The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-04
Hon, ], \, SMALL'S
SPEECH AT ATHENS
Practical Address at EduCa-
tionaI Conference.
WE WAKE BUT WAKE LATE
Hitherto We Have Not Fully Realized
Our Duty.
EDUCATION IS THE CHllD'S RIGHT
No investment will Pay Better Than That Made
in Cultivation of Brains. Let Young
Men of the South Take
WE WAKE BUT WAKE LATE
Hitherto We Have Not Fully Realized
Our Duty.
EDUCATION IS THE CHlLD'S RIGHT
Hold.

| At the recent Southern Educational
| Conference held in Athens, Georgia,
North Carolina was better represented
than any other Southern State and bore
oft most Of the nonors.
III addition to the able and eloquent
| college presidents, teachers, business
and professional men present North
Carolina was officially represented by
its two foremost educational leaders in
public office-GovernOr AycOcll, "the
Educational Governor" and Hon. John
II. Small, member Of Congress from the
Third district, 1.-The Educational Con-
| gresham" Already we have printed eX-
tracts from the speech of Governor
Aycock, and below We publish extracts
from the speech delivered by Mr.. Small.
1t was fitting that Mr.. Small should
| have been chosen to represent the
| Federal legislators IN the Conference,
for he has been foremost in educational
efforts, beginning at Jerusalem" Three
elections were held at Mr.. Small's nome
town of WASHINGTON Oh the question of
| levying a special tax before it's advo-
Gates succeeded, first in 1875, thcn in
! 1857, and again in 1899. During all these
contests Mr.. Small was the wise, ag-
grossive and successful leader for public
education. He did not contirc his efforts
to his home town, but in the campaign
of 1897 he canVassed Beaufort and other
! counties for the levying of special taxes
under the general law.
MIR. SMALL INTERVIEW ED.
| A reporter of the News and Observer,
talking to Mr.. Small few days ago,
asked him about the work for public
education in his district, and Mr.. Small
said:
EARLY last year we selected BelhaVen,
in Beaufort county, as a most promising
point, and i made several speeches there
and when Governor AycocK and General
| Tcon spoke there at a later date, public
sentiment was so fully aroused by their
fine. addresses that the people resolved
to form special schoo! district and
levy a special tax. and they subsequent
ly carried the election for same.
Il made several visits 20 Hyde county
last year ard on one occasion canvassei
tie entire county in company with Mr..
S. S. Mann, of Swan Quarter. The re-
suit has been that they have held an
IL 81 CuYa1l
Quarter. Ar election was also held on
the Island of Ocracoke, but the friends
of education wavered there at the last
moment and the election vas lost. L
have made several educational speeches
in Pitt county, and while no special
scfcol districts have been formed III that
county and no special elections held so
far. yet l believe the field is ripe for
the formation of a number of school DIS
tricts and | expect to devote some time
to that county early this summer. The
field is ripe there and only courageous
action is necessary
There are many sections in my dis
trict in need of an educational! revival.
Not much work has yet been done in the
counties on the north side of the Sound
and that section requires attention.
Il think perhaps there is one propo-
sition which appeals 10 me mos! strong
", and | have made a resolution in con-
nection with it. / believe that today
the most important essential to the
South is universal education. Without
it we can neither effect material pro-
gress nor establish cur industrial inde-
pendcnce. | believe that it is the duty
of every young man in North Carolina
and in every other Southern State to
jci1. this educational movement and 10
cortrihute of his time and talents toward
the creation of a healthful sentiment
upon the necessity and duty of the hour.
For one | have enlisted in the cause for
all time. l have preached the doctrine
of local taxation and universal education
when it was supposed to be unpopular
to do so, and / shall certainly not aban-
don the fight when we have our Oppon-
ents on the run. In my humble judg-
ment no man who opposes universal edu-
cation upon whatever pretenSe. is en-
;; titled to the confidence and support OF
our people"
MIR. SMALL AT ATHENS.
Below we give extracts from the ad-
dress delivered by Mr.. Small at Athens.
He said:
Mr.. President The subject of univer-