The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-08-25
THE OPEN DOOR OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Views of E. T. LaFitte, Candidate for the House Of
Representatives, on the Subject OF Education.

Views Off. T. LaFitte, Candidate for the House Of
Representatives, on the Subject Of Education.
The subject before US to-day is the near
est and dearest of all subjects to every
true American that has the pride and in
spiration to see his offspring rise to be
great men and women with pure Chris
tian character, and life filled with deeds
of kindness and charity. Now, the path
way to that high and noble life is through
the open door of the public schools.
The primary fountain of our nations
wealth are not in fields and forest, but in
the school houses, churches and Christian
homes. Ignorance breeds misery, vice
and crime; intelligence breeds position,
wealth and purity of character, and en-
hances human worth to society, makes
him better citizen and better neighbor.
Ignorance and iniquity devastate city and
country like fire and pestilence. Obedience
to law is liberty; disobediencetol law means
slavery, disgrace and misery. Show
me a country where the people are alive
to the interests of good roads, schools and
school houses and good churches, and /
will show you prosperous and Chris.
tian people. I will show you God-fear-
ing people, but let me tell you, my dear
friends, just here, that you can not &C.
compiish the good roads, schools, school
houses and good churches without you
are willing to make some sacrifices. We
have a grand country, and we are up
against an age of very sharp competition.
The questions that we are striving with
to-day are questions which try mems
souls and which only intelligence and
integrity can conquer. MY country, tbs
of thee sing, sweet land of liberty"
Our country is growing in physical and
financial strength daily and hourly and |
tell you we are just in our infancy; our
continent has room, resources and cll-
mate. 1t belongs to the zone of power,
and though our independence was gained
1913 years ago, other nations have been
free for five times as long. We now lead
in wealth and virtue. Our forefathers
landed in this country as slaves of Eng.
land over four hundred years ago, ard
from the time they landed, they were un-
der the yoke of England, but the true
blood of our ancestors in 1776, feeling
that their mother country was inclined TO
be oppressive. They rallied together and
with their life-blood bought their liberty.
Our people are forging to the front and
have been ever since the day they saw
light.
When this country was colonized the
first common school in South Carolina
was established in the city Of Charleston.
It was called the common school then,
why? Because in those days We were
ruled by what is known as the nobility
of England, and we were looked upon as
a common people, not fit for social equal
ity of our rulers, but from that small spark
of civilization and human rights our peo-
pie pushed forward, this dear and proud
old Southland accepted, why? Because
they could not do any better and they
took every advantage Of their opportuni-
ties for their education and forged out
grand and prosperous country, and to-day
We stand among the nobility of England
or any other nation as leaders of wealth
and integrity, and all of our success can
be traced back to the open school house
door. That great writer, Charles Dick
ems, once said, THAT the typical Ameri.
can would hesitate to enter Heaven unless
assured that he could 60 farther" Now
take our country to-day, compare the ad-
vantages of to-day and years back, the
men and women that range from 40 to 20
wears old, when it was time for them to
enter schools, that their young men and
women might be trained in the art of
learning, what did our country face then?
1t faced a mighty enemy, and after four
years of hardship, sorrow and bloodshed,
what few was left returned to their be-
loved home and country, not only sad
dened from the fact that they had no
home, for our land and country had been
invaded by cruel enemy, which only
left destruction in their path, and devas-
tation and poverty on every hand. They
had no school districts, they had nothing,
but those brave people that had been
born of brave ancestors, and with de.
termined will to rebuild their homes and
country, mortgaged their lives to the
commonwealth of South Carolina.
Now, to-day We are a prosperous peo-
pie; we have made mighty strides in the
last few years in wealth, integrity and
energy, why? Because we have the open
school house door. In England only
those who are members of the nobility
can ever enter the highest rank Of society,
but in the land of integrity and freedom,
'WG6lLQ, pOSlIlOu duu 1uuUCuSC, ID Oue sAS
reward for energy and purity. So, then,
I tell you, my dear friends, that all the
good that comes to our people, all the
position, influence, wealth and integrity
of character, the foundation must be laid
in the open door public schools.
I'VE are living, we are dwelling,
In grand and awful time;
In an age on ages telling,
To be living is sublime"
The greatest wealth to man or woman
lis not bank account, for that can pass
away. It is the cultivation of the brain
with brains man can get wealth and posi-
sion, without he can only expect to hold
an humble position, often times come to
want. The largest waste that comes to
any nation is through ignorance; failure
is want of knowledge, success is knowing
how to do thing, wealth is not carved
out of iron, wood and other metal but it
is the product of the brain: Ignorance
is a mass of useless humanity that God