The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-07
AN INCENTIVE TO EDUCATION

Ueltef HouSeu dlln DttleF IeN, ana eXefts
more influence than any other profession
not excepting even the ministers whose
influence for good is ever great in a
we'll regulated community.
The Teachers Assembly, the common
ground upon which the college profession
and public school teacher meet to work for
better educational progress, has been one
of other agencies that have increased i'll
terest in the education of the children of
the State. Teachers have often been dis
couraged because they could not induce
the parents to keep their children III
school and have wished for an incentive
to the youth to desire an education.
The reasons why all the progressive ed
ucators in the State are in favor Of the
adoption of the Constitutional Amend
ment is that they see in it an incentive
to education that will put new life in pub
lie schools of the State. The State STU
perjntendent Of Public Instruction, elect
cd ON the Fusion ticket, stands with ali
other live educators in favor of its adop-
ton because he puts the education of the
children above amy partisan politics.
The pending amendment does not de-
prive any uneducated white man or boy
over thirteen years of age of the priyil-
ege of voting. 1t secures it To him for
ever. but it says to the boys under thir-
teen: I'VE require You to learn to read
and write before YOU can vote. We give
you eight years in which to learn these
rudiments Of an education, and we prom
Use you good schools where You can learn
free Of expense. AS an earne st of good
faith, the last Legislature arpropria ted
an extra 100000 to the public school
fund, and future Legislatures will make
liberal appropriations to make the schools
so good that no boy or girl in North Car
DINA may hereafter come of age without
being able to read and write if they are
to learn"
If the Legislature had cut off the men
now voting, or if it had denied the vote
to young men yNder twenty one who are
earning their support and cannot go TO
school. or if it had commanded the boys to
learn how to read and write without pro-
vidinS adequate public schools-if it had
done either Of these things, there would
be just cause to criticize or oppose the
amendment But it has forever guaran-
teed suffrage to every man and boy over
thirteen years of age, whether they can
read and write or not, and made it so
easy that no boy with a spark of ambi-
ton will hereafter come of age without
being qualified to vote. 1t is Il provision
their boys an education and will be a
powerful incentive to every right thinking
boy. We speak not of the girls, but
the same educational advantages that are
given the boys will be enjoyed by them,
and if the boys will learn as rapidly as
their sisters, when 1893 rolls around illit-
eracy among the youth OF the State will
be unknown.
With the good public school facilities
now provided there is no reason why any
child in the State should arrive at the
age Of twenty one without knowing how
to read and write, and with an eight year
opportunity we look to see an interest in
Carolina. The teachers will have more
than heretofore the assistance OF parents
Writing Of the value Of this educational
requirement, Hon. Chas. B. .Aycock. Of
Wayne, said:
''Can any man doubt the splendid re-
suits of this provision? Each party viii
vie with the other i'll providing for public
schOols-all other expenses of the govern
ment will be rigidly sc1ltiniZed and appIO-
priations will be held down to the most
economical basis in order to save money
with which. to educate the children Of the
State. This political virtue will be
come likewise a private virtue and citl-
zens everywhere in the borders of the
State will begin to cut off useless and
injurious expenses in order that their
children may become yeritable kings
and rule the State.
Economy, self-sacrfee, the seeking to
work out through our children greater
and better things than We have been able
to do will be some of the fine results
which will come to us from this provis-
ion. Against these things that awful
denlagogy which seeks to perpetuate illit-
eracy in the State will beat in warm. |
have known few men, whether they could
read and write or not, who were willing
for their children to grow up in Ignorance
have never known one mother who did
not earnestly desire for her offspring
something better than she mad, The
teachers of the State will surely be with
us ON this questionable mothers and
churches are with us. Who can prevail
against u.s.
Even Il Louisville and Nashville at