The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-29
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER ..
]. toPuLAR EDUCATION a. FAIL

is toPuLAR. EDUCATION "a FAIL,
UHE2
III "a late ADDRESS before the Connec-
acsst Safe Bankers Association the
ar the American people have expert
esicod q profound disappointment in the
results OBTAINED from popular educa-
Ton, and we cannot expect adequate
results until we are ready 10 cxpend
mare money on the schools. mis- IS
diagnosis and prescription from high
educational authority. ard sct many a
thcaeh:ful observer Viii consider deep
liz before accepting them. There is UNI
doub,cnIg disappointment at the results
and uncertainty in the outlook of Pol1u-
lar education. and some hcart-siakins
aud distlust when the past is poudesed
and The fn;,:ie considered. The returns
have not met expectations; the Yield has
not been l,.opoiuonate 10 the invest
n.etst: the educational dividends have
rst been UP 10 the investors wishes
So the public and the educational
leaders are asking why and ventnrin5
explanations. TO a Southern ear 1t
sounds like a funeral knclls this as
sumption from The head Of thes'ie'ssi
univcrsity. III the land, at the fountain
c,f popular, education, III The state that
leads the s!s.erhond in expenditure Tor
rGbllc SCHOOLS, that tins comparative
failure is due 10 lack of money II
Massachusetts, with its millions Tor
schools is tnliins short by reason Of
want Of funds. What shall be the lot or
the poor southern states. which can
snow only hunareds 70 ten thousands
Of dollars for popular e1ucat!ons
But is this The last word? Is there
not some better reason why the schools
are not doing their work satisfactorily?
Nvnat are they tlylnf- to do? The an
swer is very pat, and as easily pro-
nonIlccd as any other stock shibboleths
OF the noun. They are educating the
masses. That u.s. the schools represent
an array OF lniiuences and agencies that
Ii making the finest educational show
the world nasayel seen. The educa-
upnal parap!scraiia. apparatus, equip
11leni, is something 10 beast Of and
wonder at-scnoos ten months long,
colleges and universities all the year
round, summer. schools and institutes
raging though the heated term, corre-
spondence universities administering
cuucauon by nali and all scattering
degrees and diiionlas and certificates
any one snouid be WITHOUT such tokens.
Nor is thss all. There never We're such
cndowments, incomes, appropriations
for education. such houses and libraries
and laboratories and museums. 1ior such
piles OF teAt-books and patent desks
3 and wiring pads and fountain pens and
school snoes, pGt why draw out the
lsst-in a word, all the things that money
can buy. Yes, and men and women as
well, patented BY the normal and Deda-
Sogical factories that turn out, COM
incncement after commencement. the
III the p.daspse mills ol cal,ltl, and the
cheapest article offered III The profess
flonai r1alEets OF the world. Fer they
can be had al from SIS to $50 a month
1or the rural school alI,cle, TO 800 and
900 a month Tor the best college brands,
ind one may pause lIst nee TO note
the fine commercial t.l,iftiness OF our
world cenGucrlng -Anglo-SaSon stock,
that puts the great bulk OF its eauca-
,ional# funds into enduring things Ike
iron desks. and economies upon those
nthcr usefu! Bnt temporary and perish
ing agencies. such as brains, intellect,
character. GU can get man or wo- 8
Inan TO sit in a teachers chair and
hear lessons at any time; they are a
1ncre alug III Sle market; but great
buiidlngs and line llpraries and we'll
equipped Laboratories cost money.
II would seem that the fault was not
50 much u lack Of money as a failure
20 use money To the best advantage.
sld ii fuiJner and far more seilous
,anure to see that education in its best,
ITS truest sense depends not on the OK
pcndturc OF money, hit the capcpdi
tnre OF devoted personal influence and
csergy. II a man is hurt, the avora &c
American offers linn a drink of Nhis-
Scy TO restore him; ii he is needy. he
hunas him y do.as. He never dreams
that there Is any need on Garth that
cannot be met by subscription, So
the educational need is being supplied
90 passing round the hat, and the fuller
,,.r Z be