Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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,average attendance for the year was 206,825 pupils, therefore the amount paid- for each pupil was $5.o6. The total enrolment was 288,332, of which number 134,330 were white, and I5,oo2 were colored, showing an excess of 19,672 in favor of the colored pupils. Surely these figures alone should stimulate our white population and should cause parents to make every sacrifice for the education of their children. Fof further details regarding our common schools, I would respectfully refer you to the complete report which has been prepared by the State Superintendent of Education. TWO SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. Our educational system, however, will never be complete until it sha-l include the education of the hands as well as that of the brain. In other words, the weakest part of our present system is the lack of schools of-manual training. Is not the time propitious for this State to take up the important question of the education of our children in the several crafts? Could not our larger cities and towns begin the good work by starting schools in which boys may be taught these honorable pursuits? In addition to this the question of night schools ehas not yet received with us the attention it de serves, and the opportunity and need for their development seems to especially exist in bur large and growing mill communities. A number of our-boys and young men are compelled each year to leave the State iq xorder to learn useful trades, which cannot be taught them here, and many children in our mill districts frequently cannot go to school as long as they should, for the reason that night schools are not provided for them. Such conditions should no longer exist, and we should see that a remedy is provided. OUR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING. Our comnion schools are the living foundations upon which rest our- institutiows of higher learning. There can be no antagonism between them,for each has its own indispensable work in our educa tional system. We can well afford to congratulate ourselves upon the number, condition and record of'our various higher institutions of learning. These have faithfully and ably fostered a broad spirit of education throughout our State, which honor is equally shared by what are known as our sectarian colleges. No higher encomium can be paid their share in this work than is included in the state ment that during the past year one of these institutions has added to its endowment by raising the sum of $125,000.00 for educational purposes alone. . - SOUTH CAROLINA C LLEGE. This hioored and historical institution is now in its ninety-ninth year. For practically one hundred years this institution of learning has contributed to the history of Sou'th Carolina, and among its alumni are to-be found the names of many of)the most distinguished men which the State has produced. Hoary with years, rich in the honors these years have brought,. its doors still 'stand open for the youth of our State. The ellege -is well managed, its faculty is a most efficient -one, 4d *Dmy -own: observation I am justified in saying that its areii.iseland economically administered. There are now t riif the names of 226 students, and ,pf this uuiber thirty-seven have,been received from the establishment by your bo4y---at its last session-of a normal scholarship for each county. These scholarships were wisely created and are destined to do much good in advancing the educatiobainterests of our State. At your last session yo-appoprated. $7,500 for the perfesting of a sewerage system -for'this College. The Trustees will stafe to your body that though this amount has been judiciously expended, i-has proved not to be enough, and-they will ask "for an additional appropriation of $8,50o.0 to.pro0vide, in the cheapest and simplest city se an I r end that this amount be appropriated forthe pur-pose indicated. At your last session you appropriated rcurrent expense,$29,40o.oo, and I recommend a similar ap propriation this~ year. -it has~been called to my attention by the faculty that in January, 1905, this College will haves corpleted its one hundredth year of *aciv -usefulns,and .- is their desire to celebrate, in appropriate manner, this centennial. Such an event marks an epoch, not only iu thebhistory:'of, this College, but ins the :historf 'of esducation - " hrouhoutSouth.. Carolina and the South, and it is most appro priate that it:should/be fitly celebrated. :In order to do this, some giqense wilh necessary,-and'the Trustees will ask from your hon ogal&body' an appropriation, of $5oo.oo for this purpose, and.mn thi e lso join. WINTHROP NORMAL AN]D INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE. -It has not been long since this. College was organized, but it has 'rapidly taken a leading place among similar institutions through out our entire'country, and is doing atrlgeawok Thi -portance of sending forth such silled,trieanedcedech ers as are numbered among Winthropgrdaeisoietibl vaueto the :cause of. education in this State. Certainly, to an ap preciable extent, the educiational awakening in our State is due, in a great measure, to the splendid work of the'graduates of this College. There~is no liigher mark of the civilization of a country than in the education of its women, and none which will tell more * .pon the future welfare of the State. President Johnson has had charge of this College -sincet its orgaiato,and, seconded by an able corps of assistants, he&as steadily maintained its high stand ard and general excellence. ~ -The session which has jut dlosed has been a most successful one, every department running sinoothly, with no-friction. Five hundred and ninety-three students in all- departments have been admitted during this session, and the new dormitory, which was so much needed, has been completely filled. The report of the Board of Trustees asks for an appropriation of $56,982.66, which is $2,301.54 less than was asked for last year. The carefully prepared report of the Board of Trustees furnishes all details necessary' for the consideration of :your honorable body, and reveals also the fact that strict economy'will be necessary to properly manage its finances on the amount asked for. The report further shows that the farm connected with the Col lege is not of sufficient size to meet the requirements of larger growth, and they recommend that the sum of $Io,ooo.oo be appro priated, to be paid in three annual instalments, for the purchase of additional land for farming purposes. They also request that twelve or fifteen -convicts be given to the'College to be used on the -farm, as was former$ done, In the amount of the appropriation asked for, and in the other two requests of' the Board, I beg leave to heartily concur. - CLEMSON COLLEGE. This educational institution, with reputation and influence ex tending throughout the South, is certainly a source of pride to our State. It is liberally supported by the State and is giving, in return, great and substantial benefits. It has only been organized a few years, but its scope and influence have developed a power that gives it a leading and prominent place among progressive educational institutions. Cleinson College wvas primarily established with the intent o'f makcing it an agricultural college, devoted to the education of those looking forward to agricultural pursuits. In addition to this, it was also believed that through the instrume~ntality of this ests of the State. I am glad to say that both of these most in portant objects arc being rapidly accomplished. In connection with the regular work of the College a most suc cessful Farmers' Institute is held there each year, and in addition to this, a number of smaller institutes, under the auspices of this collegiate department, are held in various counties. Both of these tend to educate the farming classes and thus enable them to keep abreast with the advanced information of the times. The Clemson Board also, each year, have elaborate experiments conducted in different sections of the State, which cannot but result in great good. The building of an agricultural hall, which is to be accomplished this year, will be of inestimable benefit to this, one of the most im portant departments of this College. Thorough courses in agriculture, biology, mechanical and elec trical engineering, civil engineering, metallurgy and textile in dustry, are presented to the students, the military feature of the College adding materially to the complete training given. The report of the Trustees shows that 580 students matriculated this year, and the further fact is stated that the College could give com fortable quarters to not more than 570 students. There were 665 applications for admission, but 85 of these had to be refused, for the reason just stated. Sixty graduates were sent out from this insti tution last year, the largest number in its history. For further report of this College I would refer you to the very complete reports of the President and Board 6f Trustees. THE SOUTH CAROLINA MILITARY ACADEMY. This is one of the old and historic institutions of the State, with an honored, useful and patriotic- career. It was established in 1842 and continued in operation until 1865, when, on account of the condition of affairs in the State, it was closed. It was reopened in 1882 and since then has again been doing efficient work. A number of its undergraduates have secured appointments at West Point and Annapolis, which is, in itself, the very best evidence of the careful training received both within its walls and upon its campus. A general order of the United States War Departient annually admits, as an officer in the United States Army, one honor-graduate of this Academy, and this is a further tribute to the general excellence of this institution-as such appointments are awarded to few schools throughout the country. The Acadeiny opened this year with bright prospects and is, in attendance and management, in such condition as* well guarantees a continuance of its useful career. The Board of Visitors, through their Chairman, ask for $25,oo.oo for the support of the Academy, $i,ooo.oo for repair of buildings and $250.00 for additions to library. They again renew their request for an appropriation of $io,ooo.oo, this to be used for improvements in heating and lighting the buildings. This latter seems to be very much needed and I concur in all the recommendations made by the Board. THE SOUTH CAROLINA INSTITUTION FOR THE Eu CATION OF THE DEAF AND BLIND. The fifty-fifth annual report of this institution will be presented to your honorable body through the report of the State Superintendent of Education. For more than a quarter of a century the State has recognized the great importance of the needs which thishonored institution so well supplies. The work here accomplished has alle viated the afflictions of many, and has trained aiid sent them out to lives of usefulness. This report will show that there'were enrolled during the past school year 181 pupils, of which i2'1 were deaf and 6o were blind, 127 of the total number being white. The report will also show that the health of the pupils is most excillent, the average avi been The affairs of the institution, during its long years of usefulness, have always been well -managed and have been markied by strict economy. The Board asks this year for'.$24,odo.oo for support and $3,000.00 additional for repairs an'd improvemerits. I earnestly commend their recornmendation to your consideration. THE COLORED NORMAL, INDUSTNTAL, AGRICUL - TURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE. . The report of this institution has also been filpd, giving account of receipts, expenditures and the general condition, of the College.. The amount of appropriation regnested this year is $7,622.32. Of this amount $2,500.00 is for- the purpose of cormpleting and equipping the new industrial building, which, in my judgment, is the most im portant feature of this college. It is the belief of the Board that after the completion of the building the institution can be run on an annual State appropriation of $5,ooo.oo. The Board recomn mends that their body be increased by the addition of the State Su perintendent of Education and the chairmen of the committees on Education of the House and the Senate. I concur in this recom mendation in regard to the appropriation asked .for. STATE HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. To the report of the State Hospital there is appended a sketch of the institution, its origin and development. From this account it appears that public charity has been recognized in South Carolina Province and State-for over two hundred years, and that the Hos pital itself has been in existence over eighty years, and is therefore Ione of the pioneer institutions for the insane in the United States. Aside from other reasons, the care of the poor and unfortunate is enjoined upon us by our Constitution. There can be no-doubt as to the purposes and intentions of our people in the proper bestowal of public charity. The record of the State Hospital is an honorable one, but there is no doubt that at times the needs of the institution have been in excess of the ability of the State to supply them all at one time. The growth of the institution 'has, therefore, necessarily been the result of a slow process of evolution. IThe methods of support for beneficiary patients have passed through several stages. For many years after its foundation indi gent patients in the asylum were supported entirely by the district,s or parishes through their commissioners of the poor. Then for a short time about the close oi the war, the State paid one-fourth and the counties three-fourths of the annual expenses for maintenance, and finally about 1870, when the counties had fallen hopelessly in arrears for their quota, the State assumed the whole, burden by adopting the method of "State Care." While this gradual tendency towards centralization is interesting in itself, it also raises the ques tion whether the assumption by the State of the entire burden of support does not, in a large measure, explain w~hy, in recent times, the admissions to the Hospital have comparatively become so exces sive, now averaging five hundred annually. While in the last tweny-fve ears the population odf the Hospital has nearly quad rupled, the expenses have not doubled, and the annual per capita cost has fallen from over $200 to about $100. For some years the General Assembly has granted all the appropriations asked for by the Regents and resident officers. Last year 'the appropriations for this purpose amounted to about $140,000, and the same sum is again asked for, $120,ooo or the total being for support proper. To learn what neighboring States are paying for the support of their insane hospitals. 1 made official inquiries with the appended results: Virginia, $345,ooo; Alabama, S191,444; North Carolina, $259,00o;' Kentucky, $449,407; Georgia, $325,ooo; Florida, $85,00o. The State of K-entcky als e nds nx~ono for boarding out harmless lunatics and idiots, while in Tennessee the annual per capia allowe is $135, and the number of patients'to be admitted to each institu tion is absolutely fixed by law. - Today these figures make an interesting comparative study. It appears that the appropriations made in South Carolina are less than the amounts allowed for the same purpose by any other Southern State except Florida, while the per capita expense of our institution is lower than any other similar Southern institution. I find also that in other neighboring States the ntimber of inmates in the insane hospitals is limited by law, and that when these fixed numbers are reached new patients cannot be received except when .vcacies occur. With us no such law or custom exists. Consequently, %our= institution seems to serve as a receptacle for all classes of defectives and unfortunates, who are not otherwise provided for. It is the rare exception that applications for admission are refused, and these exceptions are only for non-residents of South Carolina. The Regents and resident officers seem to take the broadest view of the purposes of the Hospital and the function it should perform to the public by fostering the idea of the greatest good to the greatest number and of restricting the number and classes of patients as little as possible. It hardly becomes the Executive to wish to curtail the usefulness of the Hospital, yet the question may well again be asked whether the institution is not frequently imposed upon in the class of individuals committed to it, and whether after all "State Care" is not attended with certain deficiencies. The Regents them selves ask whether greater care and local interest may not be se cured by requiring the counties to pay a portion' of the expenses for each patient sent to the Hospital. The present system seems rather to offer an inducement for each community to place upon the State burdens and responsibilities which they should assume them selves in part, at least. We cannot at this late date take a bick- - ward step in the care of the insane, but either our appropriations for that purpose must be greatly increased in the next few years, or we must devise methods of restricting admissions to the State Hos pital. Furthermore, there seems little doubt as to the need'of the separation of inebriates and epileptics from the insane proper. But T it is a question whether the State is at present in a financial conditii' to undertake the support of another separate charitable institution, with the prospect of others still later on. Such inmates should be placed in separate buildings upon the present property. My deepest sympathies go out to those.unfortunate ones among our fellow citizens to whom has been denied the blessings oliffe and I have taken pains to bring the noble institution for their home before you in full detail. They are fortunate,'at least in being under the faithful and gentle ministrations of the -capable and thouglitful Superintendent of. this institution, to whom our 'State owes a debt of gratitude. I need not add that I heartily concur in thd recom mendations which are included in this report. - THE STATE PENITENTIARY. In conducting such an institution as this our object should be to care for its inmates with thoughtfulness and kindness, to-leep .it upon a plane where humanity and consideration, together with bqn iness judgment, are never lost- sight of. The present managergn - of the penitentiary and the condition of its affairs show. that this can be accomplished, and I am sure you will agre with -e' th our thanks are due to the officers of this. institution. for: iie g. work they have done. The report of the Superintendent and -Ba, d of Directors will show that affairs here are in excellent cdeite and this report, with its wise suggestions, is commended to you careful consideration and favorable aetion. - The, ayict statemient shows: - TPisonisin confnement D)ec. 31, 19)2. Received under.new sentences..-............16 Recaptured........ ................-- ... - - -2 Discharged............... ...--- . ------- ... ...170 - Pardoned....... ......... . ... ....- -- *5 - Escaped.. .. ..... .. .-- -- .....4 Died. . -.. ... . -- .. ---- -.. 24- -.2 8 In prison Dec. 31, 1903--- -. -. - ----. Tne health record, while eiceptionanly good,'shbiws Ctbat 23 'of the 29 deaths resulted from tuberculosis, and it isblieed. that it ik !1 be iinpossible to reduce the-nurnber of de'aths,frornthiis ca'usenitil, through the erection of a suitable building, such patients canb^i lated from the other. prisoners. The Superintendent and aBoard;of Directors request that they be allowed to'ereci such a biuildiiig from their surplus funds, and I earnestly recomnmend that this be done at once. The financial statement shows the following figures: Balance cash on hand Dec. 31, 1902.. .... .........$17,uz2 14 Total receipts for the year 1903-.-.-.-..-.-.--.-.-.-..-..-..73,&4 .$91,020 57 Current expenses for th2e year....... $56,396 44 Permanent improvements.. ...-.-..-.-..-.- 5,000 o0 Land bought for Lexington farm.... .....8oo 00 $62,169 44 Cash in hand, Dec. 31, 1903-.-..-.--.-..-.--.. .. ......$ 3 - Cash in sight and available.. .... ..... ..-.-.--.-.- 7,50 00 $36,25I .13 *This amount, it appears, will be more than necessary for current expenses for this year, and it is further recommended that, after thie erection of the building for consumptives, the balance be. used for the erection of'necessary guard rooms and offices. The present quarters are inadequate and I believe this to be a good suggestion. The Reformatory for young criminals established on the Lexing ton State Farm is well managed and is filling an absolutely indis pensable need. I am glad to add that religious exercises are regu larly conducted at the chapel, reformatory and on the convict farms, all of which services are well attended. THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. The report of the Chairman of the Executive Committee of. this Board has been submitted to me. which. together with the annual report of the State Board will be submitted for your consideration. The report of the Chairman (deals w~ith several subjects of .special - interest, the most important being the consideration of the smallpox situation. This disease has prevailed to some extent, in .certain sections, despite the prompt and efficient iesponse which the State Board of Health has always? given when called upon. The effective eradication of thig disease is a.difficr.it matter, and your careful attention is here necessary. The report makes a number. of sug gestions with this object in view. Another subject treated is the uniform collection of vital statis tics, it being the desire of the United States Government to treat these as they do the varied industries and resources of a State. A plan is suggested by which this may .be accomplished, and it is claimed that such statistics in South 'Carolina will materially assist desirable immigration in giving official figures regarding the health of our State.