Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-28

meaning of the Southern Educational con-
ference?
Why are Mr.. Ogden and his party of Is
philanthropists and millionaires again IN
the south comforting with its educators
and men of affairs?
What do they propose to do and how
are they to do It?
These are questions asked by many in
this state and section today, and most
often the answers given are either partial
ly or totally incorrect.
In some quarters an entire misconcep-
ton of their plans and purposes Is mani
fest.
But the correct answer to them all
show that these high-minded and open
hearted visitors are by no means GREEKS
bearing gifts" who must be regarded
with suspicion, but are real philanthrop-
lists, with the purest and most generous
of purposes and aims most intelligent and
helpful.
1t is no extravaganza OF language to say
that future generations in the south viii
acclaim the names of these men VINO are
unselfshly contributing their time, their
undisputed capacity and their means to
the education of those in the south who
most need it.
The Southern Educational conference.
now in session in the chapel of the uni
versity by virtue Of an invitation extended
by the legislature Of Georgia, is the most
notable gathering Of its kind ever held IN
the south.
Mr.. Ogden's party from the east is COM
posed of seventy-fve men and women
famous in the world OF religion. letters
and finance. Gather to meet them are
the souths reading teachers and thinkers,
the chancellors of seven southern uniVer-
stiles, the governors Of two southern
states and men and women prominent in
the affairs of this section.
HfconeGfuu and HnVfSinR the
best method of aiding common school and
practical or manual education among the
whites and blacks in the southern states.
The idea that at this conference teach
ers or trustees were to present the neces-
stiles of their institutions to sort OF
educational and financial tribunal in ord
er that they might receive substantial aid
is an altogether erroneous one, and shows
that the work of the Southern Education
board has been in some quarters misun-
derstood and COMPOUNDED with that of the
National Educational beard.
The Southern Education board of which
Mr.. r. c. Ogden is president, and which
has called this conference, has but $4,000
to expend, and this is to be used solely
in creating an. educa .ional sentiment. TN
other words an educational campaign"
has been and Is now being conducted by
the Southern Education board, some of
the fruits of which can be seen in the real
interest and enthusiasm created north and
south in the conference now in session,
and in the contribution to the National
Educational board on yesterday of $1,000
600 by John d. Rockefeller.
The Southern Education board will for
mulate at this conference plans for the
aiding of education throughout the south.
These plans will be submitted to the Ma
tional Educational board, of which Mr..
William H. Baldwin, Jr.. is president, and
that board will through the means of
contributions, from north and south, fur
nish the money to carry out these plans.
Reduced to it's last analysis, this
Southern Educational conference, the
coming of MIR. Ogden and his party,
simply means that In the future the
money expended in the south from out
side sources for the education of
whites and blacks will not be expend-
ed by generous but misguided philan-
thropists, but by practical and thought
full men In the manner devised by
southern minds and through agencies
guided by southern hands.
The many hundreds OF thousands of dol
lars which have poured into the south
since the war, mainly from the north,
and mainly for the negroes, and too often
into educational schemes which did as
much IL not more harm than good, will
cease to come in this way and solely to
this class.
1t is the idea Of these men imbued with
"the new patriotism as DR.. Walter H.
Page so aptly put 1t, that 1t is better for
the negro and better for the south that
the ignorant black should be taught to
make a living. rather than to play the
piano or define a Greek root.
A,,I 1frro of1lx tn rrFn11 q
will act upon It, in manner not only in
offensive to the south but in a way in
which all manly people must applaud,
that aid must not and should not be sole
ly extended to the negro.
These men will administer the funds
which come into their hands from rich
northern men, and rich southerners too,
for many have contributed and others are
expected to do so-just as the Peabody
fund is administered for both white and
black by that eminent southern soldier,
statesman and divine, Dr. J. L. M. Curry.
His plan has been acceptable to the people
of the south and the work Of Mr.. Ogden
and Mr.. Baldwin and their associates will
be organized and directed in the same
manner.
Nothing could be manlier or finer than
the attitude of these northern men Of
means here today.
AS one of them expressed It:
sYou have shown US that the south
is trying heroIcaIIy to deal not only
with the negro, but with great unprlV-
LEGGED masses of its white population.
You understand your own people and
your own problems as we do not.
This work is, therefore, yours. Take
It and do il. In so far as we can help
you, we are at your service. We have
no desire to NEEDLE or interfere. If
you will take the helm we will stand by
you, not as northerners but as fellow
citizens of a common country"
A nobler spirit could not be breathed in
to language and none need doubt that this
correctly characterizes the aims and mo-
tives of all these men. 1t is neither char
ity nor pity that they offer, but fraternity
and patriotism, and I much mistake the
temper of the people of the south II they
do not accept It as such.
In proof that these are not simply fine
words these men of mind and means
have put their work largely in the hands
of southern men. Not impractical, idle
dreamers, but those noble spirits who
unaided have been battling for the edu-
caIon of the poorer classes of the south
these many years, with limited means
and ofttentimes. sad to say, small appre-