The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-06
PUTTING THE MESSENGER RIGHT
AS TO EDUCATION.


A long experience as journalist has
enabled us to see how often our in
tent n meaning even can be misap-
pretended and turned against You.
We are reminded of this by the inter-
probation placed upon the course Of
n Messenger in the war made upon
it. 1t is accused OF hostility TO the
0enominational colleges and so on.
There has been a double fight waged
against the university, if We under
stand the matter. The friends of
Trinity have not gon beyond Directing
to the state free scholarships at the
university. So have said DIR. Yates
and President kilgo. Others have
fought to take away the entire ap-
preparations. We are not going into
this matter afreSh. The Messenger
has favored a continuance of the state
support of the university because it is
the states own child, its creature, its
pride. 1t has not attacked the de-
nominatiOna colleges. 1t has not
mean in this particular matter TO in
jure or offend. 1t believes in state aid
to lower as to higher education. 1t
has, therefore, felt it to be its duty to
stand by the maintenance Of the high
est expression of the highest educa-
ton the state can give. 1t would be
glad to see it receive what Virginia
gives to its own state university
$40, 900 a year. This writer in the last
twelve or fourteen years has criticised
certain things connected with the uni
versity and gave offence thereby. We
are persuaded that in the end good
was done. When it was assailed we
felt it a. bOunden duty to stand by it as
it was a BONA fide part of the state
system of education. We have views
of the free scholarships, but it is not
necessary now to refer to them and in
this connection.
The Messenger has not criticised in
any way the management of any state
college. 1t has sought whenever OPP
portunity afforded to help all Of them.
It believes in denOminatiOnal col
leges; it believes in Christian educa-
ton; it believes in the very best and
highest education p~ossible; it believes
in helping all the colleges In North
Carolina-state, UNCONVENTIONAL, male
and female. 1t does not believe in
~ungenerous rivalry or improper means
Of success. 1t does not believe in ed
ucation by kicking balls, in immOrali-
ties Of any kind, in building up by
tearing down. 1t would help as far as
is can every UNCONVENTIONAL college in
the state, n if in it's power would
place them On a very high vantage
ground indeed.
AS to the hostility charged by some,
Of this writer's unfriendliness to Trim
ity we can only say, We know better
than all others can know, what are
the feeling, motive and convictions
governing US and We aver in all frank
ness and sincerity that while we do not
approve of some things that have been
done at Trinity, as we do not approve
of some things done at the university.
We are as true a friend to Trinity as
we are to the university. If u pow
er we would endOW a chair at Trinity.
We do not write this to placate boy
cotters and bigots and proscriptive par
sons, but to tell our readers and all
concerned that neither this writer, nor
The Messenger has nothing but
good will to Trinity, and would be al
ways gratified to be it's friend in all
efforts to elevate its standard, give eff
ficiency to it's scheme of studies, add to-
it's fame and influence and make it
the foremost of all Methodist schools
everywhere. This is precisely what We
feel Or we would not write it if every
| preacher in the state assailed US for
not saying it.
We have given some attention to
the very important educational prob
lens in the south, and we think We
/ have some proper conception of the
magnitude of the difficulties as we'll
as some understanding and apprecia-
ton of the various encOuragements
that accompany we'll directed efforts.
| The real trouble in the south is not
| that there are not enough colleges, but
that there are perhaps too many. The
best are not sufficiently supported by
their respective denominations Or by
the public. That this is so was pre-
sented in 1895 by President julius d.
Dreher. Of Roanoke college, Va, in his
| paper e at Saratoga, N. Y, before
the American Social Science Associa-
ton. We copy the following from it
because it throws light where it is
needed:
IF the south has too few
tory schools, the fact is plain enough
from the report OF the commissioner OF
education that it has too many COL
leges and universities. This, however,
may be said of every section of our
! country, with the possible exception of
| New England. We may boast, if we
] will, of our 442 universities and col
leges; and We may claim that we are
rich with 145 universities, and pity the
poverty of Germany with only twenty
one. But in this very abundance is
our weakness. 8 = New England has
nineteen colleges and universities, or
one to every 247.4 07 inhabitants, the
middle states seventy-three, or one to
every 1913, 727; and the southern states
lis mot insluding thirteen colleges
tabulated among secondary %schools),
or one OF every 155, 776 inhabitants"
There is a great need Of the best ed
ucation, of the higher education. There
is no need for more colleges, but for
better colleges, for more richly endow-
ed colleges, with higher standards.
ADLER faculties, more thorough work
done. The parsimony of neither the
state nor the Christian denominations
will enrich nor enlarge nor make
more efficient nor strengthen the
stakes of educational institutions.
There is need in the south of a genuine
educational revival of the true sort.
The mere Misunderstanding" kind will
avail nothing. 1t is money that is
| needed, honestly, fairly obtained. Put
I your hands in you pocket and bring
out your well-stuffed wallets and give
until it makes you feel good. The late
James Russell Lowell was a genius.
| equal to the foremost of his New Eng
land compeerS and men of letters. He
was professor in Harvard university
a part of his life. He stated this truth
in his own very terse and impressive
way:
} "America0 are the most m