Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-12
The Louisville Educational COnven-


The Educational Convention i soon 70
meet in Louisville. and VIII, 40 doubt
carefully consider the question Of Federal
aid u common schools. The sentiment in
the south. when the Blair and other bills
appr0priatiug money for educational puT-
poses were introduced in Congress. was
strongly 10 favor n such aid. and there Is
good reason % believe that il 5 ret. TIE
objection has teen raised . al tne Oils
That they provide for q distribution o. t1e
uone- by Federal officials Inc feeling
generally throughout the 7outn Is
that the money ought % pe
distributed bv the school officers q each
state. Outside II the objection mentioned
however. the feeling in the south, If we
are 70 - guided By what has appeared in
nearly all the leading Southern journals
has been and j. iu favor u the bills. some
u the most influential men u the Gulf
states have gone - far a. 70 say that
rather than not have the aid they would
favor the bills as they were originally
drawn. Lately the Louisville Conner
J1rra1I and a few other papers have as
sumed a position u hostility 70 this edu-
eati0naI scheme The CCurier-lOurADi-
in IL issue last Monday said
sThe south j. not poor enough % accept
sustenance from any hand, even from the
oseri0winz Treasury Of a government
which the ruling party j. seeking 70 make
l.4farual and strong in every sense. The
south has been Handicapped By sugges-
tions u population INDUCED in by dema-
y0g1les a. d convenient vehicle % carry
them into power. and its good name has
suffered 10 consequence. That section can
lily afford 10 add this infection by hold
Ing out it, hands ia the attitude Of a sup
plant for aims We do not believe that il
viii c0untenauce such an effort. though it
o. made by mistaken zealots overanxious
10 do something without any very clearly
defined ideas as 10 what that something
l. or hox il shall De- done. The Educational
Convention. IL il De attended by repre-
sentative southern men. should learn
through them the true status Of the ques-
ton 0f Federal aid 70 education in the
south. We DO not believe the people
want il: first. because il il not proper
that thev should have il: and. second.
because they arc able and willing 10 edu-
cate their children without calling for as
sistauce from other sections"
If We understand the situation, the
south does not appear il the position Of a
suppliant in this matter. The South
hasn't asked anything and doesn't pro-
pose u ask anything. The proposition 70
give national aid 20 the common schools
e..
by Northern men. It Is not proposed to
c1ufne the aid 10 the south, and
IT. cannot. therefore. De said that the
south is being singled out d. the only sec
ti0n that needs assistance in educational
matters. II money D. appropriated it viii
5e distributed iu all the States. The
south. it is true. may get the largest
share # il. because the southern States
have the largest per cent. Of illlterate peO-
pie. Why they have the largest per cent.
j. well understood. II is owing To their
large negro population. The Courier
JCurH1I saws the south j. able 10 educate
her children. she is proud enough to
think she can do it. but when put 70 the
test she finds her ability is not equal 10
accomplishing the task 10 her own salts
faction. II must not De forgotten that the
negroes are not taxpayers, but that
school facilities are % be provided for
their children. The white people there
fore. who are the taxpayers. have % bear
Il double burden. When il j. remembered
that the North is far richer than the south
IL is easy 10 see how much heavier load in
behalf u education the South is carrying
than tine North. The fact that the pro-
posed aid j. 70 b. given 70 all the states.
robs the argument, that the south alone is
70 De- benefited. Of its force. In the last
twenty years the South has received mil
lions Of dollars from Northern philanthrO-
9ists for educational purposes. Why
then should she hesitate to receive aid
from the national treasury 20 educate her
children: II there is any question Of pride
in the matter it presents itself as strongly
i'm one case as i'm the other. 1t VIII
not be- denied that education Is necessary
F 20 the progress and development Of the
south. In fact the South is doing what
. she can with the means at her command
% promote education. Why. then. should
there be any objection TO an increase Of
I those means when the increase entails no
degradation OF loss Of self-respect: If
ignorance breeds thriftlessness, yagrancy
and crime. aid to improve our negro pop
( ulatiOn cannot be had too soon.