The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-06-19
NatiYeNOrth CarOlinianS
ARE THEY UNJUSTlf DISSEMINATED
AGAINST?
In Going Abroad for Teachers to Fill
the Varions Chairs in the High
Schools and Colleges Do We Not
Thus Confess That Our Schools do
Not Properly Educate?-AIl Things
Being Equal We Should Stand by Our
Home Folks.
Wilmingt on Messenger.

something to say Of overlooking North
Carolinians and going abroad for
teachers to fill the various chairs in
the high schools and colleges-that it
was a confession that the schools did
not properly educate. If this is true
then it is fact that an applicant for
a professorship in either university
or college or high school, if native
of North Carolina, would be At dis
advantage, because nativity would be
against success. If true ii would be
highly censurable. We recall this
because North Carolinians in other
fields are successes when away from
home. One Of the professors in the
great Harvard University is a native
of this State and was educated at the
University Of North Carolina. The
Raleigh NeUs and Observer has this
and it is sensible and right:
The fact that native born North
Carolina men took the honors at the
great educational conference at Ath-
ems teaches lesson which North
Carolina churches and North Carolina
colleges and other institutions ought
to learn. 1t is this: The men raised
at home are fully equal to any men
anywhere for the best positions in
North Carolina. Too often trustees
and congregations overlook the tai
ent, ability and worth of native-born
North Carolinians and secure men Of
less ability from other States. Sew
eral conspicuous mistakes have been
| me S1o h,, sneh TO -
We would not be narrow or provin-
cial. We would not, as we have
again and again stated, confne ap-
pointments in colleges or the pasto-
rate, or the political appointments, or
the usual callings in life to home
production. Not that Often the
Messenger has insisted that the wide
field of observation should be sought
and that the best available man for a
given place should be selected. One
of the leading professors at the Uni
versity Of Virginia is North Caro-
linian. The president of the Presby
terian theological seminary in Rich
mond, Va, Rev. DR.. Moore, is a North
Carolinian. And you will find these
well-equipped scholars all about fill
ing with distinction high places, who
are indeed "native and to the manner
born" We know OF several not re-
ferred to here. Get the right man
for the ri ght place, and be not careful
as to his birthplace or land provided
he is capable, has high moral charac-
ter and is not an iniidel in disguise.
If, however, it should be :unfortu-
nate to be North Carolinian when
chairs are sought, then let parents
avoid educating their sons at our
own institutions of learning, but
send them abroad whero they will
have better instruction, wider advan-
tages, surer Endorsement. and more
genuine "higher education" But is
there such a prejudice against our
gifted North Carolina boys? We
must hope not. If SO it is most la
mentable. If we thought this we
would be among those who would
fight all State appropriations for
what is mistakenly escribed as
''higher education" We believe il
is preferable, other things being
equal, to give the North Carolinian
the preference. The Ncws ami o.
Serrcr is on the right line when it
says:
"Bvt worse than that is the idea
that too often prevails that a man
! from some other State will fill the
bill better than man Of equal ability
I from North Carolina. This is always
mistake, because the North Caro-
linian Of equal ability always has in
addition the indefnabe something
which was called '.Noi Caliny ways
in Esmerelds, which cannot be found
in any body else, no matter how bril-
liant or eloquent"
We believe that today there are
better finished, abler men out Of pol
itics, with very few exceptions.
than are in. We hold that there are
as able teachers and professors and
presidents Of colleges among native
born sons as are now to he found at
the head 0. our chief Institutions
We arc that much of North Caro-
linian, and we will not 90 back upon
her sons.
You may 90 into North Carolina
towns now, all about the State. and
find all the leading Pulpits filled b.
ministers from abroad. Does tha
grow out Of barrenness and poor
learning and less ability? North Car
olins had in years gone some Of the
most gifted. eminent ministers in al
this land among Methodists. Episco-
paiians, Baptis,s and Presbyterians
The race is not decaying.