The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-01-29
STATE SCHOLARSHIP QUESTION
SENATOR vERNERS BILL. OCCA-
sIONS MUCH DISCUSSION ON
FREE EDUCATION.
Winthrop Students Petition Legislature
Not to Abolish Free Scholarships,
but Rectify Them-Show Great
Good Accomplished in Furnishing
Teachers for State.

| Out nccuIy 1NcIu-OAOW urcalS
Good Accomplished in Furnishing
Teachers for State.
Columbia, Jan. 26.-The endorse
ment Of d. e. Hydrick. Of Spartan
burg. associate justice of the State su-
preme Court, as q successor on the
federal bench to the late Justice La
mar. Of Augusta, the hearing Of Pc
titions from alumnae and the student
body of Winthrop protesting against
the Werner anti-scholarship and tut
ton bill, the introduction of new
bills and another exemplification of
the necessity Of economy in expendi-
lures featured the business of yester-
days session of the lower house.
The petitions from Winthrop col
lege. in the form Of letters to the
house. told of the hardships that
would work on many young men and
women Of the State who are earnest
ly trying to secure an education should
the Werner bill become O law. They
say that. while there may be injustices
wrought to the State by those that
are able to pay for the collegiate ed
ucations Of their child. yet the vast
majority of those that attend the State
institutions Of higher learning be-
cause Of free tuitions or free scholar
ships. more than compensate the state
for the money lost on the unworthy
ones. They say that the State now il
In want Of more primary teachers;
that the majority of the young women
graduated from Winthrop mould the
minds OF the young-and to deprive
the poor but ambitious youth of the
State of an education will mean q
greater dearth Of teachers In future.
This movement for the abolition of
free tuition and scholarships has cre-
ated q furor here among the legisla-
tors and the educators. There seems
to- be several schools Of thought ON
the tuition matter. the. predominating
ones however. seeming to be those of
the Werner class that favor the abo-
lition OF all scholarships and tuition
and those who favor the present sys-
tenn. hedged about with legal safe
guards. applying to denominations
al colleges and those of the State. This
latter class OF thinkers say that the
present law wc-ks an injustice against
the denominational college in favor
OF the State; but their line OF argu-
ment is combated with the assertion
that they seem to forget. the constitu-
tionai Inhibition that forever ,sepa-
rates the church and the State. They
also are reminded. when they claim
that a certain class of taxpayers of
South Carolina support the denomina-
tional colleges and help to maintain
the State colleges. making it double
burden upon them. that the main
tenance Of the denominational insti-
tutions is optional with them; that
the State colleges are open to receive
their youths. These and other argu-
ments-some fallacious and others
suond-are banded to and fro in the
verbal exchange that seems to be the
order Of the day. Many think there
Is an element of selfishness and pedi-
gogical prejudices underlying the
whole matter, which will probably end
by depriving many an ambitious youth
Of South Carolina Of receiving a COL
legiate education.
The house yesterday again showed
a disposition to favor economy in ex-
penditures. when, in a committee of
the whole, Messrs. Graydon, McInnes,
Glenn and Searson spoke against the
contemplated renovation of the speak
ers desk in the house at an outlay Of
$500. A Columbia architect de-
scribed In detail the plans for i'm
provements. which j. T. Lilies, chair
man of the ways and means commit
tee urged as being badly needed. How
ever the committee adjourned with
out any action being taken.
Although late in the session, a num-
Der of new bills. mostly Of local ma
ture. were introduced in the house
yesterday.
A favorable committee report was
made on the library commission bill
a similar measure Of this kind already
having been killed in the senate.
A number Of strictly local bills were
passed to third reading.
Marriage License ReCOrd