Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-30
Importance Of Education.

These are alarming times in more
ways than one--in fact. in every way.
There has never been time in the
history of America when the country
as whole was confronted with
greater responsibility than now con-
fronts 1t, and there has never been
a time when greater responsibility
rested upon every individual.
This Is the hour of opportunity for
each and every individual who really
desires to be of use in the world.
The country Is at war for the pre-
servation OF civilization and the
flower OF the country has gone forth
to battle. Our young men are Offer
ing their lives and fortunes that our
ideals might he preserved and the re-
sponsibility of those who remain be-
hind is no less than theirs.
Let us remember that life Is our
most important possession. and there
can he no greater sacrifice than that
of the man who offers his life. The
young men who go TO battle are OIL
fering their lives. all they have for
themselves and for those who remain
behind, and il Is for those who re-
main behind to support and sustain
the young men who are at the front.
There is work for everybody now,
and the indiyidual who cannot sec his
duty in the face of threatened death
and ruin for his loved ones and all he
holds dear Is blind indeed.
And right here let us have q
thought for our schools. Education Is
liberty and freedom and without 1t we
are slaves.
In the great upheaval that has ex-
tended to everything, our higher edu-
cational institutions have become de-
moralized. That is proper. necessary
and unavoidable. Men within the
draft age have laid aside their studies
because there is nothing else for them
to do. AS to whether they will ever
be able TO resume those studies no
man can tell: but that is not so i'm
portant. Their educational equipment
for the future is already pretty well
provided for if their lives shall be
preserved.
Ii is the generation that is coming
on that is standing under the darkest
cloud. and which Is compelling con-
Germ. Because of other responsible
ties upon the country that seem to be
more pressing, we are brought to try
to excuse ourselves with feeling that
our responsibility to the generation
that Is coming on may be avoided for
the moment. We need to be immedi-
ately walked up to the fact that this Is
n tremendous error. This matter can
not be neglected.
The most fearful tragedy Of the
great Civil war was not the loss OF
the cause for which the south was
fighting. II was not the killing OF
thousands and thousands or our pest
and noblest youth. nor yet was 1t the
destruction of millions and millions OF
dollars worth of property. Rather
was il the almost complete demorall-
zation Of our educational system, with
the result that q whole generation or
children, boys and girls. were sent in
to the future without the rudimentary
education that equipped them for
the battle of life. The extent to which
this country has suffered because OF
this tragedy Is beyond calculation.
II Is fact that, now. after hfty
years. the present generation in South
Carolina Is only getting to where the
progress OF the generation that passed
through the blight OF the great Civil
war left of.
rhe common school educational sys-
TEN Of this country has not seriously
suffered as yet: but II Is in terrible
danger. The demands OF the war
have put q high premium on educa.
tional efficiency in all lines. and
teachers, both male and female. are
daily becoming subject to these In
ducements in other lines of work.
We do not think that the serious
ness Of the situation Is due to any
unworthy spirit among the teachers:
that they would leave a less import
ant work for a more important work
merely for more money. or course
there are cases of that. for there are
exceptions to all rules. But II must
be remembered that the already In
ADEQUATE salaries Of the teachers have
become still more inadequate. and II
there Is a tendency to change. the
fault, to say the least OF II, Is as
blamable upon the patrons as upon
the teachers.
With it all. however. the country Is
facing a crisis. The schools must
either move forward or backward. For
the schools 20 go backward means
present and future tragedy. and for
them to 60 forward means value re-
ceived for whatever cost
The case is up to the patrons, trus-
tees, and the country generally.