The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1907-09-18
Lack Of Interest in Education.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:

know of no other word in the Eng
lish language that should occupy a
higher position in the mind of man
than that of education. Since the
creation of the world mind training
has been an important factor in the
development of civilization. Ancient
Greece and Rome placed education
above every other phase of progress.
Egypt, though exercising various Gus
TOMS of idolatry, advocated freely
the idea of educating her people.
Thus it is today in every country
though Christian or heathern. How
ever. we shall not attempt to review
other countries in our limited dis
course, but let's see what Lexington
county and South Carolina are doing
along this line of development.
When we note the fact that South
Carolina out of nearly fifty States
stands at the bottom round of the lad
der in education and that Lexington
county out of nearly forty counties
occupies the same position, we can
plainly see without further comment
what we are doing. Yet should we
be surprised at this shameful condi-
tion? Certainly we should not be
when hundreds of our citizens turn
deaf ears to the calls of education
and rejoice when men fail who do try
to work for the best interest of their
county and State. We have only to
recall one past week when two cent
levy was voted down in part of our
own county by two-thirds majority
of married men with families. Why
was this done? For lack of interest
in this great cause; still if the trus-
tees don't have a first class school
and treat these same mems children
better than any others, the non-levy
men will be the first to kick. The
great cry to-day is: I have no learn
ing and I have made living let my
children do the same. To such I say
that if you value life so low as to
think that living is all you are to
make in this world, then, pity you.
Gentlemen, are we selfsh?> Do we
love our children? If you have no
children does this release you from
the duty you owe to your fellowmen?
Certainly not. Can we not plainly
see to-day that the young men and
women Of our county and State, who
have not at least common educa-
ton, are lingering in the rear of those
who have embraced the golden oppor-
tunities. Are your children not as
good as other peoples children? Ger
tainly, then why not manifest the ap-
probation of your offspring by work
ing more for the cause of education.
What does an educated county or
State mean to their citizens? 1t
means development; both intellectu-
ally and morally. It means rapid
growth in every branch of industry;
it means independence; it means
Christian advancement. Can we con-
ceive of an ignorant man rising to
prominence? Can we conceive of an
ignorant community prospering? Can
we conceive of an ignorant State be-
ing elevated in the eyes of her coun-
try? No. Then what must we nat
urally conclude from the above pre-
misses? Must say that we, as men,
as a county, as State, are indiffer-
ent toward this great cause? I must.
How many of our county and State
officers came out last year on an edu-
cational platform? Answer for your
self. On the other hand, how many
came out on some kind of liquor
platform? Answer for yourself, and
you can plainly see the lack of inter-
est in education. Brother citizens,
let me speak word of truth and COM
mon sense in your ears: Do we not
know thatif our county and our State
would rally together and build school
houses and institutions of learning for
the rising generation and educate our
boys and girls that we would have no
need for half of the laws upon our
statute books; we would have no
need for our politicians to discuss liq-
uor problems and other issues of as
low caste as the above; we would
have no need of voting special tax
for school funds; we would have no
need for two-thirds of the prison
houses in our country. But the cry
would be onward and upward toward
the mark of the high calling. Some
will say, am not able to educate my
children. TO such I say that is no
excuse; give your boys and girls your
encouragement and if they have a