The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-04

able to pay their expenses while taxing
the college course.
THE FUTURE OF THE COLLEGE.
And what about the future of the col
lege? ! am not prophet. prefer ms
tory to prophecy, and / prefer the work
of the present as q preparation for the
futue to either. 1t would be a mistake,
however, for this State not to look ahead
of it and prepare for what may be rea-
sonably expected.
Within the next ten years there will
develop somewhere in the southeastern
section of this Union, and most probably
along the Atlantic slope, and in the pied
mont section of it, great college for
women known the world over, just as
Wellesley, Vassar Smith, and Bryn MaWr
in New England, New York and Penn
sylvania. In my judgment there is only
one thing in the way of North Caro-
lina's furnishing that college. In spite
of it's ilIiteracy as shown by the United
States Census Reports, North Carolina
is the most hopeful Southern State to-
day 1t has made an honest inventory
of it's educational possessions and needs
and determined to improve the one and
supply the other. If North Carolina is
not blind she will see the wide open
door-enter in and take possession. Our
smaller neighbor, South Carolina, spent
on her college for women before she
opened its doors thirty thousand dol
lars more than the State of North Car
DINA has spent on her college for wo-
men in ten years. How long will North
Carolina turn away from these doors
annually as many of her daughters as
she admits simply for the lack of dor
mitory capacity?
The State Normal and Industrial Col
lege stands for a public educational sys-
tenn that will educate all the people. 1t
teaches it's students and urges them to
teach others the doctrine of universal
education. The authorities Of the in
statution regard the college as part
of the public school system of the State
and believe that it has duty to dis
charge, not only to those who study
within its walls but to that great body
of people who, for one reason or another,
will not enter this or any other school
or college. The greatest amount of edu-
cational opportunity to the greatest num-
Der of people, is its motto and its aim.
Without reservation, members of it's
faculty stand for local taxation for pub
lie schools, and for every movement
tive teaching for every child, preparing
him for productive labor and intelligent
citizenship.
This institution undertakes to empha-
size in every legitimate way that any
system of education which refuses to
recognize the equal educational rights of
women with those of men is unjust I'M
wise and permanently hurtful.
I NIL c11hp hot
part of North Carolina's public educa-
tional system from which she can ex-
pect more in proportion to what she has
expended than she may reasonably hope
TO reap from the work of this college.
1t is the only College in North Carolina
for women of the white race which has
an appropriation from the State and no
woman's college in the South has a
large endowment fund
Ohe-thi of North Cardinals popula-
ton is composed of women and girls of
the white race, and The opportunities
given to this class of our population will
determine North Cardinals destiny. The
chief factors of any civilization are it's
homes and it's primary schools Homes
and primary schools are made by wo-
men rather than by men No State
which will educate it's mothers need have
any fear about future illiteracy An ed
ucated man may be the father of ilIit-
crate children. but the children of edu-
Gated women are never illiterate. Three
fourths of all the educated women in
North Carolina spend a part of each day
educating their own children or the
children of others, whereas three
fourths of the educated men in the
State spend very short time daily with
their own children, to say nothing of
educating them.
In this connection the census report of
1890 reveals a startling condition. OF
the large number of illiterate persons in
North Carolina the census reports 40, 900
more illiterate women and girls above
ten years of age than illiterate men and
boys, $4,000 of this excess being furnish
ed by the white race.
Money invested in the education of a
man is a good investment, but the div
dend which it yields is frequently con-
fined to one generation and is of the
material kind. 1t strengthens his judg-
ment, gives him foresight and makes
him a more productive laborer in any
field of activity. 1t does the same thing
for woman, but her field of activity is
usually in company with children. and.
therefore, the money invested in the
ed cation of woman yields a better
educational dividend than that invested
in the education of man. Therefore.
the State, for the sake of it's present and
future educational interest, ought to de-
cree that for every dollar spent by the
government, State or Federal, in the
training of men. at least another dollar
ought to be invested in the work of ed
ucating womankind.
IL 1T be claimed that woman is weaker
than man. then so much the more reason
for giving her at least an equal educa-
tional opportunity with him. If 1t be
admitted, as it must be. that she is by
nature the chief educator of children, her
proper training is the strategic point
in the universal education of any race.
Ii equality in culture be desirable. and
If congeniality between husbands and
wives after middle life be important,
then woman should have more educa-
tional opportunities in youth than a
man; for mans business relations
bring him in contact with every element
of society, and if he have fair native in
10 ho will 10 in