The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-26


l presented a statement in regard to
my work as one of the District Directors
of the Southern Education Board. which
was published in the proceedings of the
Conference. That statement explains the
organization of the educational forces
of North Carolina at the Raleigh Confer
ence, and gives an account of the meet
ing at Greensboro on April Ord and 9Th
which marked the beginning of co-opera-
ton between the Southern Education
oBard and the General Education Board
in field work. This statement also made
clear that my work in North Carolina
was in cooperation with Governor Ay-
cock and State Superintendent Joyner,
we three constituting the Executive Com
mittee representing the organization Con-
ference held at Raleigh February 18th.
At the Raleigh Conference represent
ing all educational interests-Stat de-
nominational and private-the opinion
was unanimous that all influences should
be brought to bear upon the Improvement
Of the rural public school, that the con-
solidation of school districts, the i'm
provement of school houses. and the adop-
tion of the principle OF local taxation for
public education We're our three funda-
mental needs, and that there should be
systematic and persistent agitation to
secure these needs have used the
funds placed in my hands by the South
ern Education Board to aid IN this agita
ticn.
My work as District Director has been
largely, though not entirely, confined to
North Carolina, and practically all of it
has been done in connection with and
through the following agencies
l. Educational Conferences for various
purposes;
2. systematic popular campaign for
local taxation;
3. The Organization and work of the
Women's Association for the Betterment
of Public School Houses in North Caro-
lima
l. EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES.
Conferences at Raleigh, Greensboro,
Charlotte and Hickory were held. The
general purpose Of these conferences was
the same, though the distinctive feature
OF the first at Raleigh was general or
ganization, that of the second and third
at Greensboro and Charlotte for the
promotion Of the idea of community phil
anthropy, while the purpose of the fourth
was to saturate community with such
educational sentiment as would make it
ready to vote a special local tax for
schools
All of the conferences were attended
by the State superintendent the Govern
or, the President of the State University
the President of the Agricultural and
Mechanical College, the President of the
nd Tn tr;o
representatives Of the leading denomina
tIonal colleges of the State. A large
number of public school and private
school teachers and of citizens engaged
in various callings were also present at
each conference.
/ paid the railroad expenses OF the SUI
perintendent of about fifty counties in
the western part of the State, enabling
each of them to attend one of the con-
ferences, thus giving them an opportuni-
ty to come in touch with one another
and with the educational leaders of the
State and, at the same time, giving the
State Superintendent an opportunity to
outline a uniform policy for his lieuten-
ants.
We had planned to hold two confer
ences in the eastern part of North Caro-
lima, but, finding that Secretary Buttrick,
of the General Education Board was
planning conference of all the county
superintendent at Raleigh, | did not
think it wise to hold any district con-
ferences in the eastern section of the
State this year.
In my judgment, no money has ever
been spent more wisely than that which
made it possible for the county superin-
tcndents to come together In the smaller
and in the general confer
ence at Raleigh. All of these conferences
except the two at Raleigh produced a
profound impression upon the communi-
ties in which they were held. The two
in Raleigh also did much |
IT, quicken educational thought through !
1ut the State because the newspapers at !
The capital and the special correspond /
ents located there gave wide eiEs0latfon |
10 the important work of each confer
sDcc.
The work of the Greensboro Confer |
ence was told in the Athens report. |
shall speak again, however, in this re-
port of some important results of that |
conference.
On Nav End. Just after the Athens Con
erence. cur Charlotte Conference was
leld An effort was made to repeat the
work of the Greensboro Conference with
me additional feature. We undertook to
'aise from the city of Charlotte $4,000
which in turn, the General Education
Board had agreed to duplicate, with the
that thirds of the
mcunt should go to the rural schools
If MecklenhIrg county and One-thiTd
o the nublic schools of Henderson county
ituated in the mountain section of the
state. Not quite all this monev was
aised but I am informed that all OF it
will be raised and already several dis
riots in Meeklenburc county have held
lections on the local tax question. and
r most of them the vote has been ia
orable.
At the Hickory Conference August 18th
I'D 14th, no effort was made TO raise
noney for rural schools because Hick-
ry, though town of considerable size