The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-14

school houses and better equipment
aud better teachers, boys and girls
could bo prepared for college at tho
common schools in tho country with
out neediug to take course in fit
ting schools, preparatory to entering
college. The States educational
system, including all schools, high
and low, primary, secondary and
collegiate, looks to ono end and
aim--to correct illiteracy, to dispel
ignorance, to train intelligent and
patriotic citizens. 1t is sustained by
public appropriations, gathered by
taxation from every class Of citlzens.
1t exists for the benefit of all the poo
pie Of the commonwealth and all are
Interested in it's economical and Of
ficent administration.
The systom is q body composed of
members Of various capacities and
functions, to bo exercised, not in
dependently, but each in conjunction
with tho others; with constant TO-
ference to common purpose, and
upon common plan. Harmonious
cooperation is necessary and this i'm
plies organization, embracing in we'll
blanced order every part Of tho sys-
tenn and supervised by Intelligent
and el1iciont officers. At present
such organization and supervision
are wanting; and tho whole system is
split into departments working zach
towards the supposed common ond,
but with no clear understanding or
appreciation of each others moods,
methods, and aims. There is, there
foro, On uuintontional but inovita-
bic lack Of sympathy and under
standing, which makes separate
system Of each branch of the States
educational plant, and stands in tho
way Of that unity and cooperation
which are the prerequisites, of
economy and efficiency. Thoro is no
headship, no leadership, no intelli-
gent policy, no common purpose.
Necessarily, the result is duplica-
ton Of work, a lack of connections,
an unoconomical, because unsyste-
matte, expenditure of funds, an inox-
cusablo waste of energy, and above
ell, an unsatisfactory effort to for
ward the cause Of popular education.
An ideal plan would be the combina-
ton Of all higher State institutions
in to asingle coeducational university
but Mt present this is not prncticahlc
and the next best mesure is tho Or
ganiZation Of these now diverse ole-
ments into ono system, properly di-
rected by competent officials, who
should be, as far as possible, ssrarat-
cd from political entangloments and
whose duties and responsibilities
should be carefully defined by stat
nte. The common country schools,
the moro tlorishing town schools and
the various State colleges should be
80 related that no gap shoald occur
in tho succession Of grades through
which the pupil passes from rudi-
mentary to post graduate studios.
every stop should imply the pre-
ceding STEP" every advance in
classes should be natural sequence
of antecedent preparation; 50 that
the pupil who enters the lowest grade
in tho LOWEST rural school might
move forward and without break to
on A. NJ. degree in the highest college
in the State. Especially should the
higher institutions supported by the
State be brought into cooperative re-
lations with each other There
should bo no duplication of plants
and courses and chairs and appliances
that could possibly be avoided. If
there are to be various State col
leges they should fill as various
fields Of educational work, and
in answer to q rational demand
for such variety Of advantages; moro
over, zach should be kept strictly to
it's own limo of instruction. Further.
more, there must be no sentimental
hesitation in reducing the States
higher educational system to the
basis indicated by tho peoples ac-
tual moods, present and prospective.
Lower education should press ahoad
of popular domand and seek to draw
the people on to full rculization OF
| lHSlI utCSSSlUlSS Ill tI1lS llH0 Ol ouu-
cation and culture. But tho higher
education may, for tho present at
least, bo content to meet effectively
the immediate demand. From what
has been said above you may easily
infer that tho prime necessity for tho
higher education in South Caroline
| is that all tho State colleges be
| brought under tho control Of sin,
, gle board Of trustees, who shall sot
that each is supported md expanded
according as the needs Of the people
shall Indicate. No ono OF those
should be allowed to trench upon tho
province of tho others, or take from
the necessary financial support o
the othors. At present each Stat,
| college has it's own Independent
! board who consider themselves re
! sponsiblo only for it's support ant