The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-28
Will Lend His Aid to the
Common Schools.
EDUCATE ALL THE PEOPLE
YHERE GAN BE NO ARISTOCRACY
OF CULTURE.
FONTS OUT PAGES GREAT BLUNDER

States in the Scale OF ignorance s,.as
aagEE Reading and Writing no s,,sss
THE following letter recently received
fSum ex-GOv. ThOs j. Jarvis, was yes
aRrday given out by the State Superin-
aasudent of Public Instruction. The ven
ysnble statesman declares himself in
ExEm of increased taxation for pubic
schools, and gives a reason for the faith
chat is in him. He writes:
Zion. G.. H. Mebane, Chairman Com
mittee:
Dear Sir: Your letter Of some days ago
addressed to me at my home was for
MArded TO me here and in reply thereto
q beg to say that. while not endorsing
nEi the provisions and changes made in
the school law of 1897, l shall give my
support to that feature which provides
for local taxation in aid OF our common
schools / believe in the education of all
the people and l know of no way to pro-
vide suitable schools for them except
ny taxation. Hence / haye for a quarter
aE q century been an open advocate of
Increased taxation fer these schools. l
ahaIl not stop to inquire whether the pro-
posed system is the wisest one or not
IL is the only one now available and /
GfaIl support it. THE defects in the sys-
Gem of taxation and in the school law
can, and | have no doubt will, be rene
died as experience may suggest the need
ful changes.
e trust, however, it will not be amiss
FOR me to file a protest against what
seems to be the policy of the advocates
0f BETTER school facilities to place North
Carolina at the foot of the list of the
States III the scale of ignorance. The
statistics so often quoted by them may
show that a greater per cent. of our
people cannot read and write, but it by
NO means follows that we have greater
per cent of ignorance than other States.
Reading and writing are means of i'm
porting information and educating peo-
PIE, but they are not the only means.
Reading and writing form one of the
standards of Judging of ones intelli-
gence, but they are not the only ones. l
undertake to say you cannot find more
intelligent, better informed people in any
State in the Union than can be found
IN North Carolina. would not be afraid
to see thousand laboring people taken
unfortunately from amy section of our
Stath pitted against like number so
kaken from any other State For an in
Heiligent understanding of our system
Of government, their relation and duties
~ citizens. the public policies to be dis
eussed and settled and their obligation
a 49, III Ho1a LII 10
North Carolina people cannot be sur
passed by the people of any other State.
And this can be easily and Internationally
explained. For more than a half century,
End until recently, it was the custom for
our candidates for Governor, for Con-
gress. for the Legislature and other Of
ices, to meet in joint debate and dis
cuss before the people all public ques-
4i0ns. These discussions were conducted
ON a high plain by our best men and the
people went to hear them i'm great
crowds. In addition to this we had
judges of high character and great learn
ing who visited each county at least
twice year and publicly charged the
,stEnd Jury. I have seen our court house
packet with people to hear the judge.
Our people. as a rule, are church-going
people and the pulpit has been also a
great factor in the education Of the peo-
ME. No matter what Mr.. Page and
Others may say about an aristocracy in
Esrth. Carolina, / assert there is not,
md never has been, such a thing IN this
State as is usually understood by that
aerm. There has always been the great
est freedom Of intercourse between the
learned and the illiterate. Men who could
neither read nor write, if they lead re-
spectable lives, always found ready ac-
cess to the companiOnship of our educat-
ed men. I venture to say the instances
are rare in which men Of education have
refused to talk with, counsel and advise
their less fortunate neighbor. BY this
intercourse and contact men have learn
ed much. Thousands and thousands Of
che men who are put down in the census
reports as illiterate because they cam
not read and write, upon examination,
would be found to be far from ignorant.
I have mentioned some Of the things
which have contributed to the education
of our people outside of the school house
and by reason of which it may appear
that all men who cannot read and write
are not absolutely ignorant. / arrogate
nothing to myself when I say | have
seen more of the people of North Caro-
dina and have mingled more with them
than any man now living. and l do not
hesitate to affirm that believe what j
have said of them is strictly true. AT
4fls same time what / have said does not
lessen my interest in the school as a
sure and safe means Of education.
/ am very truly yours.
THOS. J. JARVIS.