The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-19


six months as editor of the Atlantic
Monthly, he was talking to a Southern
friend who was visiting him, and he said
substantially: These people in Boston
are densely ignorant about the South.
They know all about South Africa, China
and the Philippines; they have travelled
in almost every country; they speak
half a dozen languages; they are broad
minded, clear-headed and study almost
every question with no desire but to get
at the truth. But when it comes to the
South-why they are densely ignorant
about even it's geography, its history.
and they do not remotely guess at its
thoughts, it's aims, it's purposes. In
every practical way, China is nearer to
them than North Carolina"
This writer, thinking of the ignorance
of true knowledge thus depicted, seriously
thought of starting a subscription and
an agitation to raise money to send mis-
sionaries to Darkest Boston. But before
that could be carried into execution, the
Southern Educational Board was organ
lied then the General Education Board
started upon it's big work, and while lit
tie impression has been made on Darkest
Boston gradually the ignorant educated
of the North are learning something
about the South. What have those
Boards taught them? They have had
their ear. Northern people will read
about anything anywhere to which Rock
efeller will give a million dollars and
for the furtherance of which
Ogden will charter train and carry It
loaded throughout the entire South. The
problem of which Mr. Page spoke was to
get the ear of those folks. What an in
dividual could not do these Boards have
done. The North is interested in the work
that Is being planned, in the work that
is being executed. What have these
Boards taught the Northern people?
/. That the South-or large portions
ton upon every dollar of assessed prop
erty than Observation-Disclosures 1t pays
this often out of its poverty.
2. That the South, skeptical or disbeliev-
ing in the value Of educating the negro,
spends millions Of dollars for negro
schools. that since 1874 the State OF North
Carolina alone has spent S. $50, 77O.74 upon
negro education, nearly all Of which has
been paid by the white people.
8. That the North, promising to do
great things for negro education, has
wasted most of the money sent South for
that purpose, and in some instances it has
done more harm than good, and that If It
education 1t must work in cooperation
with the constituted educational author
tiles of the Southern States.
T. That the Southern people are real
friends of the negro, and that if the negro
question is ever solved 1t must be work.
ed out in the South, with the co-opera-
tion and kindly help of the North, ami
mated by the spirit of Henry Gradys
great Boston speech.
5. That it is the duty of the North tc
help the South in the great work 1t has
In hand. with sympathy, with patient
helpfulness, with money. If every dollar
of the public school money spent for
negroes paid by whites had been en-
ployed only for the education of white
children, the public school houses In the
South would be as good as those in other
sections of the country.
6. That the difference between the
Northern method and the South
ern method of negro education is
the negro at the top, spending no
money on the negro except for higher
education and big college buildings. The
natural consequence was that in many
instances the negro was educated down
wards. The South's method has been to
begin at the bottom by building small
teaching him to read, write, work and
be honest. The natural result of such
education has been to educate him up
ward. 1t is we'll that these Northern |
people are finally coming to see that the |
Souths method is the true one and ready |
to help advance il.
-
These are some of the lessons that |
these Boards have taught. Some people |
have had the false idea that the most |
important work OF the Boards was to |
help the South. That is a mistake. |
Their most important work has been to |
educate the North-to learn them the |
truth about the South and its real spirit |
and real purposes. What are the first /
fruits of the lessons taught? Here are
some that these Boards have helped to |
produce:
/. Grover Cleveland, a careful student |
of all that transpires. tells the Northern |
people that the future of the negro de-
de- M