The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-03
THE NEEDY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
University, Orphan Asylum and Other
Institutions Should be Cut Down
if Necessary.
biblical Recorder.)

biblical Recorder.)
The people of North Carolina do not
realize how distressing is the condition
of their public schools. The facilities
for teaching the children of the citizens
of this State 10 read and write are mea-
gre in every respect, poor in the ex-
treme. utterly inadequate, distressing to
contemplate, and alarming to every one
who knows what their condition is. We
desire to bring this condition honestly |
before the people, to tell them the facts; |
to get them to recognize that our school |
system is the foundation Of our ciyilza- |
ton and our government and, in truth, |
the very hope of happiness in our homes, !
and to realize how sorrily this foundation |
is laid. The matter is more important |
than any other public question; it con-
Germs every father and mother, every |
citizen. more vitality than any question |
of tariff, or finance, or temperance. 1t
concerns our State as q commonwealth |
more than all the other matters, all the
institutions, put together. The men who
lead North Carolina to a better public
school system will do her a greater service |
than those who fought for her freedom
from England or defended her in the late
war, or who have served her in any
way. The public schools are vital to
| every home. Whoever makes them better
does. a service to every home in the
State. Moreover. the improvement Of
our cghlic schools is necessity, an
| essential as. commonwealth, which if
neglected will surely bear fruitage III Il
| whitening ignorance or a whirlwlnd Of
mad prejudice and passion-and prob
| ably both. These statements have been
= 4g.9~-
| are true, VINO viii face them and re-
| main in the present indifference They
| are only too true.
THE FACTS IN THE CASE.
BY the courtesy of Hon. J. G. Scar
| borough Superintendent of Public In
| struction, we are able to give facts and
| figures of his report on our public schools
| for the present year, in adj
| vance Of the publication Of the report.
| There are 635,455 children Of school
| age between and 81 years. in North
| Carolina. Ninety-fve per cent. of these,
| which is 603,673, are dependent on the
public schools to teach them to read and
| write. Such is the great respon-
| sibility Of North Carolina. If she
does not provide schools, 603,673
| of the children in her borders
| have no hope, no opportunity but to
| grow up illiterate, ignorant utterly. If
she provides poor schools, sorry teachers,
and keeps them only few weeks in each
| year, the chances for these 603, 673 chill
| dren are but slightly improved. And it
| is no reflection on the teachers to say
| that this is the condition Of the average
| public school, the reflection is upon the
| State; it is a shame upon the General
Assemblies which have met without max
1 - 30 cbo,
| the people who are intelligent enough to
recognize these conditions and to deplore
| them, but who have indifferently toIer-
ated them. No patriot can stand by and
| see 603,673 children out of the total
| Of G35, 400 in the State coming TO man
| hood in ignorance because they have no
| schools, or because such as they have
are so meagrely supported that they are
| not even kept open long enough to teach
| a pupil to read or write or figure. Do
you question? Let the facts bear us out:
There are iii public schools in North
| Carolina. The amount expended upon the
teachers is $500, 1854, which is an aver
age Of 800 for each school a year Can
any one expect to get a fit teacher for
this pitiful sum? Will any one blame
| the teachers for not keeping the schools
but twelve weeks at tbs rate? The teach
4 tIb ulusL ltfEs IL LUGy nave DGGu Ut I'LL
prepared to teach, they cannot afford to
take such pay even for three months.
Most likely all competent teachers all
competent educated men and women,
have the opportunity Of working steadily
year in and year out at a better salary
per month This pitiful pay is the root
Of the evil. The public school system
will never improve until the salaries Of
fered are such to employ competent and
| well educated teachers. The public school
system will never improve until it has
larger, much larger financial resources.
Bear this in mind We must begin here
to improve the schools.
In this connection let us append two
facts of interest while we have them at
| hand The total number of school dis
| tricts in North Carolina is 1907, that is
| to say clearing in mind that the number
! Of schools reported is 7171,) that in GIG
| districts there were no schools at all.
The total amount Of money expended on
/ the public schools for the year is 1885,
PCS, that is to say clearing in mind the
amount paid teachers that S145,I0t was
expended for school houses, sites, ex-
penses Of county boards, furniture fuel,
| etc.
THE CONSTITUTION DISREGARD
ED.
Thirty-fve Of every hundred people
more than ten years old in North Car