The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-08-09
CARLISLE SPEAKS.
The Veteran Educator Tells How
He Was Educated.
WHAT ARE COLLEGES TO NE.
Some Words Of Wisdom From
One Whose knowledge Comes
From Experience. Pearls
of Thought.
WHAT ARE COLLEGES TO NE.
To the Editor OF The State:

Of Thought.
To the Editor OF The State:
Colleges endowed or unendowed are
valuable only as they endow men and
women. If every college now in oul
country 600 in round numbers) had
amplest outfit, in all needful buildings,
apparatus, salaries for professors, there
would still be a great question pending.
How can all this money and moneys
worth be changed into Christian man.
hood, and Christian womanhood? In
building large factory an expert can
predict how many yards of cloth it will
yearly send out, and also the general
worth of the frabric. 1t is not 50 where
human minds, hearts and character are
involved. Suppose, however, that
every college sent out yearly its large
class Of thoroughly educated men and
! women. A rich stream Of good infu-
ences would certainly be poured into
the current life Of our great, restless,
growing nation. Yet the prospect
would be very gloomy, indeed, if no
other causes were at work to help US.
We need and must haye more good ia-
auences at work than all our colleges
can possibly give US. Perhaps some
parents are becoming almost provoked
at the frequent illusions in our papers
to colleges, their work, and their needs.
The paper may be laid down with the
feeling, "What are colleges to me and
my children"
No parents should hastily conclude
that their children will never have ac-
cess to college. An intelligent thirst
for education and persevering spirit
may bring the improbable to pass. Re-
cent statistics show that college stu
dents from farms are more numerous
in proportion in the South than in other
parts Of the country. But our purpose
now is to speak to the parents whose
children will never 60 to college. Your
children are not shut out from useful
career even If shut out from college. A
good common school education is taken
for granted. This you must give them.
Remember the word common does not
necessarily mem cheap, inferior, insig
nifcsnt and worthless. 1t means gen
eral, universal. Air and water are
common. But they are not worthless.
The world needs great many people to
do common, general things. This does
not mean insignificant Or degrading
work. 1t means the work that is abso-
lutely necessary to hold up the vast
structure Of society; such work as the
great majority of human being S must do
though it attracts no specia! notice. i
expect to be "a common man, standing
in my common lot, bearing common
burdens, and doing common duties, as
private good man ought to do. .
Would an expression like this betray a
weak, cowardly, ignoble spirit? Faith
full but not famous" This is the best
epitaph in reach of the great mass of
hnman beings. To be famous is, Of
necessity, denided to the multitude,
just as great wealth is denied them.
A nation of millionaires would be a
nation Of paupers. All men becoming
famous would end in no one being ia
nous, all being on dead level.
A common education, when it meets
the requisite material, may bring forth
an uncommon man. This has often
happened and will happen again. The
generous instincts and aspirations OF
finest natures are provided for by 1this
law. And by law equally sure many
college graduates are common men and
do common work. But We come back
to the great truth that boys and girls
may be fitted for life in its broadcast,
healthiest, most necessary sphere, its
widest range of duties, achievements
and eDjoyments by good common edu-
catit :. This places them on that high
fat t. Die Oh which the great majority
of the worlds population must live.
And on this populous plain, after all,
there is more contentment more real
happines than on the few higher peaks
where the light and heat strike so
iercelyl
Habits Of truthfulness, justice, self
denial and reverence form large part
of good education, and these may be
found elsewhere than in college cam
pus. They may groy readily and rap
idly in the humblest home, on small
farm, owned or rented. The parents
may resolve that they will not send into
life an ignorant: unsubdued, selfish,
dangerous boy or girl. As parents, you
are already interested in the kind of
teachers your children will meet in the
school room year hence. See to it
that they have good teachers now at
home. See to it that the daily life the
atmosphere, the routine, the constant
spirit Of the home is teaching good les
sons of abiding value. Bishop John H.
Vincent bears this testimony to his
home training: MY father made
point of holding his children to the use
Of good English. = = i To this habit
of parental carefulness l owe more for
what little knowledge Of English have
than to all my teachers and text books
put together. Living for several years
in community, where the worst pro
vincialisms prevailed, l was kept in
great degree, from falling into habits
which it would have been hard in the
after years to correct" This is an in
stance Of what may be done in one very
important respect.
Families, like colleges, are valuable
and fill their high mission only as they
endow men and women. 4 very small
minority Of the families supply all the
college students Of our land. The col
leges need all the thousands of homes
from which no student will ever knock
at a college door for admission. These
homes need the colleges. The country
needs botli. When you read the next
appeal for colleges, do not let it annoy
~ y ,-it SI la0t