The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-29
GOVERNOR AYCOCK
HE DELIVERS AN ELOQUENT
ADDRESS
EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE
Tn. Assembly Charmed ana En-
thu.ed with the speech of North
CaroIina's GoNernor-Professor Nc
liver TelIs Of the Educational Work
in this stat~-President e A. Al
derman Speaks for the state OF
Louisiana-Hoke Smiths Address
His Complimentary Anasion TO
Our Governor.

His Complimentary A1lusion to
Our Governor
Athens Ga. April 25.-The eloquent
address OF Governor G b. Aycock. OF
North Carolina, was the feature OF the
forenoon session OF the southern edu-
cational conference.
Governor Aycock's subject was "Edu-
cation and tbs Voluntary Tax" He
was repeatedly interrupted by applause
and when he ceased speaking the en-
tire audience lose to cheer him
Governor Aycock said that the state
of North Carolina had determined that
every child of the state, White and
black. should lie educated. If there
were some who did not think that the
negroes ought TO be educated. he did
not agree with them. No u~neducated
force. he said. could do as good work
as one that had been trained.
The speakers closing words to the
audience and IT, the northern visitors
told how the north and the south, once
~contending for .,nion and independence
were now unit ID in a more glorious in
dependence than had ever been en-
loyed.
Mr.. Ogden presided. DR.. Charles D.
McIver, president of the North Caro-
lima Normal and Industrial college at
Greensboro. toll something OF h
had been lone in his state since the
meeting OF the conference last year.
Over thirty cities or towns have voted
on the question of increasing the schooi
fund by local taxation and only three
which voted have not agreed to do this.
Four hundred libraries have been es-
tablished in connection with the public
schools.
DR.. H. b. Frtssell, OF Hampton, and
DIR. Robert Frazer, of Richmond, re-
ported on the work done in Virginia.
President Edwin A. Alderman, OF
Tulane university. New Orleans, re-
ported for the a in Louisiana. Three
| parishes, twenty. six wards. nine towns
and seventeen school districts have
added to their school facilities by spe-
cial taxation.
The session was closed by a general
discussion led by Mr.. John Massey.
president of the Alabama female col
lege at Tuskegee, Ala, and Chancellor
Robert B.. Fulton, of the University OF
Mississippi.
AT a business meeting the following
officers of the conference for next year
were elected: President. Robert c.
Ogden; vice-presidents, j. Y. Joyner,
Walter H. Page and E. c. Branson;
secretary, Rev. A. B.. Hunter, Of Raj,
eigh; treasurer, George Foster Pea.
body, of New York; executive commit.
tee, DR.. H. B. Frissell, DR.. Sanford
J.. Y. Joyner, Hon Hoke Smith, and
w. A. Blair.
The first add ess at the Afternoon
session of the conference was delivered
by o Hoke Smith, of Atlanta. his
subject being Popular Education tn
Primary Policy of the South" The
speaker briefly reviewed the industrial
condition of the south compared will
that of the state Of Massachusetts
THE south has great naturel advant
ages" said Mr. Smith, land yet w,
lag behind. Why? Because while W.
devoted ourselves to raising slaves an,
one
sets trained the minds of her children
Our work now is to give the children o
the south Sucn a training. White an
black shall have a thorough education
The great problem is the rural school
the great difficulty is the sparseness O
the rural populations in the SOUTH
:, Mr.. Smith referred to the address O
!, Governor AycCck and said he wishe
that all politicians were as manly an
, pure as the governor of North Caro-
r lima.
: The speaker declared every man. be
? fore he voted for a candidate for put
lie office, should ascertain how tina
man stood on the school question.
+ said the south needed more and bette
: schools. He believed the teachers /
the country schools were as efficier
+ as they were paid to be. When teach
: ers were paid enough and assured
I years work.. a sufficient number {
well prepared teachers wouId OF
n themselves.
q Reviewing the great amount
I money which the south had contribute
: to the cause Of negro education. NJ
Smith said he spoke OF this offerir
n not as a subject for which the poop
nf the south deserved praise. but {
showing their intelligence and Justic
Would We be so foolish" he said. "a
/. to leave half our population grovelir
In ignorance? Those black people d
e come here Of their own accord. "
brought them; they cannot go ava
n We do not want them to go. The
p 1t becomes our duty to educate Il
p minds and hearts of the negroes as v
e would educate the minds and hear
e Of the whites"
L Hon. H. st. George Tucker. of vi
e ginia, in, his address ured the confe
ence to meet n Virginia next yea
This invitation was by d
n Paul Barringer, OF the University
Virginia.
- Professor p. p. Claxton, Of Tennea
see. explained the methods OF the pull
n cation board OF the society.
J. The session was closed by a gener
8 discussion by William II. H. Baldwi
of New York. and taken part in I
d Hon. II. II. Hanna, Of Indiana, ar
o DR.. Charles w. Dabney, or Knoxvill
Y Tenn