The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-09-29
THE HIGH SCHOOL.

The meeting at the Court HOUSE
last night was not as well attended
as it might have been, but this die
not abate the interest and enthusi
asm of those present in the enter
prise. There seemed to be unonimi
ty of telling that Abbeviil, needs thi:
school and that it is our duty to gel
it, and get it we may if we make the
proper effort.
We have talked about many things
in Abbeville in recent years, we have
made some kind of efforts to obtain
first this enterprise and then an,
other, but something has always
happened to prevent the accomplish
ment of what we sought to accom-
plish.
But that need NOT discourage US.
On the other hand w&should be warn
ed that it takes further effort and a
longer, and stronger pull to get
this school than the efforts we have
heretofore employed. If we want the
school, we should not undertake to
calculate just how much it will take
to get it and then try to raise just
that amount. Whatever amount, and
however large the amount, which this
town may give for this school will be
repaid to us an hundred fold if we
get it, so that the people should not
be- miserly in their gifts, nor indeed
exacting to save as much as possible
in making the subscriptions. We had
much rather offer the Baptists very
large amount and pay it and have the
school than to offer them ten thous-
and dollars less than it would take to
get the school and as a consequence
lcse it.
We should not be calculating in the
matter. We expect the Baptists, if
the school comes here, to give US the
very best kind Of a high school and
we may best show our appreciation
of such a school by giving all that
we are able to give.
For this reason we counsel every
man in Abbeville who is able to give
dollar to this enterprise to do so.
Let every man in Abbeville take
stock of his ability to do something
worth while in the drive which is to
be started. in the next day or two,
and having determined his ability to
give, let him give according to his
ability and to the utmost of his abil-
ity. This is no time to count dollars,
and undertake to economize. 1t is a
time for all to put forth the last dol
lar.
1t has not been so many years ago
that Winthrop College was moved
from Columbia to Rock Hill. As DR..
Moffatt said last night nobody real
lied when the school was begun just
what it meant for a town. Not even
the people in Rock Hill ever dreamed
that Winthrop would be one tenth
the force it now is in South aCrolina.
And so it may be with this high
school. We all ought to know if we
have any interest in matters of this
kind that the demand for schools of
this kind is growing, and that the de-
mand will continue to grow from year
to year. 1t will not be ten years be-
fore there are five times the number
of boys in Boys High Schools in
South Carolina that there are today,
that is if they are able to find schools
to enter. The South is emancipated
from the bonds of poverty by which
we have 50 long been, bound ,. and the
cause of education is dear to the
people. The people in this section do
not count the cost of the best, but
they demand the best in the way Of
preparation for their children. We
shall have made that preparation and
we shall have made. a long step for.
ward in the matter if we can have
this school established here.
Then let every man do his duty. We
all have obligations and some OF
them are large and some pressing
hut as trustees of that money and
l.