The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-04

wisdom of the declaration of the Fathers,
morality, and knowledge being necessary
to good government schools and the
means of education shall forever be en-
couraged'; and cognizant of the full
meaning of that recent constitutional en-
actment which debarS from the privilege
OF the suffrage, after 1908, all persons
who can not read and write; and relying
on the patriotism and foresight of North
Carolinians to deal with great question
winch vitality concerns the material and
social welfare of themselves ana their
poSterlty, we, in an educational confer
ence assembled in the city of Raleigh.
this February 10, 1902, are l1oved to make
the following declaration of educational
facts and principles:
l. Today, more fully than at anv other
time in our past history do North Caro-
llnlans recognize the overshadoWing NO.
cesslty OF universal education in the so
luton of those problems which a free
government must solve in perpetuating
its existence
z. No free government has over found
any adequate means of universal edpca.
tlon, except free public schools. open to
ALL supported by the taxes of all it's
cltlzens, where every child, regardless of
condition in life or circumstances of for
tune, may receive that opportunity for
training into social service which the
constitutions of this and other great
States and the age demand.
3. We realize that our State hae ROACH
er the constitutional limit of taxation
for the rural schools, that she has made
extra appropriations to lengthen the term
o. these schools to so days in the wear
we realize, too, that the four months
term now provided is inadequate, for the
reason that more than 20, 900 900 children
OF school age in the United States out
side of North Carolina are now provided
an average of AS days of school out of
every 365; that the teachers of these
children are paid an average salary of AS
per month, while the teachers of the
children of North Carolina are paid
hardly S25 per month, thus securing for
all the children of our sister States moro
eftcient training for the duties of life.
And we realize that, according TO the LAT
est census report and the report of The
United States COMMISSIONER of
Education, for every man. wo-
man and child of its nonuIation
the country at large is spending $3.50 for
the education of it's children while North
Carolina is spending barely 81 cents; that
the country at large is spending on an
average of 5000 for every pupil enrolled
in its public schools. while North Caro-
| lima is spending only SO or $4 the small
/ est amount expended by any State in the
! Union; that the average amount spent
| no oil Of
| age in the United States is approximately
$3.50 while North Carolina is spending
SITS.
1hese facts should arouse our pride and
| our patriotism and lead us to inquire
whether the future will hold this gener-
| alton responsible for the perpetuation of
conditions that have resulted in the null
| tiplicity of small school districts. in
fer1or school houses. poorly paid teachers.
and necessarily poor teaching that have
resulted in twenty white illiterates out
of every 100 white population over ten
years Of age, in generally poor and poorly
| paid supervision of the expenditure of
| our meagre school funds and of the
teaching done in our schools; and. finally.
in that educational indifference which is
the chief cause of the small average daily
|
100 enrolled in our public schools.
| We believe the future will hold us re-
| sponsible for the perpetuation of these
Ilnfavorable conditions, and therefore.
| We conceive it to be the patriotic moral
and religious duty of this generation OF
| North Carolinans to set about in earnest
| to find the means by which all our child
| rem can receive that education which will
give them equal opportunities with the
| children of other sections of our COM
| mon country.
! T. Viewing our educational problems and
! conditions in the light of educational his
! tory and experience, we declare it to be
our firm conviction that the next step
i forward for North Carolina in education
| is to provide more money for her coun-
| try public schools, making possible the
consolidation of small school districts,
the professional teacher, and skilled SUI
funds and Of the teaching done in the
| schools.
| The history of the adoption of the prin-
ciple of local self help by our 20 graded
| school towns and cities must surely be
| an inspiration and an example to every
| Village and rural community in North
] Carolina Those towns and cities have
| adopted the only means at hand for the
| adequate education rof their children. In
adopting this principle, local taxation
| they secured: first, adequate school
| funds: second competent supervision
third skilled teachers. Lacking any ont