New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-19
A CALL FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
MISS JENNIE MzLvENE DAVIS MAKES A
sUGG ESIION
sCPERSSTENDENT SKINNER SAYS SOLICITING
MONEY FROM SCHOLARS FOR THE PURPOSE
OF BUILDING BATTLE-sHIP
SHOULD BE STOPPED.
SHOULD BE STOPPED.

Among the prominent lecturers on American his
tory Il is universally conceded that Jennie Melvene
Davis has won place that Is 10 he envied she
has lectured before a great many o. the public
schools throughout the country. well az in some
OF the high schools and mas taken deep interest
IN the recent patriotic decision OF the school chill
dren OF the United States 70 collect money to BUY
a battle-ship. Lately she again called this fact 10
the attention Of Charles r. Skinner. the state
Superintendent Of the Department OF Public In
st-uction and yesterday he repie1 70 her in the
following words
The Tribune in Its editorials has put It very
strongly that teachers have all they can 90 10
teach honestly and effectively. and children have
al they can do 70 learn their lessons Ihere Is
also further objection and that Is the disparity
IN conditions between various pupils. one scholar
as patriotic another may not be able TO give
penny while his comrade may give nickel or
more This hurts the sensibilities OF the poorer
child and blunts his ideals Of true patriotism
The whole matter Is becoming humoug. ana
should be stopped The princlplesis wrong We
should not divert our schools from their legitimate
work"
Miss Davis agrees heartily with Mr.. SINNERS
opinion on the ba;tie-ship question In talk with
a Tribune reporter yesterday she depicted her early
struggles for supremacy in the lecture field ana
told how she succeeded.
Last summer she was appointed State Instructor
OF American History and Civics al the State Sum
iner Institute FOR Teachers at Ithaca and she has
filed the place he entire satisfaction OF super
intendent Skinner Her lectures are all Illus
trated with stereoptccn views 81 people places and
events on the subject OF school children raising
money for the ship Miss Davis had the TO-
lowing to
Since the destruction O, the Maine there have
been various schemes afoat 70 replace the battle
ship BY some form q popular SUBSCRIPTION. iary
n he s1riYg tie soh ooI children Of Newark. y j.
proposed such plan. The sucge-uoh We nldte
that the school children " the NaLon snOu!u MAKE
W 4 sum by penny contributions. Now TWO school-
for raising rnCney 20 build q b2tte-ship 70 be
called The American Boy In turtherance OF thlH
design they going from one large city 70 an
otb~r addressing organized bodies and striving 10
interest school boards While o. casual examlna-
ton TIE scheme seems &C mmendahe from patri-
otio standpoint a closer weighing Of evidence does
NOT result in approval Of the plan In spite o. ne
g-eat and glorious victories Of this last war mill
fa-lsnn" is not the American point or view MIL,
tarsrn and greed FOR territory are not nign ilors
notions and indicate lo" state or Natioha
This war has been one Of prtncipi..Lnot Of pos POS
session The Nation can protect ltsef when cai,a
sl,3s are needed. But all this Is incidental Il IS
not our purpose 10 be a Nation or wiiFloIs. OF
cortributinC 10 the greatness Of the Nation by
building hattle-ships IS wrong IN prlnclp.e ana oe
piorat9e IN pTaGI;Gs ~ E1roy. that the great
strength Of this Nation lies In the high standard o,
individual Intelligence u was indiyldua! aoIry
bare FOR a successful war At moments notice
We d. not wish 10 ulcaie the i1ea tnat a
hat-le-ship Is synonyme FOR the Nations great
&c - .be children ~ the land wish 70 contribute
- National greatness let them raise fund 10
found scholarships a. our leading colleges, open 10
in this war. That would be a worthy opJ.,&'-
that would eleyate the siver as wei as , ,ne ~ y,
e1,cs-o- COR ne masses and IN that idea lies inc
true strength q The American Gi9veTnihen Seo
sCnGa' ~. 4o,er9 % the children Of America. Let
Us have scholarships, not battie-ships'