The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-02-27
Wednesday, Feb. %. 1907.
The CITY High School.

The City High School.
Reference is had TO the card Of Mr.. F. W
Gregg, Secretary OF the Presbyterian high
school board. The Presbyterian school, II
seems, is not dead. as We thought. Our PEG
pie no doubt to a man, will respond tc
the promise to pay the respective amounts
And we will nave a first class denomination
al school. Its presence among rs will no
doubt be of great benefit to the town-spiritu
ally and financially.
As two cotton mills, two oil mills. two
hotels, or two or more OF any other enter
prises are of benefit 10 a town, 80 Aobeville
should be glad to have the Presbyterians
build their school In our city.
But the fact that good citizens. propose to
build q high school for any religious denomi.
nation, Is no reason why the people OF q
city should not have q high school OF their
OWL.
1t is against the policy Of this government
to join Church and State, and the constitu.
ton of this commonwealth specifically for
bids the levying Of taxes for the support Of
any school or college that may be under the
control Of any religious denomination.
And the city has been careful TO conduct
our graded school 30 that no charge Of de.
nominationslism might justly be made.
Members Of the board Of trustees have been
chosen from each Of the denominations and
from the Jews.
Teachers have been sele cted without refer
snce to their churchly relations.
The graded school was built by taxation
and It's teachers are paid by the school dis
trict.
In no word or deed Is there even a hint. OF
UNCONVENTIONAL favoritism. No child OF
Jew or GENTLE, nor the son or daughter OF
any Presbyterian, nor any Methodist, nor
any Baptist, nor any Episcopalian, nor any
Catholic need fear being proselyted,
In our graded school good morals. good
manner and good principles are taught. but
never a word Is said TO the scholars as to
which denomination they should Join, or the
principles OF which sectarisn body hey
should imbibe.
Does Elskine College teach Associate Re-
formed Presbyterian religious faith?
Does Wofford College teach MethodlsmF
Does Furman University teach immersion
or the peculiar tenets ofthe Baptist church?
Will the Presbyterian high School at Alb
beville teach the sectarian or peculiar tenets
ofthe Presbyterian church?
This newspaper need not say whether
Erskine, Woford. or Furman teach the
peculiar doctrines OF the respective churches
which established them.
And this newspaper commends them for
the fidelity to their trust. II they do so. II Is
their duty TO labor for the advancement OF
their respective denominations, and no OBJ
lection whatever is made to the distinctive
feature or =: practices OF any denomination.
They all do good to their adherents.
Well. now; will the proposed Presbyterian
High School discharge its duty to the church?
We make no hesitation In saying that 1t will.
And We have no doubt that Abbeville will be
proud Of that Institution. 1t will certainly
be a factor in our education, our religion and
our morals. II 1t does not come up to these
expectations, does 1t not fall far short OF &C.
complishipg the work which 1t should do.
Up to this time lhas the Presbytery beeu
faithful in the discharge OF Its duty to the
Presbyterians whose best interests they rer.
resent? We contend that the Presbytery has
been strictly careful to guard their every in
terest.
l. They have accepted our subscriptions
without in any way recognizing Us.
2. They have carefully excluded as from
their board OF trustees.
8. They have elected a treasurer to receive
our money, without comforting with a. as to
our choice in the matter.
4. They have carefully refrained from
making any definite or specific statement OF
their plans or purposes, except to guild for
themselves q high school with our money.
8. The idea Of expecting reasonable
men to be compensated for q big gift by
saying the "Presbytery has been pledged to
stand back Of this movement Is hardly to
be expected.
. 6, The citizens OF Abbeville who subscribed
their money have a right to expect Presby-
terry to stand In front and all round, and not
only at the back OF this enterprise.
Z. ANY Idea that q unconditional high
school that 80 soon segregaters itself from It's
benefactors, will take the place OF q public
high school need not be considered.
8. Abbeville needs a high school OF her
own.
9. Abbeville is glad for the Presbyterians
to build q high school. That 10 proven by
our subscriptions.
10. Let not the friends and promoters Of
the Presbyterian High School put q damper
on our effort TO build a school for ourselves.
IL. 1.-THE people who gave their money 10
build the Presbyterian High School are not
good enough. and cannot be regarded with
such consideration as would allow US
TO have a single representative on
their board, Iii impossible for q sch oil, con
Quoted Ion such narrow principles, to-
answer the public demand for q high
school in Abbeville whose door may be
thrown open alike to Presbyterians, Metho-
dists, Baptists, Episcopallsns, and other peo-
pie.
IL. If our children are ostracised now, and
If our pleasure and our interest Is to be so
soon disregarded, what may we expect later?
-. In all this, not one word Is meant to
impede the building ofthe Presbyterian High
school,.
IA. Our sole object is, to convince our PEG.
pie that because the Presbyteriaus are to
have a school Is no reason why we should not
educate our children.
Is. Instead OF abandoning Spur effort to
build q high school the good example Of our
respected Presbyterian brethren should
awaken In us an Incentive to accomplish
something for ourselves.
Rockefeller's Gilt.
OF course the Hon. William Billy Bryon
- , Ia 5000 D. ~