The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-04-06
A GREAT MOVEMENT.
Educational Triumphs Of the ReiOrmers.
A inst Criticism OF the Movements
Most Important Achievements.

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4 Just Criticism OF the Movements
Most Important Achievements.
Columbia, S. c., April 2.-It is gen
erallv agreed on all sides that the
factional lines which have existed in
South Carolina since 1890 will not be
longer recognized by the people.
Therefore we may consider that the
faction heretofore known as Reform"
has served the purpose Of the people.
Without going into general review
of the work accomplished by this fac
ton, which would only serve to e1-
cite the old feelings of antagonism,
which had best slumber on, this cor
respondent wishes to direct attention
to one feature, that of educational
purposes, which friend and foe must
agree is the star transcendent in the
diadem of Reform politics.
Whatever may have been the short
comings of that taetion in other dl-
rections, as viewed by its opponents,
all men can unite in giving to that
movement the credit OF doing more
for the education of the masses than
any other one cause since the estao-
lishment of the free public school
system. Therefore I invite YOU, one
and all, to love feast and we will to-
day review this work, which will
stand forever as a monument to q
movement which, being organized by
men, had, like all morality, its virtues
and its faults.
South Carolina has today system
of public education, which III COM
parison with the rest of the coun-
try, considering our population and
wealth, has not its equal in the
United States. One very potent fac
tor in the education Of the masses is
the newspaper, and newspapers IN
South Carolina have increased about
thirty-fve per cent. since 1890, due
directly to the political excitement OF
the Reform movement These pa
pers have not been confined to either
faction in politics, both factions see.
ing the need of greater diffusion OF
knowledge and a political education
of the voters. Many of the papers
established during this political ex-
citement were short lived, but they
all have tended to create demand
fer enlightenment and supplied that
demand to greater or less extent.
doubtless the time honored law OF
nature, the survival of the ittest, has
decided the fate of those that failed,
and it may be remarked in passing,
that no newspaper that honestly
strives to serve God and its constitu-
encv in the field it occupies has
aught to fear from a growth Of in
teligence among its supporters, but
everything to hope, while those who
attempt to use and abuse their prlvl-
lleges for taking advantage of the
people, can only succeed so long as
ignorance enthralls them.
There are today many white men
of good sense, practical men and
worthy citizens, who are thoughtful
newspaper readers, who, in 1890, did
not know one letter from another.
Political ideas among the hard work
ing farmers are no longer taken Sec
ond-hand from the crossroads gossip
or the dictum of the neighborhood
politician. They read for themselves
and they think on what they read as
they follow the plow, and thus, while
tilling the soil of the earth, they are
also tiiling the soil of the brain, that
will make crop Of perennial growth,
and raise the standard OF citizenship
to the honor OF South Carolina.
I say, without fear of successful
contradiction, that no one of your
neighboring States, that few, if any,
of the States in the Union, have to-
day such free thinking, independ-
ent and intelligent voting popula-
ton as has South Carolina, and
much, very much, OF this is due to
the impetus given to education by
the Reform movement OF 1890.
Now that these broad, general prin-
ciples have been considered, let US
turn to a specific department, of the
State government which has the edu-
cation of the masses for its charge,
the Office of the Superintendent Of
Education, and we may speak freely
for Mr.. Mayield, the gentleman who
has had charge of this Office since
1890, has said positively that he will
not offer for reelection to the posi-
ton he has filed so creditably for
eight years.
The statistics of this department
show that the total attendance in
public schools in 1889 was l94, ,264;
in 1898 the attendance was 25S,l53,
which is an increase of about 80 per
cent. A comparison Of the teachers
employed in the different grades will
also be interesting. This shows:
lSS9-First grade, 3,2l1; second
grade, 9S7; third grade, 1850; total,
4,24S.
1s9S-First grade, 2,617; second
grade, 1,47l; third grade, SGT; total,
1856.
The interesting feature in this is
the gratifying evidence of raising the
standard OF teachers in the public
schools by 90 increase in the higher
grades and decrease in the lowest.
Since no stream can rise higher than
it's source, we cannot expect educa-
ton to progress very rapidly under
the fostering care of uneducated
teachers.
Nor is this all, for we find in Mr..
Mayield's report for 1898 reply to