The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-07-21
EDUCATION THEME
OF MASS MEETING
CITIZENS EDUCATIONAL ASSOCA.
TION IS FORMED.
Survey of State Wanted
Legislature Requested to Assist BY
Giving Financial Support
to Schools.

Spartanburg, July 15.-More than
three hundred leading men and wo-
men of the state gathered in Spartan
burg today and organized the Citi-
Zens Educational Asso of South
Carolina. j., Ryon Mckissick, Of
Greenville, was elected president and
the following were named as vice
presidents, each representing con-
. gressional district.
First district: Legare Walker, of
Summerville; second, Bert D. Carter,
of Bamberg; third, DR.. Geo. B. Crom-
er, of Newberry; fourth, ]. B. Atkin-
son, of Spartanburg, fifth, T. B. But
: Ter, of Gaffney; sixth, Bright Will
, hanson, of Darlington; seventh, Mrs.
S. o. P1owden, Dalzell.
''South Carolina wants the best
: there is, and can pay for it, This
was the slogan adopted by the as
, sociation.
The meeting was presided over by
r. Goodwin Rhett, of Charleston. Ad-
dresses were made by Howard B. Car
Isle, president of the Spartanburg
Chamber of Commerce; DR.. Henry
Nelson Snyder, president of Wofford
college; Governor Robert 4. Cooper,
George F. Zook, of the United States
Bureau of Education; State Superin-
tendent of Education j. E. Swearin-
gen, DR.. John E. White, of Anderson,
and others.
Dinner was served the visitors in
the dining hall of Converse college.
After dinner the committee on reso-
lutions reported, memorializing the
legislature to have made thorough
survey of the state to find out its
true educational status, recommend
ing the law making body to give edu--
cation such legislative and financial
support as it merits and other reso-
1utions defining the scope and pur-
poses of the conference and appealing
to press, pulpit, platform, and to the
various civic, social, religious, COM
{ mercial, patriotic and other organiza-
tions to exert their strongest fnfiu-
ence to arouse public sentiment to
this end.
Governor Robert A. Cooper's dis
course on the needs and the aspira-
tions of South Carolina's educational
system was one of the outstanding
features of this smorning' programme.
The University of South Carolina,
Furman university, Wofford college,
Converse college, Winthrop college,
and other institutions were repre-
sented.
R. Godwyn Rhett, of Charleston,
long identified with every movement
tending to promote the common good
of the state, was chosen to act as
presiding officer of the meeting. Mr..
Rhett's opening address contained
many pertinent and surprising bits
of information regarding the needs
of Sauth Carolina's educational sys-
tenn as it exists today.
"The most vital subject in any
commonwealth" said Mr.. Rhett, 'is
education. Economic progress is de-
pendent upon education in large
measure. In 1776 our fathers be-
queathed to US a creed that all men
are born equal. This being true, edu-
cation became a prime consideration.
Strange to say, however, the federal
government did not see fit to super
wise the education of the people OF
the commonwealth. 1t delegated this
work and the states in turn passed
the work on to the shoulders Of the
counties constituting the states. On
these counties this duty has rested
ever since. The result in South Caro-
line naturally has been that the state
stands lowest in the Union with re-
gard to illiteracy."
'"It is possible" said Mr.. Rhett,
.'that the presence of negroes in the
south has retarded this section in its
educational progress to some extent,
This particularly may be the cause
in South Carolina. We have been
afraid to educate the negro, and this
has been a great mistake"
Mr.. Rhett urged that we not allow
education to hault because of the
presence of negroes in the south
"Our prime concern now should be-
he said, "the investigation of condi-
tions obtaining in the schools of the
state and the prompt application OF
remedial measures"
Mr.. Rhett then introduced DR.. Hen
~ Nelson Snyder, president of Wof-
ford college, who paid eloquent trl0-
ute to the personnel of the gathering