The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-02


bility of a Democratic opponent
This confidence reflected great credit
en- the Democratic party and the results
of it showed that it was not misplaced.
Dr. Wiley as we have pointed out, was
met at the beginning with six obstacles.
He had found the people separated by
their diversified characters and aspra-
tions, he gave them a common interest
and united them in a common effort to
promote common cause; he found them
ignorant of the common school idea. he
| taught them by unanswerable example,
and filled their minds and hearts with
knowledge of and pride in their educa-
tional system; he found them diffident
OF their ability to manage, he put them to
the test and compelled their confidence
II themselves and their schools: he
found their minds filled with errors he
/ turned on them the light of knowledge
ana they vanished like mist before the
sun: he found them Indifferent he arous-
ed their enthusiastic support; he found a
| vineyard without laborers he created an
army Of skilled, practiced and devoted
workers. How his heart must have
! slckened as he beheld the clouds of Civil
! War darken the horizon, and as the
/ storm gradually enveloped all in its folds
/ those beacon lights on every Hill to
which he had SO proudly pointed, one by
/ one, flicker and go out. For now the
| great strife broke upon the country and
I, through the thick smoke of battle those
| lights shone but dimly and finally dis
| appeared in the general ruin.
North Carolina seeded May 20, 1861
II became apparent from the first that an
! attack ould be made on the school fund
for the purpose of converting it into rev.
enue for the support of the war. Dr.
| Wiley was filed with great anxiety. He
began his work on May 4, 1861, by issuing
circular to the County Superintendent
stating the necessity the State was under
CT borrowing money and the probability
OF an attack on the school fund, He
wished to enlist the county officials on
his side and to do this he supplied them
with arguments. The paper is an able
one. After giving the arguments in ia
yor of preserving the school fund intact
for school purposes, he outlined plan by
/ which the fund might be saved and at
the same time help supply the military
needs of the State. He proposed that
the uneXpended balance in the hands of
the county chairmen be invested in State
bonds taken at par. BY this means
the counties could draw interest or
money not then needed and at the same
| time strengthen and endear the common
school system to the people by the loan
to The State of at least a million dollars
If the war was successful then the bonds
would be redeemed al premium; if not
all would he lost anyhow.
The county officials thus prepared. his
next step was to enlist in his ranks the
Governor and his council. Previous to
the meeting of the first war Legislature
he appeared before these to present his
case. His statement was able and his
appeal eloquent. The keynote of his
| argument is all that can be given here
No people could or would be free who
were unwilling or unable to educate
their children; the schools must there
fore be kept open because the country
was in a state of war. The Governor and
his council We're completely won over
and entered into solemn, though infor-
NAL covenant, to support the Superinten-
dent in opposing any attack on the school
fund This agreement, be it said to Gov
ernor Ellis credit, was faithfully kept
and his precedent was followed by all
succeeding Governors. In November,
1861, DIR. Wiley issued another circular to
custom to let any matter to which he had
set his hand rest until it was settled
satisfactorily. He was ably assisted by
the North Carolina Teachers Associa :
ton. In November, 1861, the associat ton,
then in session at Greensboro, sent up a
memorial to the Constitutional Conven-
tion then in session praying that "by an
amendment TO the Constitution the pro-
ceeds of the common school fund be sa :
credly and permanently secured to their
original purposes"
1t was. well that the Superintendent and
the friends of education prepared their
| forces for the attack, for it came soon
after the assembling of the Legislature.
The measure to convert the school fund
into revenue for war purposes was intro
duced into the Senate. Both sides re-
eeived able support. In the Senate.
Governor John NJ. Morehead led the de-
Tense. Outside the work of Calvin II.
Wiley was aTduous, skillful and effective.
Nothing shows better than this fight the
strength of the system built up by Or.
1 Wiley. When he began his work the
county officials We're men OF small in
| fuence apd less ability: moreover they
were Indifferent to the work. Now their
Places were held by the ablest men in
the counties, who were enthusiastic for
the schools. and without their influence
at home the fight would surely have been
lost. The battle was practically won
when the Legislature adjourned The
succeeding Legislatures followed the
precedent thus set and the school fund
was unmolested.
The schools were thus kept open
Still they could not but feel the strain of
war and from this time on their exis-
tence was a struggle heroically main
/ tanned by the General Superintendent.
1 Reports from the counties begin to fall
| off, and become more irregular and mac
| curate: the school districts decrease in
number and the average length of the
| term drops 10 2.S months. The remark
| able feature of it all is not that the sys-
| tenn became impaired but that it did not
! fail altogether. That it did not do so
was due to the exertions of him whom
our great war Governor calls our zeal
Gus and ipdefatigable Superintendent"
| The difficulties increased daily. The
| attention OF the people was distracted
| from the ordinary affairs of life by the
novelty of war. Many thought it better