The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-11-01
Education in Tue South.

Education in tue South.
Under the caption. A Reelection on
the South, the Kansas City Star
INDUCES 10 a spiteful and mean
spirited editorial comment upon the
late census educational statistics OF
that section. There are two subjects
upon which the Star Dever needs 70
make investigation or take second
thought-religion and the South
Upon any phase Of these subjects the
Star has ready made opinions arrived
at in the same way in which the
freshwater- college graduate arrives at
the icouoslasm Of his graduation
speech; he does not think it out at
all, it's in his blood.
But there is no denying the census
statistics; the per centage Of iiliteracy
among the native whites in the
South is strIkIngly higher than among
the native whites Of any other section
OF the country. 1t amounts to 10
per ceot In the South as. against "a
per ceut in the whole United States.
There would be ground for discour-
agemeut In these statistics. IL there
we're no other and more remediable
causes for these conditions than The
o mentioned by the Star-the lack
of cities in that section with their
better opportunities for education.
War and reconstruction practically
denied to one whole generation 10
the South the opportunity and the
means OF education. And the inter.
ference Of these events was the more
serious because up to that time
society had been organized upon a
different basis, and public schools 10
the sense OF today hardly existed.
There were tutors, %goyernesses and
private schools 10 abundance, but
after the war the people could not
indulge SO expensive a system. A
generation Of men who had them
been denied the opportunities
Of education, impoverished by a ruth
less war and harassed by an infamous,
hostile, and intolerable local govern
ment, set themselves r~esolutely to
work to lnaugurate a system Of
education with which they
had no acquaintance, against which
they had inherited an immemorial
prejudice, and 10 which they could
ind no competent workers from their
own ranks or from those with whom
they we're in sympathy. Considering
these circumstances, the progress Of
The new educational system in the
iouth has been most gratifying.
There still remains a broad stretch
the Appalachian range into
which the Industries which have
'elieved like condition at the North
nave not yet penetrated. There still
'emains the influence Of a balmy
and Of an industrial system
which invite the people to an outdoor
flea life in which no fierce con-
iict for supremacy suggests the
'alue OF school training.
True to her traditions, the South is
working out her own problems and
no assistance. These things
ire nobody elses business except SO
ar az ~illiteracy at the South may
threaten the Integrity OF our national
political system. On this point there
Gems to be no danger. The South
las always been the home OF sane
political ideas. There arc no isms
The anarchist. the rioter,
md the striker are as unknown as
Ire the Tweeds and Ziegenheins. Tn
'iew Of these things the insolent
criticism Of the Star seems specially
The South is not to be
judged by the heights to which she
nay ~attaiS, but by the depths from
she has rescued herself.
\ Parthian Campaign.