The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-08

'C''eN
tendency Of the best Young people of
the South 10 leave their homes and
90 to the cities or To the Western
States to seek their fortunes. Life on
the farm in the Eastern States il poor
and unintcresting compared Nith the
old times, and the boy naturally dc
sires to leave the farm or the country
at the very first opportunity. 1t Is
my observation that the country boy ;
object in getting an education is al
ways to qualify himself to leave the
farm. rarely to 90 back 10 y. Even
when he goes TO the Agricultural Col
lege, it is for the purpose, not Of
studying scientific agriculture. to
practice on the farm, but Tor the pur-
pose of getting the education WnIch
will qualify him % establish himself
in the city or in suiIe one ol The pre-
fessions, always away from the
farm. Even the r,rls are
flocling to the cities to
attend the high schools and business
colleges as a method of qualifying
themselves for commercial pursuits or
else to go Immediately into the fac
tories and stores. \ more unfortu-
nate state of affairs than this could
not be imagined. The country is los
ing its most enterprising people, but
we are letting our young people go
TO the cities or to the Western States
before their character is formed and
they are competent to lead d success
ful, independent life. The only rene
dy for this condition is the improve
ment of the old home, the tightening
of the work. and the broadening OF
the life upon the farm for the purpose
Of making it more attractive TO bright
and ambitious young people.
Good schools Will do more to i'm
prove the condition of country life
in the South than anything else. The
religious societies and benevolent
agencies have done much in the past
to improve the schools of the South
Hereafter we must depend chiefly up
on public schools supported by oul
own people. Let us look for Il mo
ment at tho condition Of the public
schools in the South.
The Bureau of Education gives Us
some valuable figures on the progress
OF public schools during the last tWen
tv years. 1915 to 1895. he latest re
ports at hand. The improvement has
indeed been very great. The tota
| population Of the Southern States
! (includin@ Delaware. Maryland, the
| District Of columbia. and all the
| States of Texas, Arkansas and Mis-
sourn was IS. $4,000 in 1875 and p,
81 400 in 1895, an increase Of about
| fifty per cent; and the school popula
! ton increased from about 5,300,00O te
! 100000. The number OF pupils IN
! creased. between 1875 and 1915, iron
2.44O,O 900 to 5.5O0,oG0 more than fifty
| per cent. The whole number OF
| teachers increased from 10000 in 1S1
to 10000 in 1895, more than fifty pei
| cent again. IN Il similar manner the
! number Of school houses and the
value Of school property was more
| han doubled. The average value OF
! ne schools increased from 500 te
| $3.50. The improvement in number Oi
| school DAYS did not pond with
| he increase in other things: it Wa
9.5 in 1915 and 1O6 in 1895. The total
teachers salaries increased from SO
sc. 900 i'm 1915 to &23.195.0O0 in 1s95
| The total expenditures of the South
! crn States for education increased
| from 5000. 600 in 1919 to $4,000 ,O0f
| in 1895. The expenditure per capita
! OF population increased from 81 cents
to S1.21. The expenditure per pupil
| in attendance. however. increased
very little: it was SS.56 in 1915 and
$S.12 in 1895. This last figure Tells the
| story. The Southern people are poor
| and. though they have done DraNe'F
! they have not done all they should
| for the education of their children
Some of our Southern states spend
| less than $500 q year for Cac'. :nIlf
| Of school age, and instruct I for less
| than four months in tht Var anI for
| less than twelve months IL It's NEoie
lifetime If we omit -G:trNi:iEd. Della
ware. the District Of Columbia and
| Missouri. these figures are approx
| mately true for the other Southern
States: they are paving less than SO
for the entire education of citizen
and an immortal soul.
Considering the great negro pOpu-
| lation which contributes very little to
the support of the public schools, the
conduct Of the white people Of the
South is exceedingly crcditablc. es-
pecially in view of their great losses
| during the civil war and the necessity
| Of starting new industrial system:
| but II is evident that great deal re-
| remains still to be done. Let rs see
| Out of total school population OF
| $500. 900 in 1895 only about sixty pc
cent We're registered in the public
| schools. city and country both. and
| the average daily attendance upon
them was only $40 900, or about siN-
| ty-three per cent of those registered
| in other words. the actual daily aver
age attendance was only thirty-one
| per cent OF the total school population
| We do not know the number in at
| tendance upon private or church
| schools. but it was not very great
relatively. and would scarcely increase
| the total average daily attendance
upon all our schools above forty pen
cent Of he population. There IS onls
| one public school. town ami country
] 4f