The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-06-27

ures of government receiv II impres
sions 80 Immediately f. u tie sense of
the community rs II ours it is proper
tionally ssseGii.ai,"
And in his last message he said: PRO
mote, then, AS matter of primary i'm
portance instruction for the general diff
fusion of knowledge"
President Jefferson, after he had re-
tired from the Presidency, said to Gov.
Tyler of Virginia 81 have indeed at
heart two great measures without which
no Republic can maintain itself in
strength. /. That of general education,
to enable every man to judge for him
self what will ensure or endanger his
freedom
In our State constitution of 1776 we
find the following, which though often
quoted cannot be too soften referred to:
Constitution I77G.
''That school or schools shall be es-
tablished by the Legislature for the con-
venient instruction of youth, with such
salaries to the masters, paid by the pub.
lie, as may enable them to instruct at
low prizes; and all useful learning shall
be duly encouraged and promoted ir. one
or more universities"
This did not mean that the higher ed
ucation alone should be promoted at
public expense, but also that there should
be, as far as the financial ability of the
people would allow, a general system of
public schools for all the youth of the
State.
Notwithstanding the very unfavorable
condition of cur people, owing to the
devsstations of war and other causes, the
university was provided for, scantily it
is true, by act Of Assembly in 1895 and,
except few years just after the late
var, it has been III successful operation
all the time since that date. From it
have gone forth men who have adorned
almost every station in the gift of the
American people, from the Presidency
down. Its influence has gone down
among the people, and it has been a
power in training them for good citizen
ship, III the school room, in the pulpit,
at the bar, and on the hustings. The
| people OF the State and of the United
| States, owe much to our university =
| more thar they are wont to believe.
| May it grow more and more in their ap-
probation, as I believe it will. until it
shall be supported literally and un-
gfudgingly.
Governor Alexander says in his mes
sage on November 10th, 1906:
Son the subject of education little
can be said which has not already been
said by my predecessor. But will take
the liberty to observe that in govern
ment constituted as ours, where the peo-
pie are everything, where they are the
fountain of all power, it becomes infin-
itely important that they be sufficiently
enlightened, to realize their interests,
aud to comprehend the best means of
advancing them.
The Importance OF education for all
the people was pressed III the messages
Of Governors Branch, Holmes, Burton,
Iredeii, 0 vons, Stokes, Swain, Spaight
and Duliey, under whose administra-
ton he publ schools were put Into
operation ia 1840
Governor Holmes, On this subject, in
1929, said: II fear, gentlemen, if those
vener, bic fathers were 10 rise from their
tombs they would reproach us with sn-
piueuess and neglect, and would not
listen to the plea Of want of power"
|
public education is unestablished, anC
its kindly Influences are not general,
felt, it is more than useless to address
the great body of the people on the sub
jecJ OF principles.
After the establishment Of the system
Governors Morehead, Graham, Manly
r Reid. and the others all down to th
. present, lent their aid ia upholdin;
and improving the schools. Governo
Manly said: Popular education is tn
sheet-ancnor and basis Of republican
: liberty"
While system of public schools wa
long delayed, the delay was dueto wan
/ Of means, and not to want of apprecia
tion of general education. Our large, e1
panse, Of territory and sparce population
and the scarcely of money, made tn
e public school problem much more off
cult one in the early history of the Stat
i than now.
|. Were these great men wrong, who's
s burning words 1 have quoted.
h Public education was not consic
v cred charity to the poor; it ought NJ
n to be SO considered now.
g The National idea, as well as that I
o the State, as shown by these quotation
= was education not as charity not f,
n the benefit of the poor-not for the ben
Ie fit of individuals specially, but as meal
|e of perpetuating the liberties OF the peop!
If which had been secured by the expend
ture of so much treasure and by blooc
al war. And further, education was to
al secured not alone By private effort-n
,e alone for the few who might be call'
r. to be leaders in church and state, but
was to be carried forward at the expen
ve of the government, state and natlon'
he and for all the people. The pub
as schools are not soup-houses for the poo
j. but they are institutions upon whi
an depend the protection of the property
as all the people and the liberties of all t
re people. Would that we could get !
i'd Of the charity idea in public educatio
ca Whether or not We can all see alike
all this question, one thing to my mind
nd very clear, and that is that the pub
schools for blacks and whites are be
us to stay. Public schools are part
Id. modern civilization and they cannot
his successfully resisted. This is specia
zs so in all republics. For Us there is |
er- one sensible thing to do: Go forws
it and make the public schools what tt
ers ought to be.
he It is not worth while to argue whetl
the or not universal education can be
lev cured without the aid of the State.
,aJ tory clearly 6emonstra os that II caDn