446 A SKETCH OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 



I. HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



The people of South CaroHna, from the earliest period, fostered educa- 

 tion. The first permanent settlement was made about the year 1671, and 

 at the close of the seventeenth century the population scarcely reached 

 five thousand, yet among the first recorded acts of the Colonial Assembly 

 was the enactment of laws for the observance of the Sabbath, the pre- 

 vention of idleness and drunkenness, and for " securing the Provincial 

 Library in Charleston." In these early times 



RELIGION AND EDUCATION WENT HAND IN HAND. 



Contemporaneously with the establishment of these Colonies, was the or- 

 ganization in England of a " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel 

 in Foreign Parts," by which missionaries were sent out, not only to preach, 

 but " to encourage the setting up of schools for the teaching of children." 



Through the liberality of Dr. Bray, the Bishop of London's Commissary 

 for Mar3dand, aided by the public spirit of the Lords Proprietors and 

 settlers, the nucleus of a public librar}^ had already been formed in 

 Charlestown ; and in 1700, the Assembh'' took this library under public 

 control, appointed the minister of the Church of England ex officio 

 librarian, and created an advisory board of nine commissioners to aid him 

 in the discharge of his duties. Other libraries were established in the 

 Province by the coml)ined action of the people, the Assembly, and the 

 Societ}' for the Propagation of the Gospel. 



From Carroll's History we learn that " the missionaries represented 

 frequently to the Society the great want of schools in the Province for 

 the instruction of the children in the principles of religion, and teaching 

 convenient learning. Dr. Le Jau, of Goose Creek, did very earnestly 

 press the Societ}" to allow a sj^lary for a schoolmaster in his parish, and 

 they appointed Mr. Dennis schoolmaster in 1710. He had a good num- 

 ber of scholars for several years, till the Indian war broke out, which 

 dispersed the people and all his scholars." About this time, the Rev. 

 Mr. Guy was appointed schoolmaster and assistant curate at Charleston. 



FREE SCHOOLS. 



Free schools date their origin as far back as 1710. In that year, the 

 Assembly passed " An Act for the founding and erecting of a Free School" 

 in Cliarlestown. The preamble recites that " It is necessary that a free 

 school be erected for the instruction of the youth of this Province in 



