The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1890-01-03
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Prof. Alderman Speaks Words of Wis-
dom in Harnett.
Especial Cor to STATE CHRoNICLEl

Especial Cor to STATE CHRONICLE.
SUMMERyILLE, HARNETT Co , n. C.
Prof. E. A Alderman held Teachers
Institute in this county lately. Prof AL
derman is in every way qualified to fill
the position which he holds, aud is doing
much for the cause of education in North
Carolina.
On Friday, the closing day, he deliver
ed an interesting address at the court
house in Ellington, and was listened to
with undivided attention by large audi
ence. His speech was replete with matters
of interest to teachers and those who are
Interested in seeing good schools estab-
lished everywhere. He discussed in a
general way various propositions, claim
ing that public education was a need and
the duty of the State, the right Of every
child to be educated, and the absolute
condition of progress. He contended that
the tax on property for the education of
children was a legitimate tax, and if not,
then all taxation was simply robbery
Those who We're opposed to taxation for
public education, he said, had no logical
position among men, and he advised all
such to 60 to some deserted spot and dig a
hole, get down into it and, if possible, pull
the hole in after them, or fly in the air like
birds of prey.
MS dTSuIlcut SeEttU W eUpuaSlZe luo
fact that We must face and settle the ques-
tion Of the education of the people. The
public school had, he said, come to stay,
and We must either improve the system OR
abolish ii. He furnished some interesting
statistics which place North Carolina s
public school system IN comparatively
low scale. The average number of days
for a pubic school in North Carolina, ac-
cording to his figures is sixty three, which
is much lower than some of the other
! Southern States. The number of voters
in this State last year, who could neither
read nor write. he gave as 145, 600, of
which number SIS, 900 were white and 81,
600 colored. His ludicrous description of
| the miserable school houses which could
be found on the public road side, was de-
cidedly to the point. Some of these build
ings, he said, were in such a wretched con-
dition that a thrifty farmer would not
even allow his hogs to enter therein for
| fear they would break their legs getting
| out of some of the holes. Yet the hogs
must be protected while the children are
left to suffer What they needed was bet
ter school houses and better teachers.
There should be at least six months
schools in every county in the State. Such
a state Of affairs, he claimed, could be
brought ABOUT by united action on the
| part OF the people IN demanding OF the
| legislature the enactment of additional
legislation in the matter Of public schools
He deprecated the idea of letting out the
schools to the lowest bidder, and said il
was simply offering premium for ignor
ance In some localities the man who
would propose to teach the longest for the
least amount of money was the successful
applicant. In this connection he gave The
school committeeman some excellent ad
vice. He told them to employ good teach
ers and then let them alone, and advised
parents to purchase whatever books thu
teachers said their children needed.
He discussed the negro problem" bu
left its solution to the people themselves
In refusing to be taxed for the education
of negro children the white people, h'
said, were cutting off their noses to spit
their faces If the negro left. as SOM
were already doing, their places woult
have to be filled with foreign elemen
which would be much more repugnant t.
them, and they would be compelled to vot
tax to educate these foreigners children
Prof. Alderman is an earnest advOcat
of the endowment by the State of an insti
tuition to be alone devoted to the educa
ton of women aud so declared himself il
his address. VISITOR