The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-24
THE COLLEGE QUESTION.
a Card from Prssident Crom r Dealing
with the Mntter.
70 the Editor Of The State:

1t is Il pity lhut the denominationul
colleges must annually 10 lngged
into the question of giving adequate
support to the South Carolina col.
lege, and that the question cannot
be decided on its merits AS usual
the periodic debate finds the dcnrm-
nations and the UNCONVENTIONAL col
leges in the attitude Of Interested
spectators. Would it not be wise
for the friends of the State colleges
to let them remain in this attitude {?
write not for the purpose of max
ing an argument. but to file excep.
tons, lest it should be inferred from
the silence Of tho church schools that
they assent TO the various PROPOSE
tons on which the champions of the
State colleges rest their claims. For
instance, in the Legislative debate a
gentleman argued in the course of
what You charactcrize rs Il "logicaP'
speech, that tho denomination sup
ports it's college in order to send ont
graduates who will maintain it's unity,
and that the State must, IN like man
ner, support Il college that will send
out graduates who will prove loyal
to the State and aid in promoting it's
solidarity. The argument is based
on the assumption that the graduates
of denominational colleges are loss
patriotic than those Of the State col
leges. We need educated men who
will be true to the State; the gradu-
atcs Of donominational colleges are
not such men; therefore we do not
need such graduates. Or, VIC need
educated nen who will be loyal to
the State; therefore we do not need
educated men who are loyal to the
church. This is the gontlcman's logic,
and am not now calling it in uues-
ton. l have simply to say that, if
it is valid reasoning, then tho denom-
inatlons ought to he wiped ont;
church and State shonld be united;
and the State should have exclusive
control Of higher education, so as TO
be able to send out educated men
who will be true to its history and
it's principles. Even the argument
that was made when the South Caro-
lima college was founded, that the
unity and harmony Of the whole com
munity would be promoted by bring
ing our youth from all parts Of the
State to college in central loca-
ton, has lost much of it's force, for
GAIL Gaul is divided into three parts'
by Clemson college, the Citadel and
the South Carolina college,
Again: In yesterdays State is Il
sort Of supplement to tho Legislative
arguments. "a Citizcu' Sc, himself
the task Of shedding new light on an
old subject, and "of exposing the
evils that will result if wo entrnst
our higher education into the hands
of non public institutions" I call
attention to the following paragraphs:
"lf the people Of South Carolina
want their SONS taught in colleges
where the aim Of tho teacher is the
discovery and presentation Of truth,
they must support their own institu-
tions. If they take any o1hcr course,
they must expect to have their SONS
taught only such views as are pleas.
ing to the rich. They must expect
that future Legislation will legalize
trusts, declare trades unions con
trary to the peace and good order,
and sanction the indiscriminatc use
OF iniunctions against strikers" {"
"Woulthy men can afford
TO send their SONS to other States and
to pay the expenses OF Il university
gradnnt" conrso. Poorer parents, on
the other hand, if deprived of State
aid, must submit to SEQ their sons
grow up in ignorancc.' # :; "Bnt,"
say those who favor denominational
colleges, "tho work that you arrogato
to State institutions may be inst as
we'll performed by WoTord, Duo
West, Furnan, etc. This is part
of my subject that | dislike, but l
feel constrained to say that. to my
mind, denominational colleges stand
on no higher level than endowed col.