I 1 I s VOL XIX. BARNWELL S. C, THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 28. 1895. THE OOLOBED STATE COLLEGE. DIVORCED FROM-CLAFMN UHt- VER8ITY. The Courentlon Decided to Heperete Church and Mate—The lied in the Effort. —- The oonstitutional iconvention took up the subject of education, and the pending question was upon the amend ment to section 8 offered by Mr# Derham as follows : “ The General Assembly in appropriating money for the institutions of higher education in this State shall at no time make an annual appropriation to exceed one- tenth of the money actually paid to teachers annually in the free common scnools of this State from the funds provided for in this article.” Mr. Rogers moved to amend by in serting one-sixth. Mr. Dreher said bis object was to limit the amount of the appropriation Mr. B. R. Tillman - asked why not leave it to the General Assembly ? You wanted to leave the whole matter to the General Assembly last night. Mr. Derham said hlse object was to protect the common schools ; to pre vent the higher institutions from get ting an undue portion of the taxes." We wish to make the support of the colleges dependent on the support of the public schools. Mr. Rogers said that be had exerted himself to secure a most liberal provi sion for the common schools, which the committee’s report gives. There can be no doubt that the higher in stitutions have created this burning thirst for education in every hamlet of the State. AT the very totaute we are about to provide this we are offered an amendment that will make them lose that interest in higher education which alone is the incentive for secur ing this education. This iron-clad rule would give just about enough to run two colleges, if that many. Ciem- son alone get* 140,QUO. Mr. Derham said most of that came from the national government. Mr. Rogers : Do you mean then to blot out ail these institutions except Clemaon. Mr. Darham said he did not, but wanted to protect the common s-.-hools. Mr. Rogers went on to say that if money was poured out upon public schools, and they were run for twelve months, tneir desire for knowledge would be quenched unless there was something higher, and in the end the public schools would prove a farce. Mr. W. G. Smith wanted to know whether one-tenth would not be more than Georgia gives? Mr. itogers said he didn't know, but Georgia get 440,000 a month from ;her railroad and liquor license, but any way Georgia conditions are hot South Carolina conditions, and we must look at things as we have them. If we propose to be niggardly with these institutions tear them down and not go through the farce of keeping them up. Sixty-eight thousand dollars can not make these five institutions what ( iriation be withheld on account of aqy 1 ' ‘ ' ' ' ' ‘ this oon- njustic done to the negro vemion anti uiu would do wrong. He was opposed ‘ Kano , . JP the words 41 negro teacher” because the first education the negroes got af- Neicroes ter the War came from the white - philanthopists of the North, who put ,1, their hands in their pockets to educate the negro. He wanted a negro schools, but he wffnted the best men for the place, good educators, moral, respect able men, whether they be white 01- black. He wanted the college divorced from Claflin University. Mr. Milter withdrew the word Southern” from his amendment. Mr. Reed offered the following as a substitute for the amendment; ‘‘Pro vided, That in lieu of Claflin College there shall be established and main: tained a normal, Industrial, mechani cal' and agricultural college for the higher education of the negro race having no connection with Claflin Uni- tbey ought to be. Had one-sixth bepn professors and instructors therein, re inserted by the committee — £-»K. Wo. „i„„_ •« —' wanted, he believed the word versity, whose professors and instruc tors shall be of the negro race.” He said the Miller amendment didn't suit because the negroes would then get only the advantage of the mechani cal and agricultural features of Claflin. He wanted to provide for the normal and industrial features as well. Mr. W. D. Evans favored Mr. Reed’s substitute. He has realized the diffi culty of the management of those two institutions. He has seen the property of the State used for the purpose of building up the property of this churchy He has seen brick made by the State* used to build, up the college building not owned by the State. The trustees were in part to blame but things were so mi&ed up that they did where they were at, He favored di vorcing the State’s interest from that of the sectarian institution. If in es tablishing this college we make it strictly agricultural aud mechanical we will lose the funds from Peabody and Slater funds amounting to 92,000 and 95,000. , Mr. Bowman said as to whether there should be negro teachers alone or not be knows nothing about that or what the sentiments of the people are, but he knew the white and colored both wanted the State institution divorced from the church. The State only elects three professor and the negroes have a right to see that their money given them by the State is not under the control of the Methodist Episcopal Cburch. The only question as to the separation is the question of cost. All that is needed is to erect une large building.' Speaking of the-general conduct of the institution be said by example of social equality was taught there and the white people objected as well as the better class of negroes to that. Senator U. R. Tillman said that there was no doubt as to what the convea- tion wanted to do and intoduced the following substitute : “ Provided, That the General Assembly shall, as soon as practicable, divorce entirely Claflin College from Claflin University, and. pro vide fora separate corps of as he’ ‘shall would be in thin section now. Mr. Meares read from the report of the Superintendent of Education, which showed that 9470,UU0 had been E id teachers last year, and accord- J to this amendment there would be only about 947.000 to be divided be tween five institutions. Mr. Austin thought the matter gover should fie -heft to-the Legislature, and poses, he moved to lay .on the table, which funds was agreed to. . Mr. Miller of Beaufort offered the following : “Provided, That Claflin College is hereby divorced and separated from the management, control or anv con nection whatever with Claflin Univer sity, and tnat professors and instruc tors of Claflin College be men or women of the negro race. * -, , ■» He said that he wished to change the wording so as to say that Claflin College should never be, directly or indirectly, under the control of Claflin University, and that the teachers and professors should be Southern men and women of the colored race. Senator Tillman : In Florida there is a great deal of talk about not allow ing white teachers to teach the colored people, and I have received letters from the North asking did we propose any such thing. Now what sort of answer can we give when you, a colored man, advocate such a proposi tion ? Mr. Miller said the question applied to denominational and private institu tions, but he was arguing for a State institution.^ He said he simply asked what the ’white people wanted for themselves. The negroes of the State wanted an institution for negroes, of ficered and managed by negroes. Florida's matter is a law that strikes at the root of philanthropy, but Georgia has given ihe negroes a col lege and the president and all the pro fessors are Southern negroes. Under his amendment every dollar of the 925,000 from the government will go to his school. Claflin College may be legallydivorced from Claflin Univer sity, but it is not morally so separated. We ask a constitutional guarantee that the two shall be divorcei directed in the acts ‘the appropriating same: provided, that the General As sembly shall as soon as practicable Purchasing books for iibra- dlvorce entirely Claflin College from ry 85 07 Claflin University and provide for a separate oorps^ of professors^ and 1m given to men and women of the negro race, and it shall be the colored nor mal, agricultural and mechanical col lege of the State.” THE SCHOOLS OF THE ST ATE- annual REPORT OF SUPERIN TENDENT MAYFIELD. Purchasing school appara tus : 3,208 08 Purchasing school house sites 3,130 65 Building school bouses...^. 11*408 72 School commissioner’s Sal aries: .* 20,120 33 County treasurer’s commis sions .7.., * 7,443 64 School Commissioner’s tra veling expenses 2,376 35 Expenses of County Board of Examiners 1,41185 Teachers’ institutes 2,351 15 All other expenses: 6,456 16 Fifteen Thousand More Negroes Than Whites Enrolled id the Hchools— _ ions and Recommendations to the Legislature. - ’ Superintendent of Education May- field has just completed bis annual re port to the Legislature, Mr. Mayfield has taken a deep tnler^t tn lhe edu- there pould be a corps of negro pro-, feasors obtained to officers such an in stitution Y Mr. Miller replied that there were hundreds of them. Go to the Atlanta Exposition and see whether they are not prepared to conduct such an insti tution. Go in every walk of life and you find the'negro keeping up with the progress of the age. It then is a disgrace to the South to insinuate that negroes could not fill these positions. Go to Alabama and see the school pre sided over by Booker T. Washington— a school which he hoped Clemaon in time would equal. . He did not ask for a negro board of directors. As to property the State has 16C acres of land. Five buildings have been erected ; machinery worth 99,000; a brick machine which can make all the brick necessary to build a school which would accommodate GOO students and he would enter into a bond to see that the buildings were all erected in five years. Mr. Smalls moved to strike out the words “Southern men and women of the negro race.” He thought the State ought to support a colored school. He did not want any excuse to go to Washington and ask that the appro- presentation to be given to men and woman ot tbe negro race and it shall, be the colored agricultural and me chanical college of tbisState.” Mr. Reed and Mr Miller bAth with drew their substitutes. Mr. Tillman's amendment wasadopt- ed. Mr. B. R. Tillman moved to insert on line 6 the words “ by the national government” after tbe word “ pur- " He said it HtigptyUpffreffwPgt are meant and that they shall be applied just as Congress meant. Mr. G. D. Tillman said that the amendment was a little foggy, but, he would like to put the convention in possession of a few facts. When the Hatch and Morrell funds were passed he voted for them and beard the de bates. He was struck by Mr. Mitchell’s attempt to stampede the 'convention by stating that we might lose the 1’ea- body fund and tbe national appropria tion. The i’eabody fund is to be dis tributed in a few years. Rock Hill anu Nashville are both striving for it. He thought it would be prudent to put Winthrop in tbe constitution, and in fact, all institutions if the maximum amount to be appropriated was stated. Tbe chairman was mistaken in think ing that the national appropriation would ever stop. We got that amount through the selfishness of the original thirteen States, which had never got any benefit from public lands for schools like tbe Western States got. Michigan University was founded by the beneficence of the national govern ment in giving the land. The old States thought they ought to have something and these lunds amounting to 93,000,600 were appro priated and they won't give it up if they can help it. The Morrill fund expenditure has to be passed upon by the Secretary of Interior, who may withhold a State appropi iation when the negroes are not liberal'y provided for. This donation of 951,000, which it will be after 1900, will come to us in perpetuity’,.as long as public lands are sold to amount to 92,000,0o0. When the lands give out he believed the Stages would vote to take it out oftbe general treasury. That $51,000 ought to run Ciemson, Claflin and Winthrop. The money which we got now ought to Suppdrt theise institutions, which would leave us nothing but the South Caro lina College and the Citadel, and the privilege tax ought to run both of them. He would like to speak of the monstrous injustice of giving Ciemson ail the privilege tax and the govern ment appropriation, except what goes to Claflin. If all this money goes to Ciemson, how many students could go there and have free tuition, board, clothes and uniforms? Let Ciemson revel in wealth and let the other col leges starve. Senator Tillman’s amendment went through, and then the entire section was adopted in the following words : “ The General- Assembly may pro vide for the maintenance of Ciemson Agricultural College and the Univer sity of South Carolina as now estab lished by law, also for the establish-' ment and maintenance of a normal and Industrial college for tbe colored race and may create scholarships therein. The proceeds realized from the land scrip given by the act of Congess pass ed July 2, 1862, for the support of an agricultural college* and any lands or funds which have heretofore been or may hereafter be given or appropriated for educational purposes by the nation al government, shall be applied as cational institutions of the State, and recommends several improvements which, if adopted, will prove a great help to education in South Caro lina The report in full is a lengthy one, but the following introduction will be rqad with interest: To th» Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of South Carolina: Gentlemen : I have the honor to sub mit the twenty-seventh annual report of tbe department of education. In view of the fact that the constitu tional convention is now in session and may make changes affecting the educational interest of the State, 1 not'if now deem it inexpedient to make some sug gestions 1 otherwise would. There were enrolled in tbe free pub lic schools of the State for the year beginning November 1, 1894, and end ing October 31, 1895, 103,729 white and 119,292 colored pupils, aggregating 223,021. The enrollment of the colored for this year exceeds that of the whites by 15,563. Last year it exceeded tbe whites by 14,414. ijast year the white enrollment was 106,176, this year 103,729, making a loss of 2,447 white pupils. ^ Last year the Colored enrollment was 120,oOO, this year 119,292, maxing a loss of 1,298 colored pupils. Last year the total enrollment was 226,766, this year 223,021, making a total loss of 3,745 pupils. It should be remembered, however, that the enrollment last year was in excess of that for any previous year by 3,616. This year it has dropped back, it is, perhaps, but fair to at tribute tbe loss this year to the extra demand of parents for the services of their children on account of the finan cial stringency of the year. 1 beg to again call your attention to the fact that undet the special acts passed by your body for tbe formation of special school districts you put all such schools in a large measure from under tbe control of the State and county school autnoritles and thereby render U very difficult for these offi cers to get Information concerning these schools. Tbe failure this year of many of these schools to report to either the county authorities or to this office accounts*in part foi tbe falling off in the enrollment herewith reported for the year. Under the rule for ascertaining tbe average time tbe schools of a county have been in session during the year the long term schools, which are in -thauitius- aud tow as and special -dis tricts, are placed with the short term country schools, and the general aver age for the county doesjnQt do justice to the long term schodls/vftile it in dicates to the casual thinker that the short term schools ran longer than they really did. It would be well for these schools to be reported in sepa rate classes and the law should be amended for this puVposei The special schools should "be put under the school authorities at least to the extent of accounting for the public money received and expended and reporting such other matters as will enable the school authorities to make complete reports of tbe condi tions of the schools of the State. I am forced again to complain of the negligence of many of the county school commissioners and some of the treas urers in making up and sending in their annual reports. This is a great annoyance and hindrance to this office. Hut few of »be school commissioners sent jincomplelo reports. Tne incom plete reports had to be returned for correction, and in many instances all the corrections were not made. Three of the county commissioners have not yet Veported.. This necessarily has tnrowu my report behind, and to the extent of these failures it is incomp lete. There should be Wome legisla tion on this subject. If tne school year began July 1, and closed June 30 of each year, more time would be given before the meeting of your wdy in which to perfect the rep^tys ,and tbe-sch'iol year as it wyuld then be defined by law would "be in accord with the bcIroI session as the schools are now run, and there would be no lapping of the scDool sessions.. So far as the money is concerned there could be no trouble in that respect. We are now using the taxes of one fiscal year Orangeburg.... 22,403 03 I’iekens....' 3,637 04 Total 1563,743 66 Tbe total expenditures of each coun ty for the year was as follows : Teacher’s All Other Counties Salaries Abbeville .......9 18,704 37 Aiken 7. 15,976 84 Expenses. 9 2,016 00 Anderson 16,045 61 Barnwell 12,525 39 Bpaufort ... Berkeley— Charleston . Chester Chesterfield Clarendon .. Colleton — 7,274 27 13,545 00 60,021 25 10,476 95 7,163 6« 7,117 30 11,381 96 Darlington...... 9,793 46 Edgefield.. Fairfield Florence.. Georgetown Greenville Hampton Horry ■f h n nr Lancaster Laurens Lexington! Marion .......... Marlboro Newberry Oconee 15,842-89 10,94J 95 8,33;> 70 3,735 00 20,893 65 6,233 00 4,35*41 ft *>4‘i 72 8.300 79 13,023 89 7,56(5 42 13,010 41 6,196 73 15,150 04 6,844 64 Richland Spartanburg.... Sumter Union Williamsburg... York 21,154 95 29,136 36 15,996 81 7,244 00 7,4015 70 23,414 (58 £,457 02 2,826 74 2,3(50 39 • 2,045 86 1,618 88 25,803 28 1,645 10 -il,193 96 1.614 86 1,586 81 6,458 00 970 00 1,902 9(5 1,302 14 1,718 43 ”236 99 -Jlflt 11 1,073 56 1,990 1(4 1,011 73 2 107 61 2,651 42 1,147 92 1,946 89 2 404 54 ‘ 1,412 16 ‘ 2,988 46 2,771 52 1,307 <53 3,616 <53 2,435 17 1,094 92 2,127 58 1,166 19 county Bchool-fund to be collected, dis tributed and expended in such manner •s the General Assembly by Act shall declare. I would recommend that all qualifying and limiting words as to the manner of levying, uclWting, distrib uting and expending be omitted from the constitution,