The Russellville Democrat., 1879-12-25
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH.

" iiat IS u Ue Jilc late ul ble o0usH~ ern states of the American Unioi This question IS daily becoming nc of-prime importance. Arc they to become utterly impoverished? Is free speech to be crushed out? Are men to be not only prescribed but punished for opinions sake? Are the foundations of prosperity to be destroyed? Is there to be a pre- mium upon ignorance, vice and crime? If so why? Ifnot, what means the decadence in school ex- pcnditures. in school attendance, and in the supply of teachers, reported in the statistics of the National Bureau of Education? How is # that Iowa. with school population about equal to that of Virginia. expcnds more for education than all the Southern States combined? How is it that Kansas, with a school population abou. the same as South Carolina, pays more than South Carolina. North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Arkansas combined? How is it that gallant little Rhode Island ex- pends more than Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana and Arkansas while Michigan pays more than all the States oft the South, less Missouri and Kentucky.
 l The South needs brains, enterprise, capital and labor. It cannot get them without education. It needs, peace, unity, obedience to the law. It cannot get what it needs without schools, good schools, and enough good schools to reach the whole peo- pie. The destinies of the South are in the hands ot the people of the South. If they will it, their broad Savannas and sunny slopes can be covered with the fruits of thriving and wealth producing industries. Good schools, literally supported, everywhere form the key to the situ- ation.-New England Journal of Education.
 We reproduce the above article for twofold purpose, first to answer some of the questions propounded by our New England contemporary, whom we take to be a sincere and honest advocate of universal educa- tion, and whose comments upon the educational interests of the South we doubt not are prompted by gen uinc interest in our school interests; :; and secondly, to call the attention of our own people here at home to the broad, deep and indisputable truths announced in the latter paragraph of the article. These things may sound to some readers like prosy and irk- some platitudes, but we have got to bring our people right square up to full realization of their truth and importance; and we rejoice to know and to be able to assure our New England contemporary that so far as ARKANSAS is concerned the good cause is progressing most pleasingly and the seed which has been sown by our live and jealous State Super intendent and by our noble little PRESS GANG has taken deep root in the hearts and affections of our peo- pie. Here is a little paragraph just clipped from the Little Rock Demo crat, a warm advocate of good public schools, published at the capitol of our State, which will help our New England conferrer to foreshadow an answer to his question as to the fate of the Southern States of the Union ARKANSAS, at least:
 For the first time in the educa- tional history of the State every County Examiner has sent in his re- port to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. This increased interest argues well for the public school system ofour State. It shows too, that the State Superintendent is alive to the duties of his office. No State in the South has shown greater progress in educational matters dur ing the past year than Arkansas.
 This is true. The people are aroused. The State has about nine ty newspapers, and they are every one of them battling for the educa- ton of the masses by the State. Let them battle on and make the war, fare upon ignorance and upon those who oppose the public schools hotter and hotter. Let us make it known to the world that our sentiment is: LET OTHERS DO AS THEY MAY, ARKAS- sAs WILL EDUCATE"
 We close this article by re itera- ting the wholesome truths contained in the New England Journal of Education article, and by entreating the people of our State to ponder well these truths;
 The South needs brains, enterprise, capital and labor. It needs peace. unity, obedience to law. It cannot get what lt needs without schools.