The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-06-12
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MR.. EDITOR:-AS q ClGlZ0Q Oh NOrLQ
Carolina I protest against the injustice
of some appropriations of our State
funds. This is a peoples State. The
people pay the taxes; and where it can
be done the people should have, must
have and will have their money right
ly and justly paid out directly for their
own benefit and the benefit and ad-
vantage of their children.
Our free school system is inadequate
principally for lack of money. The
public schools are the first, last and
only means for educating the children
of the masses. Whatever or whoever
hinders the efficiency of the public
schools, under present circumstances,
should be, we think, regarded a the
enemy, either inadvertently or wilful-
", of the dearest interests of sons
and daughters.
Any university or college in this
State that teaches practically the same
subjects as are taught in private uni
versities or colleges should not, we
think, receive appropriations of the
peoples money for their support. Why
should the people support a State Uni
versity9 They already have private
colleges that teach practically the same
subjects as are taught at our State Uni
versity. Pray, then, why should the
tax payers further tax themselves to
run such a school7 All the children of
the State cannot take advantage of a
university course. The majority of
the children a hardly obtain time to
attend the public schools at home,
much less the University. The citizens
of North Carolina want longer district
school terms. They must have them.
How can they get theme By paying
the University of North Carolina thirty
thousand dollars a year7 That is what
we arc doing now. Friends, suppose
we just quit giving thirty thousand
dollars a year to the State University
and think of our own children who are
growing up with scarcely the meagre
advantages of the district school. Let
us appropriate more funds to the
schools that will educate own chill
dren. We now have thirteen weeks
school. Appropriate this thirty thou
sand dollars to the public schools of
the State, for the whites, and we will
have fourteen weeks school in every
year. Our children will appreciate this
extra week in school. Let them have it.
Besides, l do not know whether those
young men up at the State University
need our hard earned cash. Many of
them are rich mems sons. Let us re-
quest the gentlemen to pay their own
bills. Surely we are the veriest fools
if we continue to tax ourselves for
their benefit. Many of them are sons
of welIto-do men. Let US request
them to pay for their own education.
Some of them are teachers. Well. thew
do not come back to teach in the old
district schools, so let us request them
to pay their own bills, too. Whatl we
pay for the education-the higher edu-
cation-of these men who can, if they
have any backbone, pay their own
bills and run the Univerity for their
own special benefit if they want a uni
versity. Our children are trudging
away at home without even the rare
luxury of a good district school. 20
justice, thou hast fed to british beasts
and men have lost their reason" PEG.
pie of North Carolina, have you lost
your parental affection9 No, no, no.
Then educate your own children and
afterwards you viii think, if you wish.
of educating those who are able to edu-
cate themselves. LINCOLN