The news & observer., 1897-01-30
PROF. HOWELL TALKS
Annual Meeting Of the City
Superintendents.
SOME VALUABLE PAPERS
PROF. CLAXTONS PAPER COM
MENDED.
PROF. HOWELL's PAPER
He Writes On: "IlIiterary in North
Carolina; Its Cause and Its
Cure -

superintendent 11OWell returned yes
terday from Chapel Hill full of enthusi-
asm at the success of the session of the
Superintendents Association the public
school meeting and the Inauguration of
President Alderman
1.-The dignity and impressiveness Of
the inaugural ceremonies, and the large
attendance" he said, were beyond the
expectations of even Dr. Alderman and
his friends. The severe weather made
no impression upon the enthusiasm and
good spirits of the crowd
Delegates were present from the Nor
NAL and Industrial School, the A. and Nj
College, Elon College, Wake Forest Col
lege, Shaw University and Columbia
College, of New York city.
kilograms of cOngratulation and Of
good wishes were received and publicly
acknowledged by Col Kenan. the presid-
ing officer, from Howard University, Chi
cago University, Princeton University.
Tulare University, Vanderbilt Univer-
sity, University of Virginia University
OF Alabama, University of Georgia, Da-
wilson College, Clemson College, Elon
College, Greensboro Female College.
Salem Female Academy, and private let
ters from President Winston, Of the Uni
versity of Texas; President Harper, of
Chicago University; DrsJ. L. M. Curry:
j. w. Bailey, editor of the Biblical Re.
corder; The Christian Advocate; David
q. Worth, Of Wilmington, and Justice
Douglass.
Mr.. Howell said that the city superin-
tendents who usually hold their annual
meeting during the Christmas holidays,
held it at Chapel Hill this time imme-
diately before President Alderman's :
Inauguration, because all the superin-
tendents are his warm personal friends.
and wished to be present at this cere-
mony. The object Of the superintendent
in offering the prize in pedagogics was
to show their idea Of the Importance OF
that science and to give it prominence in
the University, and also IA the State. by
publishing the best essay by student on
an educational subject, as well as to cx-
press their friendship for the University
and its president.
He says it is a pity that the papers rea6
before the Association, mention Of which
has been made in the News and Observer.
could not be published in fun. In fact.
Mr.. Howell hopes they may yet be pub
lished in pamphlet form. as the Associa-
ton has appointed him committee to
inquire as to the cost, and if this is nor
too great, the Association will publish in
full their proceedings, for the benefit of
teachers that could not attend.
In particular, the address Of Professor
Claxt0n, he said, should be published
Immediately. Every member Of the Gen
eral Assembly ought to have heard it.
1T showed, not from guesses and hap
hazard statements. but from facts as
reported by the State Superintendent Of
Public instruction, how much of the
school fund is wasted Professor Clax-
ton said that one evil to be remedied is
the great number OF school districts. 1t
divides up the money too much. / wish
| could remember his figures, but can
give you the figures for Wake county.
You know | have been calling the atten-
ton Of the people OF our county to the
waste Of school money in the same way
The law of North Carolina makes 6.5
children the minimum number of chill
dren for a schol district. Yet in Wake
county there are 66 districts with less
than % children each. There are dis
tricts with 30, 30 and. one with only 21
children. The county commissioners at
their last meeting created three new
white districts, all OF which are illegal
containing only 81, II, and AZ persons of
school age
Prof Howell also read paper ON
this occasion, His subject was ''Illi-
teracy in North Carolina; it's Cause and
its Cure" 1t was said by many who
heard it to be the most valuable paper
yet written on the public school question
in North Carolina
What are the main points i'm your own
paper?"
My paper was merely a study of statis-
tics. All the information was obtained
from the last census report, and some re-
cent reports of the United States Com
missioner OF Education. / wanted to
know what North Carolina is doing to
educate its children in comparison with
other States, and l began to satisfy my
own curiosity, and with no intention of
writing a paper.
But the more / investigated the more
astonished / was at the facts discovered
And believing that others were as ignor-
ant, / concluded to present in logical
order what | had learned as to the cause
of illiteracy in this State, and the inef-
6cieacy Of our public schools.
"Of 40 States and Territories, North
Carolina ranks 7th in percentage of ilh-
teracy Of the whole population Though
in 1870 we ranked Sth, Florida has out
stripped u.s.; second in percentage of
illiteraey of the native white population.
She has the shortest school term Of all
the States; spends less upon each pupil
than any other States, except South
Carolina spends less in proportion to
whole population than any other State
except South Carolina and Alabama:
pays the smallest salaries to teachers OF
all the States"
But is not North Carolina one of the