The news & observer., 1897-02-19
An Additional appropriation OF
100000 Asked.
BY suPT. ME8ANE's BILL
DISCUSSED BEFORE THE EDUCA-
TION COMMITTEE.
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON 1T
Editor Bailey, Presidents Alderman
and McNer and Superintendent
Howell Make Speeches in Sup
port of the Bill.

The bill providing for the Appropriation
of 100000 to the public schools, out of
the general fund.- in addition to what they
now receive by direct taxation, was con-
sidered by the House Education commit
tee yesterday, at its meeting in the State
Library This bill has the approval of
Superintendent Mebane, and is under
stood to have been prepared at his sug
gestion.
A number Of speeches were made in ia
vor Of such an appropriation, and none
against it, but the trouble was where to
get the money. This was problem that
nobody seemed to be able to solve, SO the
comnmittee, after listening patiently to
the discussion. decided that there was no
use i'll allropriating something that did
not exist and so decided to postpone ac-
tion ON the bin until they could see what
other committees having power to make
appropriations were going to do.
The first person to address the commit
tee in favor of the bill was Mr.. j. W.
Bailey. editor of the Biblical Recorder,
He said that the bill was not introduced
with the purpose Of appropriating all the
money to the public schools, leaving the
University and other educational instItu-
dions high and dry without any financial
aid. He was opposed, he said, TO State
aid to higher education he favored the
voluntary system, but he would not at
blow cut off these Institutions
He spoke of the Importance of educat-
ing the children of the State. Over $780,
600 children demand recognition at your
hands, he said; over 1900 educational
institutions on as many hills all over the
State are in your keeping. They are ask
ing assistance of You.
Last year 20S,000 children in North
Carolina did not attend any school The
State is forty years behind in the educa
tipnal list. Over 235,000 children in this
State are IN schools only two months in
NJ years The people are entitled TO a bet
fter system, Fhey demand it, the Constitu-
stion provides for it, And what is more,
necessity demands it--the public good de-
tmands it. Patriotism and justice de
mand it, Even the sixty days the chill
dren are taught amount to very little.
They forget most of it before they have
an opportunity to- resume their studies"
Mr.. Bailey said the tax valuation of
property had not decreased, though the
report had been put out that it had fallen
off several millions. The State, he ar
sgued, was amply able to make this ap-
preparation of 100000. If this is not
given to schools. he said. ii will go to
some other purpose not educational.
To prove it, he said within the last ten
days the Legislature had given $37 900
to erect a building for a State institu-
ton, and now they proposed to make the
amount S57, GOO In addition to this, S10,-
600 had been given to an institution that
has cnly 800 inmates. He said he would
not speak of the Labor Bureau and Geo
logical Survey, and other institutions and
departments which do not touch the peo-
pie.
Here are 100000 childrea who are
worse than starving They don't feel it,
but you should feel it. Give them
schools worthy of the name. They can't
learn enough in two months public
school to do them any good. People
throughout State distrust the public
schools, and / cannot blame father
not to send his child to a log cabin to
study under an incompetent and careless
teacher.
s'This appropriation is not only practica-
bic, but it is the only remedy. In 1878
this State appropriated 100000 for the
public schools out of the general fund.
If you vote down this bill you will draw
the curtain closer,i make the darkness
denser and the despair deeper. The people
Of North Carolina must be educated il
they would ever do anything as a people,
as a State"
calculation with Superintendent Mebane,
and they had found that an appropria ton
of 100000 would run the schools
throughout the State an average OF four
months. Some of them are already run
for six months, while others only run
two months. Since 1889 the school tax
had been increased from IL to is cents,
but the length of school term was nearly
the same.
It was asked By members of the COM
nlittee how they were going to get this
100000. Mr.. Bailey explained that this
could be done by discontinuing the erec-
ton of big brick buildings Give this
100000 to the public schools, exclaimed
Mr. Barley, and stop this miserable bus
mess of political ,jebberg. eas Hfg
Superintendent Mebane endorsed what
Mr.. Bailey had said, and explained that
the object Of the bill was to help the weak
eeunties-rthese that can't help them
selves.a The people, he said, were awake
on the educational question as never be
fore and this Legislature enjoyed am
opportunity that its predecessors had not
had, Nothing could be done that would
be OF greater value to the people, aad
they would endorse such a bill.
Mr.. White Of AlaIhance explained that
the public institutions, such as the cofof-
ed insane asylum at Goldsboro, and the
Morganton asylum, TO which reference
had been made, We're not conducted omasn
extravagant policy He said that they
were doing a great work. and gould use
great deal more money than they get.
President McIyer, OF the Normal and
~TndusTriaT School. said he was in favor Of
any incpease~of approTriation to public
schools. Tf he were q member OF the
Legislature and could find million dol
Int. bxa ~io4n nd irl
vote for it to 20 to the schools. He had
not, however, read the bill and he begged
TO he excused from discussing the merits
Of IT. Already, he said, about 100000
were raised for public schools, and this
bin, if passed, would make it 100000.
He ventured this suggestion, however,
that whatever increase should be made