The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-12

some means shall be found for mate
rally increasing these salaries.
lIliteracy and Attendance.
The United States census OF 1900
shows 1855 white iliterates over
ten years old in North Carolina, 1915
per cent of white illiteracy. | have no
doubt that this per cent has been con
siderably decreased during the past
three years. For your encouragement
| should perhaps state that the census
reports show the per cent OF 1lilteracy
to have been in 1880, 3l.5; III 1891,
2310, co that since 1880, We have re-
duced it IL per cent, and since 1890,
3.5 per cent. The per cent of negro
illiteracy is even much larger. The
percentage Of illiteracy is still appall-
ing and suggests, especially in view of
the possible disfranchisement of thous-
ands of white voters, a stupendouS
work to be done in removing this illit-
eracy before 1903. My report for the
past year shows 161 ,797 white children
of school age not enrolled in the public
schools. A comparatively small num-
Der of these were enrolled in private
schools A large number of them, be-
one years, had either completed the
course of study in their public schools,
or were compelled to stop permanently
to work. With these exceptions, every
one of the others is on the straight
road to illiteracy and disfranchisement
and can be saved from both only by
the earnest efforts of all friends Of
public education in improving the pub
lie schools and in bringing the chill
dren into them. l am glad to be able
to report an increase in the enrolment
of tho rural r"blic schools and an in
crease of 10100 children in the aver
age daily attendance of the white rural
schools. This in an increase OF at least
SIX per cent in the average daily at
tendance of the white schools during
the past year. The increase in average
daily attendance in the white schools
has never before been Appropriated in
North Carolina. Ten thousand and one
hundred more white children are at
tending the public schools daily IN
1903 than ever before. This is the
most practical and substantial evil
dence of an awakened and abiding in
terest in education that has yet been
presented in any report OF the pubic
school of the State. Let us thank God
and take courage. The work still TO
be done before this blot of illiteracy
can be removed from the fair name OF
our State. which yet remains next TO
the last in the column of white Hitter
acy, should arouse to reneewd effort
every man and every woman in whose
bosom still fiickers a single spark of
pride and patriotism. Permit me now
to discuss briefly your relation as
county superintendent to the continu-
alton Of the commendable work so well
begun and to the accomplishment of
the infinitely greater work still I'M
done The more | learn of the educa-
tional work of the State through the
Office and in my visitations and field
work, the more clearly | see that the
real strategic point in all this work to-
day is the county superintendent The
work Of the State superintendent must
be done, and his plans executed large
ly through the county superintendent.
The work of the county board of edu-
cation must be carried on and its plans
executed largely through the county
superintendent. The work of school
committeeman will not be properly
done without the stimulation and the
direction of the county superintendent.
No proper standard Of qualification for
teachers can be maintained and en-
forced under our law except by the
county superintendent. No esprit de
corps among the teachers can be
awakened and sustained save by a
county superintendent in whom it
dwells. No local and permanent plans
for the improvement of the public
school teachers through countey teach
ers' associations, summer Institutes
and schools can be set on foot and sue
cessfully carried out save under the
leadership OF I'VE county SupeTIu-
tendent. All campaigns for the educa-
ton of public sentiment on educational
questions and for the advancement of
the work of public education along all
needful lines are doomed to failure or
at least to only partial and temporary
success without the active help and di-
rection Off superintendent knowing
his people, knowing the conditions
and needs of the schools of his county,
knowing something of the prelude
and preferences or the different CON-
munites, endowed with tact, wisdom
common sense, character grit and
some ability to get along with folks,
and enjoying the confidence of teach
ers, officers, children and patrons.
Upon the county superintendent main
ly must depend tn ebringing together
of all these forces in the county, public
and private, moral and religious, bust
ness and professional, that may be
utilized for the advancement of the ed
1IcatiODaJ work Of tho county, and for