The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-16

word let every incentive be offered TO all
| classes to lend a hand in the industrial
development of the State.
But some are ready TO say, we cannot
maintain our public schools and do all
| this industrial work too-we have not
money enough. Will such as these listen
| for just a moment? We have been work
ing at public education for thirty years
and we have just reached the point where
We in each year have four months OF
| rather ordinary schools. The State has
| reached its limit in appropriations, and
all additional money must come from
local taxation. The last General AS
sembly appropriated more than three
hundred thousand dollars more money
than it provided for in taxation. Not
a dollar of this money was wrongly APP
propriated-in fact our charitable institu-
tons did not get enough. 1t is evident
that we have reached a place where we
must stop, or at least go forward at a
very slow rate. Property cannot be
created by legislation. But it can be
created by industry. And here lies the
main reason for industrial education. 1t
viii multiply our wealth. This new
wealth will pay taxes for general educa-
ton. And so by investing money in in
dustrial education we Will be able from
its returns to supply good common schools
not four months in the year, but eight
months. But, says one, we have doubled
IN industrial wealth without industrial
schools. That is half true, but we are
still poor industrially. Even if our indus
trial wealth doubles in the next ten
years we will still be comparatively poor,
and it is not probable that we will do as
we'll in proportion in the next ten years
as was done in the last ten. We Ger
tainly cannot afford to take risks in
building for the future. And now | come
to a tangible business proposition: Let
the Legislature appropriate one hundred
thousand dollars per annum 70 be ex-
pended for industrial education. The only
industrial school in the State for white
boys and girls is full TO overlooking.
Last September scores Of bright, am
bilious young men We're turned away from
it's doors because there was no room for
them and 10 facilities for teaching them.
These bovs would in a few years become
a mighty factor in the States prosperity,
If they had the opportunity 20 prepare
themselves for practical things. The
State owes it to itself as much as TO
them that the door of opportunity shall
not again be shut in their faces. Spend
one hundred thousand dollars per year for
such as these and they will return TO
the State interest q hundred fold. This
amount Of money can be thus appropriated
without making the public schools any
poorer at present, and it will make them
infinitely richer N the near future.
I know what industrial education has
done for every community that has tried
it. I am not surmising or guessing. Some
Of the things that [ have said may seem
radical and eXtravagant, but let him who
disputes them be sure of his ground. l
hope that I shall have been able to set
others to thinking-otherS who are ADLER
to discuss this subject than | am. In
this article I have had TO be brief, and
details are only limited at.
I have stated general propositions only.
l have no other motive than to render
whatever encouragement l can to that
spirit of progress which is showing signs
of such active life in our good State. Our
ignorance and our poverty are distress
il g. 1t is neither honest nor wise to at
tempt to hide them. But it is wise 10 do
our best TO cure these twin evils. We
have been too prone to show a bad spirit
when our defects have been pointed out.
Our best friend is he who uncovers our
faults in a friendly spirit and points US
to a remedy.