The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-15
RINGING SPEECH BY THE
GOVERNOR ON EDUCATION
Aycock Speaks Before the Charlotte Chamber OF
Commerce. Powerful Argument For Uni
versaI Education Reinforced by Ex-
tracts From Governors

their useful mission through all the gloom and
trials OF the conflict; and when the last gun was
fired, and veteran armies hostile meet
ing and embracing in peace upon our soil, the
doors were still open. and they numbered their
pupils 10y scores of thousands.
This history and experience furnish us with
great resources for the new crisis now upon Us,
the spirit of education is strong and hopeful
among the masses, and the memory of trials
overcome inspires courage TO meet the lesser diff
ficulties now confronting US.
The feeling, universal among the people IS,
that the schools must not go down; and al
though they are told that the Literary Fund has
been greatly reduced by the failure of the banks,
and although they know themselves TO be I'M
able to pay taxes, yet they will not bring them
selves to believe that the public schools will
fail"
(Same document, page %. BY Wiley):
II am sure that the failure to make an earn
est attempt to sustain our useful ana great
system OF popular instruction will cause general
profound and mortified astonishment; and VIII
not believe that we have any pubic men SO
completely incapable of graspng the great facts
of the present situation; so indifferent 70 the
stirring traditions of the noble past, and so blind
to all the best hopes of the future, as to be
willing to let our public Schools with all their
glorious memories, perish without regret ana
without enquiry. This is one Of the important
eras OF history; and her impartial pen, now
ready to prepare its enduring records, will not
permit the word STATESMAN to be attached to
our Common Schools one of the paramount inter.
ests of the country. Our great material want is
intellient labor; and what so likely TO promote
this as good system OF pubic instruction
page u, same documenD:
And let ii be added, that a race OF free
men now enter the lists in intellectual competi-
ton with those who have been the ruling class;
and that while we will all rejoice to see, those
people rising in the moral scale, it will be a re-
proach to the whites to be out-stripped by them:
The coored people will naturally have more aid
and sympathy from abroad to educate their
children than the whites; and we may, also, ex'
pect considerable immigration, and much
more mixed condition of society than formerly.
II then, we would preserve the free spirit, and
the free institutions of the past; ii we would
maintain that conservatism which formerly dis
tinguished and blessed us we must use greater
exertions TO establish and keep up pervading
moral agencies. The welfare OF all classes and
races demands this There will be infused into
the body polite an immense amount OF ignor-
ance left to the control of moral power;
and ii we would not be submerged by the waves
let in upon us, We must dig and ditch and drain
with an energy and skill heretofore unknown
among us. If we will do this those new floods
will prove a source of increased frutfulness, and
OF enduring prosperity; If we do not, we
will be drowned"
page IS docment):
when the people ignorant they will never
feel rich enough to contribute "a large State fund
for education; and above all, they will not be
able TO manage efficiently system of popular
instruction. F"
page 80 same document):
If we neglect the duties of the hour, we are
sowing ruin for the future"
page -, same document1: an
God, in His Righteousness, has chastened. not
destroyed US. He has kept mp our educational
system during the tremendous trials through
which we have passed. He has kept alive
Vigorous spirit of education, and has preserved
for us sufficient means for safely bridging the
pecunary straits that now lie before us, and
for carrying our benefcent institutions in per
feet order To the prosperous shores beyond. II
are wise will be benefited by our
trials; and doubt will day when
we will rejoice that we expended much of the
principal of school fund we'll for what we
accomplished as for the fact thar, when able,
we bad to resort to annual taxes.
Q3C97o Doe No. l, page 5. BY Governor
Il cannot too earnestly urge upon the General
Assembly the importance of sustaining the free
public schools. Every hope for free government
depends on the education OF the misses. Taxes
for such purpose should be cheerfully paid.
This is a subject upon which We all can agree.
We can all unite i'll earnest efforts to educate
the rising generation, and thus make the State
powerful and respected through the intelligence
and general knowledge which viii characterize
its people"
{ 1, Q.
lip to the commencement Of the late war,
North Carolina had the best system of common
schools of any State South of the Potomac In
former days the leading public men OF all parties
Wed with each other in caring for and promof-
ing the education OF all the children Would
that those days would return! Our present sys-
ten is IN its infancy, Is poorly endowed, and
has to contend with many difficulties. We
Should not despond in the prosecution Of this
good work. Every and who loves
North Carolina should lend helping hand to
this cause. 1t is vain to hope that the rising
AMI coming generations will govern themselves
properly, and guard and maintain their liberties,
if they deprived of the advantages of educa-
ton and allowed to grow up in ignorance"
QS7I-2 Doc No. 1, page r. BY Gov. Ca'dweiD:
NO people can be prosperous or happy who
are bound in the chains OF ignorance, and who
have not facilities for bursting asunder the fet-
tiers which dwarf their minds and cripple all the
nohler faculties OF their nature. y
go to work, Them gentlemen, and resolve that
every child in the State shall be taught TO read
and whitehall those who are not able to
educate themselves shall be educated by the
State-that in the next decade every person be-
tween the ages of ten and 20 years, who is OF
sound mind shall be able to read the Word of
God, and the Constitution and laws of the
country. Fear not to levy tribute for this gor-
ca,,se. 1t will be like bread cast upon the
waters, Thou shalt find it after many days
QS7l.2 Doc. No. 6. page p:
THE character of State depends upon the
individuals who compose it. The idea of great
and prosperous State can be predicated only upon
the idea of an honest, intelligent, and enlight-
ened people We so much the creatures OF
outward influence. formed and moulded by the
education, which receive. that If knew
what would be done for education in the State
during the next half century, we could predict
what the State itself would become at the end
of that time.
,If education is to be fosered; ii a wise and
efficient system OF Public Instruction, is TO be
built up and maintained; 50 that the moral and
intellectual powers of the children and youth
OF the State, may be developed and educated;
then we may predict that the State will become
great and prosperous, that ii will be composed OF
intelligent, yirtuous educated and
mon"
Oel-2 Doc. No q. page 81:
good system of Public Instruction may be
costly in one sense, but il is economical in an
othef. II dries up the OF pauperism and
CRIME; banishes vice and immortality; beauties
INC eaiih makes home attractive. induces nlmi
grafton and increases the capital and revenues
Of the state
u mas also been asccrtained that education,
under good system of free schools does not
cost more than third or fourth as much as the
same education in private school A better
discipline can be maintained, a sounder morality
inculeateu. more manlinesS If charnct devclon