New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-20
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IMPROVING.
TALK WITH THE REV. DR.. J. G. HARTzELL-EDU-
CATIoNAL WORK OF THE METHODIST EPIsco-
PAL CHURCH-NEED OF NATIONAL AID.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

extended discussion at some time during the pres
! ent session. The advisability of action Of some
kind seems to be generally conceded by members Of
both parties though there Is q diversity OF views
| regarding the best plan to be adopted The Rev.
Dr. J. c. Hartzel who has been living in the South
for the last twelve years pastor presiding elder
Editor of The Southwestern Christian AdrOcdte and
| representative of the Methodist Episcopal Church
in its evangelical and educational work. has been i'll
Washington for the purpose OF looking into the work
proposed in the several pending measures and Of
doing what he can TO push the matter forward. He
| has gone North, and will visit the Methodist
Conferences of the Atlantic States and describe the
condition Of educational affairs in the south. with
which he has familiarized himself by travel and
personal observation. lie will urge the necessity of
continuing tho liberal work already undertaken.
While here, pr. IIartzcll appeared before the Sem
ate Committee on Education and gave his views at
length. Afterward. in conversation with TRIB-
correspondent he described the state of affairs
and the outlook. Speaking of the work of his own
church. DR.. Hartzel! said 4" We began the reOrgan-
izntion of the Methodist Episcopal Church after the
war, having a membership of from 10000 to
70 600 in tho border slave States. Our organization
you will please remember is an entirely different
affair from the Methodist Church South. which has
a membership of about 500, 600. We began in the
large centres and gradually extended our work
back into the country. We now have member
ship of more than 100000 about equally divided
between the two races. We have twenty-one insti-
tutOns of learning among the Colored people, In
which more than 3 900 young coOred men and
women are being educated and have sixteen
semnaries and colleges for white people i'll which
more than 1000 young men and women are taught.
We have built about 5000 churches in the
South since the war. and all of our thirty-seven
md bova boap hrt1 hp
war The South has population, according to the
new census Of little more than Is, 900 900. and in
that population which is little than ethird
of the entire Nation, are found 20 per cent Of the
illiterate people of the country Among these are
1000, 900 adult white people who cannot read and
about 2, ,000, 900 adult colored people who cannot
read. In this region where these vast aggreGations
of iliteracy exist are chosen three-fourths of
majority of the Electoral College every four years,
50 per cent of a majority of the United States SEN
ate and proportionate representation in the House
Of Representatives.. The concentration of litter
acy in a single section adds greatly to lis danger"
lis the South doing nothing to help itself {" asked
the correspondent.
Certainly; the public school systems of the
South are improving, and it is fair TO state that in
every State the number of strong men who are
coming forward in favor of public schools for all
the people is increasing yearly. Still, the poverty
of the South, added TO the still remaining prejudice
against public schools, makes the work difficult
There is q strong minority i'll every Legislature Of
the South in favor of public schools. 80 that no
measure actually hostile to the school system can
pass. In some places there no marked evidences
Of progress. In all the cities and large towns of the
South the public school systems fair, and in some
cases very good and The facilities good for the
colored people for tho white. The difficulties are
found In the hill regions where antag0nsms are
more intense. where the poverty of the people is
greater, and where the prcjudiceS of the ignorant
white people are more strongly predominant. For
example, Mr. Denton, the State Superintendent of
Education in Arkansas, told me a few weeks ago
of several places In that State where the people had
refused year after year TO vote local tax for the
schools. Within two years they have changed en-
tirelv and are supporting largo and efficient
schools in their midst. The educational work done
in the South by the churches of the North has had
large influence for good. The North is now expend
ing in the South from $500, 600 to s 900 900 q
year in churches and schools principally the latter
"Tho Peabody Fund has also aided largely
in the work 1t helps only public schools,
and helps only where the people help themselves.
Often few hundred dollars year in this way
has resulted in establishing large and fourlshing
public school systems. One ot the encouraging
features of the problem is the scfhelpfuness which
is developing among the colored people. Whenever
the schools are open to them they attend, and where
schools are not provided they teach in churches.
Nearly all of our 800 colOred churches are used
as school houses Al our Louisiana Conference, last
month. composed mostly Of colored men. | submit
ted proposition to build Gilbert Haven school of
theology. and the preachers present subscribed
50. 500 themselves giving positive proof Of their ad
vanced intelligence and desire to help themselves
.l,r ,oIt air L
can estimate the principal denominations of the |
North have expended more than Sl3.OOO,OOO in the
South for school and church purposes in the last III
teen wears. Twenty-Five or thirty per cent OF the |
Southern white people are highly educated. and |
are delightful people to meet and associate |
with. but drop below that and you find as
low a population can be found anywhere |
and the iterate class among the white people is
the more deporable because it is the result OF gen
erations OF prejudice. ~ CO.,
are the outgrowth of slavery, and slavery was. |
crime of which the whole Nation shared me CUNT. |
The Nation freed the slaves, gave them tle, iran
chiSr oud became responsible for them Surely 1t Is |
the Nations duty to help tit them TO discharFe
frecmans duties in eliigenty Is Iup1ssio S oe ior
ple the City of Charleston. The valuation
of the taxable property has decreased odo MY MY
per cent or from T15,O0O,uOo 70 l,oUO,OVo,
Although Charleston taxes herself S3, ,5OO.OOO tor
her puLlic schools which is more than Boston taxes
her DcOplP still the pubic scnoOl IhclItc' dIo III
oJ,duafn and that is true of the whole South.
think the proper thing for the National Government
TO do Is to make a direct appropriation OF money
from the Treasury. The help IS needed at once, ana
tLr demand il Imperative IT is foolish 10 wait for
the sal Of public lands and then to take the inter
That - Tyoul postpone the work too long. II might
be 1a' wi9e T01 provision for tho future hs Govern
mrnt ought to appropriate from, u COG in TO
goo 400 900 and distribute it on the basis OF lli-
ecracv The money should be administered under
the supervision of the Government to az ana S th9