The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-12
DR.. suT1RIck's STATEMENT.

DR.. BUTTRlCk'S STAl eW6Ni'
The speech Of DR.. Wallace Buttrick'
secretary OF the General Educauon
board before the School of Methods at
the University Of Virginia on THURSDAY
last was notable address and contain
ed statements which should be empha-
sized.
There is a great forward movement IN
education throughou: the whole country
and virginia is getting into line and go
inr ahead There could be no better
proof Of this than the magnificent Schoo'
of Methods, whose members DR. BUT
trick addressed, and the several enthusias-
tic educational conferences that have re-
aentIv been held at the University by
ee.cbers and county superintendent.
Certain gentlemen at the North VINO
realize the importance OF popular eou-
cation and who have watched Win Keen
interest the struggle that the Scuth mas
heeu making IN this direction Iecen'iS
determined to come forward ana a1o Inc
south IN Ats noble work. Two boards
were organized for TINS purpose Inc
FIRST of these is the Southern Educauoii
BOARD. whose object is to arouse puoEc
sentiment This board is composed
largely of Southern men and confer
ences have been held in several OF the
Southern States from time TO time ana
spirited addresses made oy men OF ooth
sections. In addition TO ths' Inc Doato
has bureau Of information, "hlch Is
all the time sending out literature ana
conducting a genuine campaign OF eou-
cation. This board does not propose &c
contribute money directly to the support
of the schools. but simply. as has oeeh
stated. to create a demand 1or oe''ei
schools and so to induce the taS-pay-
ers to expend more money In this cause.
About three months ago the General
Education Board was created, with Dr.
Ruttrck as the secretary and executive
of1icer. Dr. Buttrck is a Baptist preacher
of character and force and is thoroughly
interested in the subject OF educauon.
This board has received considerable
sum Of money from a. wealthy man at
the North and has determined to eSPend
for the present one million dollars in
aiding Southern schools. The impress
sion had gone out that these Northern
men proposed TO come into the South
es missionaries TO import Northern
teachers and to set up schools to exploit
Northern ideas. Naturally. those South
erners who received this impression re-
sented the idea and .he overtures of the
Northern philanthropsts were received
with suspicion and in some cases with
scant courtesy.
DR. Buttrick, who is the accredited
agent and mouthpiece OF the General
Education Board. has now made a plain,
frank statement Of the facts. which
ought to satisfy even the most sEeptical
that the movement is unselnsh and al
truistic. He has made it as plain as
language can make anything plain that
the one object which the General Edu-
cation Board has in view is to help the
Southern people in the work which they
are now doing by placing a sum of
money in the hands of the constituted
authorities to be expended in their own
way 1--WE believe" TO use DR.. But
tricks exact language, that the men
whom the people Of the South have
elected are the persons through whom
we should reach the problem we are
set to solve. We have no thought OF
colon!zing teachers from the North. nor
of transplant.ng Northern ideas. On the
contrary, we believe that the teachers
of the South should be the product Of
the soil of the South and that your
schools should be organized by your
selves in harmony with your traditions
end institutions.
In conclusion. Or. Buttrick gave this
hcmely but forcefpl illustration: He
seid that In the city of albany. where
he lives. the express train OF great
railroad came UP day by day with its
shining locomotive and a long train of
palace cars The locomotive is able TO
hraw the train over ordinary grades, but
It cannot get over the hill at Albany,
Ind so an ugly little locomotive. with
,ut even cowcatcher, bitches on be-
hind and helps to push the train up the
rrade The General Board of Educa-
ton. he said. was simply trying to DO
what this little push engine does. It
hmply asks the privilege Of helping 10
push this splendid movement which the
south has inaugurated and is carrying on
10 heroically and successfully.
1t seems to US that the Southern peo-
pie would be not only unwise but I'M
rrscious to decline so generous an Of
Tier as the General Board Of Education
has made ana we hope that Virginia. at
east. will meet the philanthropists In
The spirit in which they approach US.
E---=----S=
ASERMON ON TREES.