The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-26

ranks, who feel within them the
promptings of power and yearn for the
higher life Of useful action. AS a re-
suit of this leveling process, Introducing
the higher test of fitness and ability
side by side in the various fields of en-
deavor and in the high places, sit men
of all rauks a1d all degrees of wealth
| advancing the life of the State.
Let me not be understood in pleading
for the higher education as underrati Q
the lower, for there is no essential dis
tinction between the two The State
cannot be interested in one and not in
the other, for they are one and lndivisl
BILE. A system of education all univer
ties aud no primary schools would be
crime as a system all primary schools
and no universities would be a
farce. It is simply a question of
sequence. The educative impulse is from
above downward and not from below
upward and the two impulses reinforc
and enrich each other.
In the old Southern life in every ham
let and community were to be found
men an women of the rarest culture.
but all around, giving color and tone to
the whole, moved the untaught throng.
The supremest need of the new life is the
lessening of this inequality by the pres
ence, in large numbers in all elements of
the population, of men and women Of
thoughtful, independent mind, of trained
consciences and habits and hands, who
can bring things to pass. This can only
issue ont of the higher education re
acting upon the lower, lifting the whole
to a higher common level.
The permanent forces in this process
are first and foremost the State Univer
stiles and colleges supported by taxation
and expressing the Christian tendency
of the broth rhood Of men, and, second
ly, the endowed institutions Supported
by enlightened philanthropy.
There is no call among US for a multi
tude of new foundations, unless it be for
institutions for the training of teachers.
We need rather to expand and enrich
and liberalize the old foundations
There are two obstacles in the way of
this result. Unpopular abstract hatred
of taxation which enables the enemies Of
the State schools to confuse the thought
of the people and to make them regard
all taxation as curse rather than as
organized corporate wisdom, halloWad
by Christianity, struggling to secure for
the children needful thing beyond in
dividual power.
Secondly, the failure thus far
in our development to find
the golden mean between
the individualism which preserves liber-
ty and the individualism viii h para
lyzes concerted action. i'll partially
rooted in our life is the fatal thought
that every man should educate his own
child, or leave him uneducated if it be
his viii or misfortune.
Emphasized by poverty this convic-
ton still stays the hand Of giving and
belittles the glory and gladness of help
ing others to help themselves. We will
do well to labor and pray for the death
of this sentiment We would be mad to
cease State effort and demand endow-
ment at the point OF subscription list.
Bishop Potter in a recent utterance
has declared that the darkest day for
any people would be the day when they
did not possess an ideal University. And
by an ideal University he meant any
group Of free, simple, unhampered
men seeking truth for truths sake;
''Waiting patiently on their Bonded
knees before the shut doors Of the
kingdom OF Knowledge" getting their
only reward in the thrill Of the human
soul in its contact with verify; ignorant
and careless of the moment when their
theoretic truth msrges into tact, and in
the form of mighty engines or stately
ships or roaring looms bless the world.
There can be no fairer picture on earth
than this, and such men are indeed the
aristocracy of the world. But there is one
thing greater than truth and that is hu
manity. The Southern University may
well cherish this serene ideal and incor-
porate in it's organization the creative
impulse and the spirit of inquiry and in
veE tigati0n, but its first thought must be
about its environment, ont of which it must
grow aud by which it must do Its duty
before it can erect beautiful aristoc-
raey Of scholarship. Once we were arts
tocratic in government and education,
but now we are democratic in sboth. At
this stage Of our culture when millions
are 10 be impressed with the importance
of knowledges the Southern scholar must
forego his Office OF prophet and seer and
become ruler and reformer; and South
ern Universities and Colleges must do
the work of Fsocial regenerative forces,
reaching out directly into the life of the
people, making known how much better
| light is than darkness, and how sweet it
is.f0r the eyes to behold the sun-ennobling
the poor mans poverty and spiritualiz
ing the rich mans gold.
| sometimes think that our brethren
of the North and West do not fully
comprehend how ripe the time is, and
how hard the struggle for the fruit
full doing of such work. Individuals
and communities cannot be forced into
power, or culture, or effectiveness, or
skill. The desire for these good things
must go before their realization. For q
glimpse of the self reliance, the eager
ness, the bravery of the South, one has
only to visit Southern college and see
the earnest, thrilling desire for the OPP
portunities which the people believe to be
concealed in education. the influences
| that hinder and obg+r1Ipt cannot wholly