The news & observer., 1897-02-27
NOW FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
THEY STRONGLY FAVOR THE
s1ooOoo TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
pustlc SCHOOL .,rsJeM 4 UNIT
The Rural Schools, ha Graded Schools
the Preparatory Scnoots. the fsor-
mails, lndustriais, COLLEGES ana
University Are All a Fart
of One Whole.
OF One Whole.


yersiry shortly after the passage Of the
appropiia ion bills Thursday afternoon.
The doctor expressed himself as delighted
at the overwhelming sentiment for the
measures, and declared that praise and
gratitude would go out to the General
Assembly from thousands of homes IN
North Carolina for this far-Sighted legls-
lation."
at MEANS" said the Doctor that the
University can go forward and not back
ward: that the State has declared its
policy to be one of construction and not
destruction; that it means to cherish Its
institutions of learning and to smooth
the pathway towards them for its hum
blest citizens. If any evidence were need
ed that the University rests on popular
favor and stands ready and eager to serve
the whole people that evidence was given
to-day in no uncertain tones. 1t is espe-
cially gratifying to note that this General
Assembly is dealing broadly with the
whole field of education, higher and lower,
and for both races. The committees have
gone about the work from the start in the
right spirit. They are attempting to CO.
ordinate and arrange and strengthen in
rational way the whole system from the
University to the rural public school.
What are the prospects for the inn
provement of the common schoolsT ask
ed the reporter.
II regard it as assured that notable and
epoch marking legislation will be enact
ed for their benefit. Time was when
champions were needed to plead their
cause. Now the champions are album
dant. The problem is to shape wise leg
islation, to order details and devise ma
chinery The passage of the Grant bill
and the Butler bill in the Senate if enact
ed into law will insure a four months
school But that is not enough. Our
people must be taught higher ideal than
that. The bill reported fayorably by the
committee to appropriate 100000 to the
schools to stimulate local taxation has
my hearty approval. The State has been
waiting for it since the days of Joseph
Caldwell and Archibald Murphey. A
general State tax never produced an
adequate school system in any State of
the world. The State must do what it
can, and then make the appeal to local
effort, local pride and self-interest. Then
only can education go forward naturally.
Then only does it become a contagion,
spreading from community TO commun-
ty-and finally lifting up tih whole Of So
ciety.
II am pleased, too, at the interest and
intelligence manifested i'm the scheme for
the Improvement OF the schools for the
colored race. / shall work for these as
/ have worked for the Uniyerslty-for
education is a unit, and not thing OF
shreds and patches"
s'Do you think this action OF the Leg
islature settles the question Of the State
aid question:"
II hope so. 1T has the right to make
them if it can, and 10 decide the amount
of education necessary for the purpose.
This is the American idea and the prac-
tice of every American State. North
Carolina is too hearty and wholesome a
State to step out of line and brand itself
as singular in this line. 1t cannot hope
for some generations to produce
breed of wealthy philanthropists. Its in
stitutions are born of the people, sustain
ed by the people, accountable to the peo-
pie. They are the property of the State.
1t will be dark day when the State shall
decide to abandon them, and this it will
never do. They are sustained in large
part by the wealthy and the well-to-do.
Their advantages accrue largely to the
poor and the children Of men Of moderate
means. / believe that we are at the
dawn of an EZRA of good feeling and unit
ed effort on the part Of all honest men
for an educational system worthy Of
great State"
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