Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-04-28


mountain districts are extremely ILL
terate. Suspicious of city people and
ways, distrustful Of all attemps to draw
their children into the public schools,
; though possessing some strong rustic
characteristics, they are an easy prey
: to the degrading tendencies that go
hand in hand with ignorance. The
condition of these people constitutes
. one of the gravest problems for the
south to solve.
5 In our cities and towns it is a IA
t miliar scene, rather an everyday oc-
, currence, to see the negro children
with an insatiate desire for learning
, In sharp contrast to this, and shame
t full to say, we see the white children
: lin equal numbers with ignorance and
lvice depicted in their countenanceS
spending their time in idleness
2 around the mills, or perchance in
many cases working in the mill con-
trary to law, and by reason Of the
falschood to which their parents have
sworn as to their age. 1t is but fair
to say, in justice to the management
of our mills that in many cases with
In sight Of these idle children are
good school houses with competent
teachers. But the blame for the ig-
norant condition in which these chill
dren are being reared rests not 50
much upon the managers of the mills
as upon the shoulders of their de-
: graded parents. On the factory nils
lof North Carolina today there are
thousands of children growing up in
densest ignorance. Already the fac
tory vote has become serious ques-
. ton in South Carolina politics, and
If this condition is allowed to go un-
checked ii will in few years assume
; alarming proportions.
But now let us turn to the cOndi-
ton in the country. When we refer to
the public school conditions Of South
Carolina our minds instinctively turn,
not to the schools of our large cities
Z and towns but to those Of the rural
districts, which in large measure are
a disgrace to a civilized common
wealth. The short terms of our pub
lie schools are proverbial. Statistics
/ show that the average length OF term
of our country schools is but eighty
nine days of the year. Less than
one-fOurth Of the year are the schools
, kept open, and we are sure that the
, average attendance will be much less
than eighty-nine days What shame
to our state?
) The children, those into whose
: hands must be intrusted the destiny
of this commonwealth, being prepar-
ed for life in such a slovenly, made
luuate manner. The average value of
} our school houses is something over
two hundred dollars while the aver
age value of the school buildings of
Massachusetts is over two thousand
dollars. What would an enlightened
stranger think Of our solicitude for
!, the education Of the states children
when he Is told the salary which we
pay our teachers? Do you know that
| nf
Of this country are nearly twice as
much per month as South Carolina
pays her public school teachers, while
those of the blacksmths are three
times and those of the bricklayers
are four times as much? | venture
the assertion that the janitor Of this
college draws monthly wages nearly
equal to the average salaries paid the
| instructors Of our children in the
, public schools Of our state. Is South
Carolina willing to trust her children
in the hands of such poorly paid SER
J wants? How can she expect to secure
first rate teachers on fifth rate salar-
les? The small compensation offer
ed is but a bid for cheap teachers. 1t
lis a notorious fact that in many
country districts those are the kinds
, of teachers secured, and even then
their feeble efforts must be distrib-
uted among an average attendance of
fifty-two pupils. OF course there are
: sections Of our state where these con-
: ditions do not obtain, and where GER
tain country schools are the pride of
the country; but in great measure
the conditions as we have pictured
| them are true.
|, It is hardly necessary for us to say
much upon that phase of this ques-
; ton which relates to the negro pop
J ulation. This has been the skeleton
in the southern closet and it has been
the delight Of the cheap politicians OF
our state-with whom heaven knows
we have been cursed enough-when-
ever the question Of general education
has been agitated, to dangle these
bones and appeal to the lowest pas
sions and prejudices Of our voters.
The cry of the children has been
aroused Surely a better day has
dawned. 1t is folly to talk about a
compulsory education law forcing the
negro to educate his children. He is
doing it without force. The last re-
port of the state superintendent of
education shows that there are twen-
ty-five thousand and more negroes
than whites in the common schools or
South Carolina. And we would say
nothing by way of censure of the ne
gro for embracing every opportunity
afforded him to better his condition.
|, Would that the members of our own
race were doing the same!
We have attempted thus far to
show the educational conditions ex-
, listing in our state. Now what is the
remedy? Surely there must be a
+ remedy. for the God-given rights of
childhood and the future welfare or
our commonwealth demand better
condition Of affairs. Illiteracy in an
American commonwealth Is dis
grace to twentieth century civiliZa-
, ton.
We must have better country
schools. longer terms better paid
teachers. and through local taxation
should be encouraged to remedy these
conditions, school houses must be
built in some communities by means
of outside help. Legislators must be
instructed to curtail expenses else
where if they can. but by all means
to increase the appropriations for
common school education. Even
then many children will not receive
; the benefit until a compulsory educa-
tiOnal law forces the parents to send
them to school. I am of the opinion
that this is the only way in which
educational conditions among the
factory operatives can be remedied.
But back of all legislation and prior
to it must be that greatest force in an
, American gOvernment-public sentl-
, ment. There the work must be done.
, An aroused public sentiment means
reform. Witness. if you please, the
wave of prohibition sweeping over
, the south today. Whence comes it If
it be not the direct result OF an
awakened public opinion? And in
the same way the crusade for educa-
ton must be conducted. To lead in
the work we must have soldiers of the
I, common good, who are willing to give
their lives and talents for the sake or
the children of the state.
! God give us men! A time like
this demands strong minds, great
hearts. true faith and ready hands.
. Would that our young men and wom-
en-. as they go out from our colleges,
were filled with this spirit. that they
might be stalwart warriors in this
righteous cause. We. the youth of
our state. having the keeping of her
{ good name in our hands. How shall
. we handle it? Shall we be neglectful
, of our charge and allow the be-
. | Nr