The news & observer., 1901-01-25
J,L. NJ, CURRY'S
POWERFUL ADDRESS
A Magnificent Plea For Our
ChiIdren's Education.
REAL PARAMOUNT ISSUE
n n
His Only Lobbying Done in Behalf Of
Education in the South.
THE BEST INVESTMENT is IN BRAINS
There is no Hatred of the Negro, But He Was
Never Intended to be Citizen Of This
Republic. Tribute 10 Gov.
Aycock.

At 12 o'clock yesterday, the members
of the Senate repaired to the House of
Represent Iltlycs. and the joint session
of the Genera; Assembly was address
cd by the Hon. j. l.. NJ. Curry, Treas
urer of the Peabody Fund, on the sub
ject OF education. He dwelt much on.
the duty Of the State to her
children IN the matter of putting
within the reach of all of them the op-
portunity of mental and moral devel-
Jpment. II was magni-
cent address. and was much applauded
all through b. the members and the
spectators il he galleries, which were
crowded.
DR.. j. L. M Curry was introduced with
a few fitting words by Judge Connor,
Chairman of the Committee on Education.
Dr. Curry spoke, as he said from the
fulness of his heart. entirely disregard
ing the notes he had prepared. He said
in part:
have devoted myself to the work of
educating the children of the Southland
ever since 1881 continuously. the only
break being when in 1886 / accepted Mr..
Cleveland's appointment as Minister to
Spain. This | accepted because l wanted
10 show my respect to Mr.. Cleveland for
considering the mission as safe in the
hands of a Confederate soldier and South
crn Democrat as it would be in those of
Il Northern man or an Ohio Republican
tApplause).
There is not a single individual in the
whole State, in Clay county or in Dare,
who is not vitality interested in the men
tai and moral development of our people,
a man is not a true man, and a woman
Is not true woman until those powers
are developed. They have only the appe-
ttes. Can you draw the distinction be-
tween the families that ought to have
this development and those that ought to
have il? If we we're to summon one hun
dred white people of North Carolina, and
twenty-five of these were illiterate what
man here is there who would dare to
say That those twenty-five should not have
the education of the other seventy :?
DR.. Harris speaks of -mindedness
and ear mindedness. A child who is not
taught to read has only ear mindedness.
When he can read, he has minded
ness, and his facilities and powers, are
enlarged You all know how man is
changed by education His own knowl-
edge rs reinforced by the knowledge OF
others.
We complain that the colored children
do not improve they ought from the
education they get. Let us look at this
a moment, and see why it is. The white
child goes into a nice school, with good
teacher. and all surroundings pure and
elevating, and is uplifted necessarily.
Then. when he goees home, his parents
help him with his lessons, in the midst
again of beautiful environment But the
colored child goes into bare and unin-
viting school-room, with generally mis-
cradle teacher Still he gets even from
this some elevating influence. Then he
goes home to a one-room cabin where
grandfather and grandchild all live hud-
died together like pigs. How can you ex-
pect him to get the same benefit as the
white child.
ONLY TIME HE IORBIED