The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-21
ApRaeflcaL MOVEMENT.

- SEkSIESAb ia - iH Aos
United States Commissioner Of iduca-
ton William r. Harris, recently gave 70
a rerorter OF the Baltimore Sun some in
;e,estins facts concerning the origin and
object of what is known as the 6encf-
81 Education Board. which has recently
aaen Incorporated by an act of Congress.
commissioner Harris has taken iNeiS
Interest in this movement. and when the
Southern Conference for Education Was
,,clc last spring in the city of Athens. Ca.
he was there and made an address. Conc
missioner Harris says tina. this Is The
beginning of The most prominent move
raept in education that we have had III
The present time. That there is utmost
unlimited money behind il. and t1a;
wealthy men in New York will give m;.-
l:ons OF dollars if they can bc assured
7 tia. in planting il fruit will be produced.
+ He calls attention TO the fact that the
/ work is done quiet. and without pub
Lefty, and that the objec. is 10 make 1T
effective, to usc the money jadtciorslE in
stimulating effort. TO help others 10 help
themselves. Men who are interested il,
the General Education Board" he cor
Z c;udcs. realize that there has been a
creai deal Of se:,tinentaiis!n connected
With education cndnwncn:s in this coun-
t-y-scntlmcntaiisin Of the sort tina: has
raralyzed rather than stimulated effort.
It was that sort of sentm.nialism at
I the North that brousi1; tic Wal be-
, Ia,-. i,,,rl lt.l
4 and many Southern shareholders had al
, Icady realized it. Some OF them had set
their slaves free and others would have
followed. and in due course slavery HouiG
Lave been abolished in such way as 10
cause no serious political or social Gis-
t11rDance. But the seatmen;al;sts forced
the Issue and not content with setting
4 the slaves free clothed them almost i'm
+, mceiutcly with the right of franchise.
After that sent':rrnt2lists came South
! to. establish independent schools for ne
groes These schools were supported en-
tlrcly by money contributed from the
North and were taught largely br North
EN- teachers Naturally. the schools were
not received with favor by the Southern
people, and very little good was accom-
I.ljs!Icd.
Eut, by and by, practical men. men
like Robert c. Ogden and John ID. Rookie
:. teller and George Foster Peabody and
Y William II. Baldwin. Jr.. conceived The
idea of doing something for education III
the South along practical lines. They saw
that it was absurd to attempt any move
r1ent of this character unless it should
have the support of the Southern people,
and that it would be foolish 10 attempt
to work except in corporation with the
constituted authorities. Accordingly. II
conference was held and then the South
Gin Education Board was organized, whose
special work should be 10 arouse Scrti-
ment in behalf of better educational ia
ciiities Many Southern educators We're
employed by the board to canvass the
question, literature was sent out from the
bureau at Knoxville. educational confer
orces We're held from year 10 Year. and
sentiment was thoroughly aroused. The
Southern Education Board had no money
arc did not propose to give amy but
when the time was ripe the General Edu-
cation Board, with unlimited money, was
organized. and now il has been incoipol
'ated as a national institution. 1t is the
Z boast OF this board that has no agents
in the South except the officers OF GOV
er,fment. 1t has not organized single
school on its own account, it has not
given dollar OF money except TO schools
already in existence. and III aid OF the
public school system. Its money has not
leen bestowed as AN aims. but as q sup
elemental fund, ard always as Il means
OF stimulating the people in this section.
and that TO impose larger local tax
,nor themselves for the maintenance OF
their schools.
In some cases notably in Georgia. TIE
county authorities proposed 70 increase
their school levy on condition that the
General Education Board would double
the amount FOR the first year. and upon
the further condition that the amount
asked for would be sealed down frou year
to year until AT Tic end OF five years the
county would undertake TO raise the en-
tire amount. thus adding two tull months
TO the school term. These proposals We're
gladly accepted by the General Education
Board and the money was promptly paid
over.
i, is by this sensible method that a
movement. which was !, little while ago
under suspicion. has entirely Won the con-
f.dence of the Southern people, and is the
most popular movement ever inaugu.atcd
-,
lari,y ever. day and its work is increas-
ing.