The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-11-12
Taking Prof. Bassett Too Seriously.
Norfolk Virginian and Pilot.

Norfolk Virginian and Pilot.
Several contemporaries are more
or less incensed because OF paper
by Prof. John s. Bassett in the cur
rent number of the South Atlantic
Quarterly, in the course OF which the
declaration is made that Booker
Washington is the greatest man born
in the South in century except Rob
ert E. Lee. Mr.. Bassett is professor
of history in Trinity College, at Dur
ham, and some of the North Carolina
papers are loudly demanding his dis
missal from the faculty on the ground
that q man holding such views is un
fit to teach Southern young men.
The Trginian-PiIOt finds itself I'M
able to share in all this indignant
outburst, because it is unable to take
Mr.. Bassett or his views seriously.
In Northern universities there has
developed within the last few years
what, for lack Of more definite term,
may be called the yellow pedagogue.
Usually an overeducated man OF me-
diocre parts who cannot win genuine
distinction by ability and originality,
the yellow pedagogue seeks to win
notoriety by some startling pro-
nouncement, however absurd. He
prdicts that the world is coming to
an end orsays that Shakespeare isn't
worth reading, or something equally
rational, and SO becomes a seven days
topic in the press. This seems to us
not unreasonable explanation OF
the Bassett phenomenon, and we ac-
cordingly decline to grow apoplectic-
Nor do we believe that because OF
his views, as expressed in his maya
zine, Mr.. Bassett should be expelled
from the faculty of Trinity College.
He is entitled to regard Booker
Washington as second only to Rob
ert E. Lee if he really thinks that
way about it. That opinion hurts
nobody and convinces nobody-and
least of all is it going to convince
the young men in Mr.. Bassett's his
tory class. The college young man
of today is Intellectually a very indie
pendent proposition. He does not
take his opinions of men and things
without question from anybody. Ac-
cordingly Mr.. Bassett's views are
much more likely to do harm by
bringing him into contempt among
Trinity students than by bringing
students around to his way of think.
ing. If this should occur, Mr.. Bas.
sett's usefulness as an instructor
would be impaired, if not destroyed
and his resignation might very well
be asked for on that account.
But as for Mr.. Bassett's estimate
OF Booker Washington, if it amounts
to anything, it is only in that it shows
that he has not the mental balance
and outlook necessary for sane in
struction in history.
| We have nOpurpOse to decry Wash
ington, but the fact is that he has
been largely over-valued by Others
than Mr.. Bassett. His views as tc
the negro problem are in no sense
original. On the contrary, they are
precisely the views held and expressed
by Southern white leaders for twenty
five years. Washington has gained
fame through those views because hi
had the courage to adopt them ant
stand almost alone among negroe.
against the mouthy demagOgues
black and white, who were talking
social equality and other nonsense
| Therefore, Mr.. Bassett is merel,
absurd in rating Washington next tt
Robert E. Lee. And the absurdity O
the estimate is it's best antidote.
| We incline more and more to tn
opinion that the Southern press an
people make a mistake in taking sc
riously pedagogues OF the Basset
and Sledd variety. They are harm
less and at times amusing.