This breeds elfishness,
distrust and antagOnism among institu-
tions that can flourish only by working
in harmony. My belief in the neces-
sity of State higher education is my
warrant for candidly pointing out what
nomical arrangement for it's efficient
PENAL AND CHARITABLE INTITUTIONS.
The finances Of the Penitentiary are
in very healthful condition. For the
first time in the history OF this institu-
tion 1T has paid money into the State
W fnr M of
tho State government. The 50, ,649.72
borrowed from the Sinking Fund Com
mission to meet the last payment or
the Reed plantation has been repaid
and an additional sum of $40, 900 has
been turned into the State Treasury.
IFadditiion to these payments there
fiutficient 4 cash ON hand to purchase
al the fertilizers needed for the next
crop. The income from convicts leased,
with the cash on hand, should meet
current expenses of this institution and
the gross proceeds from the crop pro-
duced this year should be paid into
the State Treasury for general ex-
penses.
The management OF the State Hos
pital for the Insane is all that could be
desired. The affairs of the institution
have been successfully and economical
ly managed. The construction of the
Parker building, for the coored insane,
Is great and needed Improvement.
Upon the small allowance OF $7,500
this handsome brick structure, worth
many times as much, has been nearly
finished. The State has every reason
to congratulate itself upon the marked
Improvement and successful manage
ment OF this institution, especially
when it's limited resources are con-
sidered. | would urge that the small
appropriation asked for by the board OF
Regents to complete this work be
granted.
Special attention is directed to the
Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and
Blind. 1t will be found that this In.
stitutiOn is doing admirable work and
deserves the earnest consideration ol
your honorable bodies.
DIRECT TAX.
There are $8,13079 in tho State
Treasury to the credit Of the direc
tax fund, which, under an Act ap
proved 9th December, 1891, is avail
able for public purposes. recomment
that you pass joint resolution au
, thOrizing the State Treasui or to trans
fer this account to the general &C
count.
PUBLIC PRINTING.
, During the year the office of Publ
|, Printer having been declared vacant
the committee provided for by law
| cOnsiStinp of the GOyernOr and tn