The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-04-15
TCharlOtte Obsfrrer.

the part Of the people to the need OF
better school system. This education
al impetus has been marked by the IN
creased discussion Of school matters,
in private talk and in the public
prints 1t had its impress on the last
Legislature, and that body passed laws
that will materially aid the progress Of
education in the State-notably the
law allowing any township as much
as $500 from a special State approprl-
alton Of $50, 900, provided the town
ship will raise $500 more by local tax
alton. Many Of the educators and
thinkers of the State have been aroused
to active work for the bctterment of
the States school system and for the
prevention OF lllIteracy IN our midst,
and Of all those who have written upon
the subject no one has 50 impressed US
as Capt. s. A. Aohe, Of Raleigh, III
his advocacy OF constitutional
amendment making ability to read
and write a requisite for suffrage in the
State. Capt. Ashe advocated such an
amendment IN Il letter IN the Nfzvs
anu ObsryUer of February 26th.
He first disposed Of the prevalent
opinion that North Carolina IS Rip
Van Wrinkle State. BY the end OF the
decade from r8to to 1850 North Car
DINA was in the procession OF States
which were establishing public school
systems Our relative baCkwardnesS,
Capt Ashc shows, is not due to our
sloa start. We must Look for some
other cause for our "abOmnlble II Hitter
acy"
We do not find that cause in the
public schools themselves, as short OF
term and as lacking in facilities as
they are Although lot even aver
aging four months year, they at least
"afford an opportunity for every child
to learn how to read and WRITE What
then is the cause Of llliteracy in our
midst? We quote from Cap. Ashe:
| "We must look for the cause of our
deplorablc .iIliteracy elsewhere than
| in the schools. We can find it only
IN the homes of the Illterate them :
selves. III lay bare an ugl spot, 1t
| IS because | love North Carolina and
admire our people, and desire to see
the evil cured and the blot on the good
name of the State removed.
"The children remain illiterate Ee
| cause there is no influence III their
| homes to make them attend school
| and learn. 1t is because there IS no
| ambition at home for the future of the
children; no hope OF improving their
condition IN life; no incentive to equip
them for rising to higher level. Amy
body who knows our people know
| these facts. 1t is miserable COnd
ton in many homes. How can this be
changed That is the question. By
agitation and discussion? These lllit-
crates cannot be reached by such
means. We must apply an incentive.
We cannot do it by appeals. We must
find an incentive outside Of their home
| lite. Let me illustrates:
"After the war a number Of Amerl-
cans went to Egypt and took service
with the khedve. Now | will let Rev.
| DR.. Potter tell the story, as it is found
in his pleasant book. The khedive
asked one Of those gentlemen what i'm
pressed him as the most CONSPICUOUS
defect in his army.
"Sald my countryman in ,eply:
That it is governed by civilians and
then he went on to explain that the
officers Of the army were generally I'M
able to read and write, and were de-
pendent on their clerks, who, although
they were civilians, thus acquired and
exercised undue influence
"The very next day an order was is
sued making the ability to read and
write an absolute condition of promo
ton, and in a little while this was fol-
lowed by an order making all far
loughs and special privileges Deepen
dent on the same condition. AS a
consequence in few weeks the entire
army was turned into 4 school, and in
year from the date Of this converse
ton there were exactly IS men in the
whole Egyptian army who could not
read and write. Here was an lncen-
tive. 1t answered the purpose.
"Can we find similar incentive to
cure illiteracy in North Carolina
think we can. | am prompted to sug
geSt II by the hope that by this means
We may uplift those who are at the low
est level among our people; that we
may widen their possibilities in life;
multiply their chances of prosperity
and increase their happiness. How
many dark homes are there in our
dear old North State that need the
light Of education to enter and illum
inc the benighted minds and cheer the
hopeless hearts of the entire family ?
"Suppose there should be Cons,iiu-
tlonal amendment thatno person com
ing OF age after January I, 1901, shall
be allowed TO vote unless he can read
and write; would not that apply the
incentives Would any boy come of
age after that date without knowing
how to read and write? | think not.
| There would be an end of illiteraCy
among the new growth; for if the boys
went 10 school, the girls would, too.
"Such provision would deprive no
man of his right OF suffrage; for the
illtera,es of the presen, day would not
lie affected by ii, and the boys coming
OF age hereafter would qualify them
selves in full, time; and If by chance
any had not learnt while under age,
with this stimulus 10 stir him, he would
learn before election time.
"There is no craftsmanship in this sug-
gestion. 1t rises high above all par
| tlSan considerations in it's Drom;sa f,r