The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 12, 1979, Page Page 34, Image 34
l??WJ I JjJiwAw
hohbi an
State
By Jim Phillips
I Editorial Pago Editor
As the end of a decac
i proaches, let us hooe
South Carolina, consider
some to be one of the
progressive states in the
South, will finally open it
and be progressive in the
that needs it most: ]
education.
I
Although South Carolin
begun recently to spend
and more of its ?
appropriated money
pniinfltinn thp stafo ofill
near the bottom amonj
states in the quality ol
most important field,
result, South Carolina is <
the few states in the co
where the average educa
attainment of the populat
still below that of a high s
gi auuair.
In 1970, only 37.8 perc
South Carolina's popul
over 25 years old com
four years of high schoo
only is this figure far bel<
national average of 54.1
cent, it is the lowest
in the South. Is
nnv u/nnHpr .Qnuth Parnlii
*"V "
more applicants turned
from the armed servic
mental incompetency th
other state?
There used to be a ?
among South Caro
"enlightened few" in th<
! of education that if it w
for Mississippi and Alal
we would be last in evei^
If South Carolina contini
have a passive attitude
the quality of its j
education system, we m;
even be able to boast o
dubious honor.
Cjamecoi
| Founded 1906
Mark J. Lurtdgren Editor
Don Fobes Copy Dei
Tom Travis New!
David Baker Entertalnmen
Brett Frledlander Sport!
Dave Roback Graphic!
Barbara Mathews Win
jim rmuips ttmoriai pag<
Jan Easterllng Assistant New;
Lehman Stllei Assistant Entertalnnr
Mike Chlbbaro Asst. Sport!
Janice Wood Graduate A
Jill Griffin Advertising A/
Fran George Production A/
Jon Clemmensen General Ai
Sam McKee Business K
Mark Ethrldge Jr.
etont <nprnnd In the G*me<
If tHtned, of the writer am
, of the aonior editorial staff
'v'" & ?,.
educatio
South Carolina still ranks
near the top in the number of
le aD- high school dron-outs. addinc
that: to an already alarmingly higK
ed by number of functional illiterates
most in the state. Yet, this emDeep
barrassing statistic does not
s eyes have to continue. With
; area determined and concerted
public effort among those in a position
to improve the quality of
education, most notably the
educators and legislators,
a has South Carolina can assume a
more position of leadership among
;tate- the states of the Soutn and the
on nation in public education,
ranks
i the
r this To begin with, more funds
As a would help. But money isn't the
me of only answer. South Carolina
untry
[GtLLV(3uFFIN6TON '7??
,ion is
school |"
I
ent of
ation
pleted
1. Not
>w the tellff
J per- BBMaMfgijiM
figure
there Kt// U\ llh-illH
ia-has 'iff HB^MM I In 111 H
ck
In Chief 1 7
(juest coLi
l Editor
t Editor . ....
rnis semester tne aar
begins accepting guest c
s Edl,or from its readers. Columns sh
?Editor on pertinent subjects of inter
s Editor majority of the Carolina
i Editor munity. Also, columns she
lent Ed. limited to one topic and pre
... v Afionfnrl al
?tanor iwvuu j ujl ai
ssistant newsworthy columns will
tanager
\anaoir
tanager
m \ The Gam?
Manager | 1 -|T| should be an
\ O I I the writer'* c
Adviser V-A A, A. standing and
?r. 1 11 writer's nam
I, H un- Of | p V?Q
XV-/ W \J\ J i, O usc Columb
n must 1
already is a leader in the
percentage of total state appropriations
spent on public
education. Teacher quality,
improved learning aids,
education colleges, teaching
methods and many other
things must be carefully
scrutinized, evaluated and
improved in any way possible i
for the amount of money ap- j
propriated to be useful. Money
spent unwisely on education
would be better not spent at all.
The day will come, and
probably not too far in the
future, when the people of
South Carolina will stand up
and demand accountability
t from their leaders for the sad
JOHNNY, DOG IS
.LLED "D-A-W-6"/
imns welc
necock ?Pte?. on, staKte>
olumns ^national s"b^
Columns should
?ts curate-An facts ?
? the Gamecock. A
i com?uld
be page edltor reser
ferablv re;iect any columi
though and edit for space,
be ac- aclSmnS sho.
:ock welcomes letter# from It* reader*. Letter* a
lexlmum of 300 words and must be signed with 8
orrect name, telephone, mailing address, class *
ma|or. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but the
e may be withheld by request If circumstances
reserve the right to edit letters for space. Ad- S
lo: Campus opinion, The Gamecock, Drawer A, I
la, S.C. W200. \
ae pro?
state of education in the put
schools. They will wonder \*
little Johnny isn't as smart
the new boy from Arizona v
is in the same grade. They \
wonder what nappened to
that money they begrudging
took out of their pockets at I
time. They will want to kn
why Johnny's English teacl
doesn't know a gerund fron
preposition. And the lead)
had better have some answi
when that day of reckoni
comes. Better yet, they shoi
start today to make an earn
effort to solve those probler
ensuring that Johnny v>
graduate from high school
well educated as any otl
child in the country.
. ?Gamlgoc
-i A
owfivd by
a in- incU
national and
ts. seni
be factually ac- addi
ill be checked by colu
Iso, the editorial type
ves the right to tripl
i for any reason
style, content and Fc
tact
old be signed and edit<
r?
)n ;
columns;
jressive
>lic USC President James B.
rhy Holderman is extolling the
as virtues of the university in/ho
ternationally, but what good
will it do if the students coming
to the university are not well
educated enough to take adtax
vantage of the quality
OW 0H110 o f i nn nuntlnkln ?
vviuvuiiun a v anauic UCrC,
ier Dollars that could much better
1 a be used for advanced courses
ers and research will have to be
Brs diverted for remedial courses
ma so the university can dhere to
its motto of "Faithful index to
__f the ambitions and fortunes of
_ the state."
as,
rill
nc
ier Public education in South
Carolina, if not imoroved
quickly, will eventually drag
? the state's institutions of
K higher learning down with it.
Perhaps Holderman indicated
the quality of public
education in this state better
than anyone when, as he
assumed the presidency of the
state's largest university, he
did not have enough confidence
in the school system to enroll
his own children in it. He bore
much criticism for the move,
hut who rnnlrl hlnmp him*? Hp
was only acting as a concerned
parent, looking out for the best
interests of his children.
we strongly urge that the
leaders of education in this
_ state begin an all-out effort o
bring it up to national standards.
Perhaps, if begun
quickly, the 1980 s could see
South Carolina become an
educational leader in the
United States.
For the sake of this state, its
future leaders and its people,
we hope so.
_J
Gamecock
ide university standing (junior,
or, professor, etc.), major,
ess and phone number. Also,
mns are limited to four
written pages, and must be
e spaced on a 65-space line.
>r additional information conJim
Phillips, editorial page
)r at 777-7181.
The Gamecock welcomes guest columns from It*
(aders. Column! muil be limited to one newsworthy
ib|ect end must be no more then four typed peges.
II columns must be typewritten, triple spaced on a 45
ace line. All facts must be accurate. The editorial
?ge editor reserves the right to re|ect any column for
?y reason and edit for space, content, style and ac racy.
Columns must be signed with correct name,
Idress, telephone, rna|or and class standing. Address
tlumns to: Guest Columns, The Gamecock, Drawer
, USC, Columbia, S.C. 2920C.