The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-10
FRIDAY. ....s. >. March 10, 1899.
THE 100000 APPROPRIATION
FOR SCHOOLS APPROVED.


The Legislature that adjourned on
Wednesday did more to stimulate pub
lie. education than any previous Gen
eral Assembly in the history of the
State. 1t found $4,000 in the Treas
ury. it found new objects of taxation,
and it instructed" the Corporation Com
mission to increase the tax on railroads
These acts gave surplus of S100,oUo III
sight and practically without objection
the Holman-McIntyre bill to appropriate
that sum to the public schools became
law.
The public school is the hope of the
future. A very large majority of the
children will be educated in the public
schools or will grow up in ignorance
Any faith in an educated citizenship
of the future is vain that is not based
upon faith that good public schools will
he provided. No interest vitality effects
our welfare so directly as good schools
in every mountain cove, hamlet and VII
lage in the State. The adoption of the
Constitutional amendment will stimulate
the youth under thirteen to desire an
education. The uneducated man works
with dull tools. Many. of the States
best sons, denied early advantages, have
been forced to be- hewerss of wood and
drawers of water" for others by lack
oil education. Investment lin immortal
mind pays the largest dividdAds, and the
State that neglects. the e3Achtion of the
= tatll is-guilty of&Qkoss negligence, in
the case Of its best property. We in
North Carolina are too poor not to edu-
cate.
The educators, preachers and editors
unite in rejoicing that the Legislature
took long forward step in making its
biggest appropriation to the education
of the children-the States hope. We
published yesterday interviews with
Rev. John Il. White and Mr.. j. w.
Bailey, editor Of the Biblical Recorder,
approving the appropriation. Below we
copy an editorial from the Raleigh
Christian Advocate, written by DR.. L.
y. Ivey. one Of the most influential
Methodist ministers in the state. The
Advocate says;a~..@
Zone of the wisest acts passed by the
Legislature was that by whch slOU,-
900 were appropriated to the public
schools of the State The point was
well made that fhe time has come to
consider more closely the demands of
common-school education. We must
work at the same time from the top
and the bottom, ySIt is criminal almost
To make large appropriations TO the
higher institutions at the expense OF
The school OF thesmasses. We repudiate
tha doctrine of some legislators that
tbis appropriation of 100000 is need
less in order. 40 enable the white boys
in time TO exercise the right of suf
frage In our opinion the passage of the
Constitutional amendment next year
would drive the negroes en- masse to the
school house and force white parents
TO patronize the free schools. But the
apnropriation is needed that our children
Of the State may fhaye an education,
which tempered with the principle Of re-
ligion. always tends to true citizenship
and high manhood
The secular press takes the same
view. The Charlotte News, edited by
the wise and progressive ex-senator
Dowd. commenting on it, says:
..The Legislature yesterday passed the
hill Of Mr.. Holman, of Iredell, appro-
priating S100.e09-,to the public schools
of the State n This bill provides that
this money shall be distributed to the
respective counties of the State per
capita as to school population on the
first Monday in sJanuary of each year,
using the school census of the previous
scholastic years as basis of aDDor-
tionment, and shall be distributed Che
100000 in the respective counties by
the school directors under the general
law of the State. This is Il step in
the right direction. The public schools
of the State have been too much ne
elected. While we do not agree with
those who claim that too much money
is appropriated for the purposes Of
higher education we do think that ev-
cry effort should be made TO improve
tbe common schools. Only a small pro-
norton of the children can take advan-
tage of the higher education offered by
the colleges. but every child should be
given in the subtle schools an oppor-
unity to fit himself for exercising in
teIligentIy the duties and responsible
ties of life
The Caucasian has this commendatory
comment:
..J'be hest thing the General Assem-
blv has done. as we see it now, was in
appropriating 100000 to the public
schools