Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-08-19
PERTAINING TO EDUCATION.
''Visitor" Writes OF Impressions After
Short SOjourn In Our Midst.

paper that your columns are devoted
! to the general upbuilding of your
state, county and people, I.have con-
Guided, by your courtesy, to give ex-
preston to few Impressions made
upon rue since sojourning amongst
| the good people OF Oconee county.
While 1T Is true only cane here
to spend the hot months anon gst the
| heaithful hills, and to free myself
from the malaria contracted in the
| low lands of Florida, Mississippi and
Alabama, the benefits already derived
nave about caused me to decide to
cast my future with the children of
South Carolina. For the past twenty
five years l have been directly CON
| nected with the cause of education,
and IL there is one subject, more than
hooves every citizen to see that not
| only are the educational advantages
adequate, but that they are adopted,
or made use of. 1t is an undeniable
truth that, as rule, our rural boys
and girls have bright minds, and,
When properly managed, eagerly ac-
Cept OF offered advantages. 1t Is also
equally true that many rural par
ents are totally Indifferent towards
educational matters. 1t Is here that
the law should step in and aid the
ambitious youthful mind to avail it.
self Of educational opportunities
Texas, (Which Is one Of the lead
ers In educational matters), Califor-
MIA, Missouri and many other States
that have enacted compulsory laws,
have found them wholesome and ex-
ceedingly beneficial, and Mr.. Warren,
Of Chicago, says that it is q positive
fact that those parents who most bit
terly opposed the compulsory laws
claiming that the State was infring-
Ing upon their domestic rights and
authority, became the best advo-
| Gates of the measure. 1t is the coun-
| try child who is the loser, not the
| town or city child. The farmer i'm
AGNES a thousand ends, for the ac-
complishing Of which he is compelled
to have his boy or girl who should
| be at school, but so soon as he sees
he must send them he soon ascertains
the fact that the family accommo-
dates itself to the new condition,
and all moves well.
Again, there Is something wrong
| any other, upon which l may he
termed mono-maniac, it is this
beautiful theme.
AS a subscriber to three OF the
leading educational journals of
| America, | have tried to thoroughly
study the question in it's many varied
phases, as presented in the various
States. 1t is lamentable fact that
South Carolina has the largest per
cent of illiteracy of any of the South
ern States, and it is but natural that
one should ask, why Is this so9 The
destruction Of all social system by
the war was a problem that had to
be met by all the Southern States
after our brave fellows surrendered
at AppomattoX, and in the reOrgani-
Zation which followed the routing Of
Carpetbagism, properly spoken of as
reconstruction days, the negro ques.
tion was serious obstacle in the re-
organization Of our educational sys-
TENS.
do not believe that any two of
the Southern States dealt with this
question in Identical methods, while
many laws were similar. 1t is not
my intention, however, in this let
ter to touch upon the manner in
which the different States have dealt
with the negro educational problem,
but do desire, If possible, to stir up
those who should be most interested
In what Is known as our common
school system. The future Of South
Carolina depends upon the boys and
girls who are to-day attending our
common schools, and it certainly be-
In the country system, when chill
dren have only three or four months
school each year. No State in the
South is making greater strides in
the improvement of her schools (and
colleges as for that matter) than is
Florida. For the coming school term
the country schools will run for
seven months, with a very few eXcep-
tiOnS, and none for less than six
months. In the payment Of teachers
she is close second to Arkansas, !
Texas leading. A first grade teacher
is paid from S65 to $50; second |
grade, $50 to $65, and third grade, |
$50 to $45. BY these measures Flor
ida, Arkansas and Texas are inviting |
the best talent, and while they are
rigid in their examinations for certifi-
Gates, every faithful teacher receives |
ample encouragement.
Let the teachers here do as their |
brethren did in those States, namely, |
discuss these issues at their meetings, |
through the newspapers and jour !
nails, and get the Legislature to pass |
such laws as will give the children |
those advantages to which by herit- |
age, as children of South Carolina, !
they are entitled. Yes, let them do |
this and they will erect for them
selves, in the hearts Of future gene
rations, monuments that will neither |
cOrrode nor crumble. Visitor
State of Ohio, City Of Toledo,
Lucas County.
Frank j. Cheney makes oath that |
he is senior partner Of the firm of |
+. J. Cheney &c Co., doing business In |
the city Of Toledo, county and State
aforesaid, and that said firm will pay
the sum Of one hundred dollars for