The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-28

tutlons.
Normal Colleges
Supported by the state we have seven
normal colleges, four for whites and three
for negroes, In which grammar school, high
school and in some instances collegiate
work is being done, in addition TO the in
struction given in pedagogy; but these col
| leges do not by law or arrangement of cur
| ricula, form connecting links between the
! high school and the university.
1.-The Alabama Polytechnic institute, at
| Auburn, established in 1872, has steadily
grown in efficiency and in the number of
| pupils until today it stands among the best
of it's kind in the United States. 1t is not
| excelled in the south. 1t should be the
| pride of all Alabamians.
Illiteracy in Alabama
while We have made considerable
| progress in our efforts to establish a pub
| lie school system, who, familiar with ex-
| listing conditions, will assert that we have
| done our full duty. that We have done all
we could? The fact that Alabama stands
| so low in the scale of intelligence, so high
| in the table of illteracy, when compared
| with her sister states, should bring the
| blush of shame to the face of every patri-
| otto man and woman in the commonwealth.
| All but two or three above her in the scale
of intelligence, ell but two or three below
her in the table of illiteracy More than Is
| par cent. of the whites and So per cent. of
| the negroes over ten years of age cannot
! read and write. What wretched eX-
! istence! What a benighted condition!
| What sad commentary! What stipend
Gus neglect of duty-duty towards state
| duty towards felowman-duty towards
| God!
Notwithstanding this condition of af-
fairs, we find among us those who claim
| to believe that education is a private mat
tor hot e-1n n
the instruction of his own children. and
that public education should be for the
poor only. In a disorganized state OF soc1e-
ty, in q country without a government, the
first two propositions may be correct In
theory. but we are confronted with the de-
plorable fact that there are some who can
not and more who will not, make this pro-
vision. Then shall the state, shall the
whole people suffer on account of the neg
ligence or inability of individuals? Ere
quenty the child who has not been properly
reared, or educated, commits crime. The
law, the state, with ruthless hand, steps in
between parent and child, arrests the Gull
prit and Furnishes him. Shall the state pro-
vide means to punish crime and none to
prevent its commission? Shall the state
appear only in the capacity OF jail-keeper
and headsman? In the administration or
justice, must the state eschew the divine
attribute of mercy? 1t was said that
Draco, the great Athenian legislator, wrote
his laws in blood human blood. Can much
less be said of the state that establishes
the jail the penitentiary and the scaffold,
and at the same time makes no provision
for the dissemination of knowledge among
its people? No, it is the states duty, 1T is
to her highest interest, to establish ana
maintain within the reach of every person
the means of securing such instruction as
will fit him for an intelligent discharge OF
the responsible duties of citizenship. re-
at notion Entertained DIV
some that public education should be pro-
vided for the poor, and the poor only. Ii
should be for both rich and poor, because
there are those who will not, as well as
those who cannot provide for the education
of their children.
An Ignorant Ballot
The right of suffrage is at once the most
precious and the most potent civic preroga-
tive ever enjoyed by man; yet, in the mad
race for wealth ana power and splendor
and preferment we have neglected to make
proper preparation for its intelligent exer-
else till an ignorant ballot has become the
bane of the state. 1t is q privilege which
cannot be wisely and patriotically exer-
cised when its possessor Is stepped in
ignorance, or wickedness, or superstition,
because he is then absolutely at the mercy
of passion or prejudice. or designing men,
''As l have before stated, considering our
condition Immediately after and since the
great civil war, We nave accomplished
much. Besides the higher institutions OF
learning which have been enumerated, We
have common or township schools for the
masses And this is the weakest point
in the entire system. All the higher lnstl-
tutions of learning continue nine months
in the year, and are in a reasonably hour
ishig condition, while the common or town
ship schools run only three months in the
year. Instead of being the poorest school,
as it is the common school, as FAR as II
goes should be the best that we nave,
because with the great majority or the peo-
pie 1t is not only the first, but 1t is also
the last school. With them it is at once
primary school. grammar school, high
school, college and university. This has
been, is and ever will be true. Then let
us improve the common school branch OF
our system so that educational advantages
will be given to every child, rich and poor,
black and white absolutely free of tuition,
for at least six months in the year; and
when we have provided such @ system,
let us pass law forcing every parent to
send his child to school that length of
time.
Cooperative Forces
at is for us to say what shall be the
present character and, to a great extent,
what the future glory of our beloved state
in the march of intellect. We have noble
heritage but it has been long neglected.
We have undervalued our privileges. We
have overlooked our opportunities. We
neglected our duties. But there is now,
thank God, a general awakening from
fatal lethargy. The spirit of educational
progress is breaking upon us with enliven-
ing power. This manifestation of inter-
est, this dawn of a better day, this hope of
the future, has been, in great measure,
the result of the efforts of the newspapers.
Day after day, week after week, they
have called attention to the necessity of
better schools. To the press be honor and
glory for the great work done.
Il long to see the time, and trust the
day is not far distant when Alabama will
have public school system commensurate
with the necessities of the people, thor
oughly articulated in all of it's departments
and ranging from the common school as
the basis and best school as far as it goes,
all the way up through all the others to
the state university as a climax