The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-10

nanu, strong OF lace, unSdlHly OI duuTeSS,
with the rude disorder of nature evil
dent in his thinking and in his manner.
But he has faith, and it is good faith
shining in his eyes. 1t is the high |
Scotch faith in knowledge and culture
from which poverty and hardship stink
away abashed. And the four years go
by, and something rich and strange
comes into the face of that boy, some
thing subtle enters into his motions and
his speech-some pride of race some
consciousness of power, some intimation
of Immortality and at last he stands here
erect and free-that noblest of Gods
creatures-an effective, cultured gentle
man, fit to beget children and to lead
them truly into life. Can we refuse to
accord growth to such an institution with
out paying the cost in class hatred, in re-
ligious rancor, in town against country
in rich against poor, in agriculture
against manufacture, in corporation
against individual. The mere speculative
contention that the State has no right
to assist in creating it's directive power
has no place in my mind in this plead
ing deem that sentiment. as a deter
rent force, as extinct as the mastodon.
What is most to be feared is that stunt
ing inheritance handed down to us from
the grinding days of want and poverty
which has accustomed us to the use of
small means for great purposes. 1t may
be seen in our treatment of the public
school question, as well as in the treat
ment of the higher institutions. 1t is
an inheritance, a geographical condition,
and a habit of mind not a perversity,
and it must be shaken off for the day
of large things is at hand. Let no one
fancy that l mean to cavil at this wise,
conservative, just, dignified Common
wealth, with it's tender constraining pow
er to make a man once North Carolin-
ian, a North Carolinian forever. This
is community where one might gladly
choose to be born. 1t has trusted me
and have served it and tasted of its con-
fidence and the taste is sweet to my soul.
1t has done much under stupendous diff
culties If it moves slowly, it
moves with a certain grand stead
fastness. If it sometimes lifts it's
foot to move along the highway of pro-
gress and keeps it suspended for twenty
years. there are no twirlings and back
trackings. 1t simply needs to feel things
in its bones before vivid action follows
and this is due in great part to the lack
OF the fierce mpulsion of urban life.
Whenever a true conception of what
real University is gets into the bone and
marrow of North Carolina this institu-
ton will have the finest chance in Amer
ics.. TO realize its ideals. Whenever 1t
is understood what an adequate system
of public education means in productive
power 10 free people, the percentage
of illiteracy will drop like thermom-
eter in a blizzard and the pitiful ideal
of a four months school will be replaced
by the iuster ideal of nine months
school. | believe that this day of large
things is dawning in North Carolina |
pray that it is. 1t is dawning in other
Southern States. Fifteen years ago the
States educational duty towards its chill
dren was debatable proposition but to-
day it is an axiom and measures the
growth of the public conscience and the
sweep of the public vision during that
period. The church approves it, the
statesman procaims it, the rich man
sees it's force in society, and the poor
man thanks God for it, | believe that
the educational policy of the State Will
be shaped for half a century within the
next decade. 1t is true to say, however.
that now it is atomistic and chaotic
There is no Just correlation of the various
elements. Primary education is set over
against itself. Higher education is Ia
belled and stood in it's corner, sometimes
with the fingers of detraction pointing at
it and seeking to have us believe that
it stands for the monstrous theory of the
benefit of the few at the expense of the
many. The preparatory school Is not
fitly articulated in the great scheme. The
nr,1 N1n Cnhn lie
of private enterprise do their work and
stand for their ideas. The unity of the
educational process is not fully recognized.
The conception of it. however named, as
a social servant is not realized. The con-
Struction of a true educational system
is a fine piece of work as difficult as it
is essential to democracies. Let us make
no patchwork job of this great subject.
We have been struggling with it for sixty
years. but intelligent study of the whole
subject has not been made since Archl-
bald Murphy submitted his celebrated re-
port in 1916 A good public school sys-
tenn is our supremest need, and may say.
with Jefferson. that as my tlrst plea In
life was public schools, my latest plea
here shall be for them also, but the Uni
versity is as much a part of this system
the coming educational statesman (and
that wholesome variety of statesman has
indeed arisen among us), to see and to
act upon is the intimate relation be-
tween higher and lower schools and to
afford them coordinate growth. The
University is the dynamo, the public
school the incandescent light. To spend
all the money on the dynamo and neg
lect to provide for any lamps would be
a crime for any community, but to spend
it all on the lamps and neglect to pro-
vide for the dynamo would be farce.
I believe the new Governor and the Gen
eral Assembly would act wisely to APP
point a commission to study and report
in great detail on this great question
before our educational policy hardens
into law and becomes fixed for genera
tions.
The time has come to decide what sort
of q University we are going to make out
of this noble foundation Shall 1t be
good. honest disciplinary college seeking
no new truths, dealing with letters ana
records and traditions and arts, or shall
if become a great modern force doing
that also but alert to all social needs
r.-. 49, problenc of suffrage to the