New-York tribune., 1902-05-06
SOUTHERN EDUCATION.

Signs multiply daily that the South is awake
TO the tremendous problem that lies at her doors
the problem of educating all her citizens white
as well as black and black as well as white
Not only does the South appreciate the gravity
Of the situation, but she has already gone about
work energetcally and wisely 10 meet it, In
the Southern States the issues of the Civil War
are no longer widely discussed. In their place
and partly in consequence of the result of the
war. have arisen questions equally momentous
Those who have followed the efforts of the Gen
eral Education Board and the administrators Of
the Peabody fund to reduce the percentage of
illiteracy in the Southland know something of
the true state of affairs; but 1t will surprise
millions in the North whose schools are the par
ticular pride and care of the people. 10 learn
that the goal toward which the South is looking
is 10 be described in the words, Eight months
schooling every year for every child Of school
"age white or black" At present many OF the
Southern States keep their common schools open
only three months In the year. and those that
average five or six months year regard them
selves as extraordinarily fortunate
The causes responsible for these conditions
are few but potent The two most powerful
ones have been poverty and a lack of public
opinion sufficient TO bring about a change. The
first is slowly being overcome, and the second
is already almost entirely obviated The poverty
that oppressed the South at the close OF the
war was all but overwhelming Industrial de-
velopment had scarcely begun in that section.
The wealth Of the Southland lay in slaves and
plantations. When the former were set free
the expense of cultvatIng the latter became for
the time being disaStrously great. But the
American grit of the South has told, and
already a new era Of prosperity. built upon
more enduring foundations than the old, has
dawned. More money was Invested last year In
industrial enterprises in the Southern States
than in all the twenty years preceding, and
much of It was Southern capital. Several of the
States, notably Alabama. have adopted meas
ures condtionaly relieving from taxation such
foreign capital as may be invested there. With
in the next decade the South will be able to pay
more for her schools, and the encouraging feat
ure is that she has made up her mind to do It.
1t is important that those who are not able TO
observe at first hand the conditions and the
difficulties surrounding education In the south
should be brought TO understand them. They
are in many ways very great but the leaders of
affairs In the South have taken up the task in n
determined manner, and there can be little
doubt that they Will perform IT, They must he
| left TO solve 1t in their own way. They best
understand the conditions. and to them must he
left the choice of the ways and means. The
| South means TO do It's educational duty by the
negro. At the same time, the North ought to
realize that a part of the problem is of It's
| own making and to aid in its solution In such
| ways as may he acceptable to those at whose
| doors the work itself lies.
| 1t Is a hopeful circumstance that the public
| men of the South rapidly taking their stand
on the right side of this question Governor
Montague of Virginia took sides with the edu-
cational workers the other day in a speech at
Hampton Institute Governor AycOck of North
| Carolina declared for the against illiteracy
| In a ringing address at the Conference for Edu-
| cation in the South, also did HOke Smith and
| other public men of Georgia. Governor Jelks of
| Alabama spoke at the graduating exercises of
Tuskegee Institute last week. while other South
| ern men of wide influence have also given their
cOuntenance to the cause. AS Hamilton w.
| Mable said the other day at Athens, Ga, ii Is
| very like a new Renaissance.
| But let no imagine for moment that the
negro is alone In his need of enlightenment.
! There are in the mountains of the South hun
| dreds of thousands of freeborn white men,
| women and children, in whose veins flows the
| purest Anglo-SaxOn blood, who are as benighted
| as the veriest HottentOt These people are
| honest, fearless and proud-so proud, indeed,
that it is difficult to help them They possess
| materials for the manufacture of American citi-
| zens which it is hard to beat 1t is for them
| that the heart of the South beats most warmly
| and 1t is certain that any money invested in
| their training will be returned in citizenship a
/ hundredfold. At the same time, the negro is
entitled to justice and the South will give 1t to
him. The burden has already been lifted. The
| South is slowly and painfully but courageously
raising it to her shoulders, and she will Dravely
| bear it TO the end. In her herculean task she is
entitled to the unbounded sympathy and the