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

Of the colleges and universities in the
South has been and must be the educa-
ton of the whole people Therein lies
the only hope of complete success.
Let me illustrate this in part by the
story OF what has taken place in North
Carolina. In their first constitution,
those sturdy men who had thrown OH
their foreign tyranny and won the land,
willed that their children should be free
from the still greater bondage of igno-
rance declaring that one or more uni
versities should be established. Notice
the prodigality of their provision for what
is now styled higher education with no
word Of mention OF popular education
But they were wise. The latter would
surely follow The Act of Incorporation
of the University reads: whereas in
all we'll regulated governments it is the
Indispensable duty of every Legislature
to consult the happiness of a rising gen.
Grafton, and endeavor to fit them for an
honorable discharge of the social duties
of life by paying the strictest attention
to their education: And whereas an uni
versity supported by permanent funds,
land well endowed, would have the most
direct tendency to answer the above pur-
pose" therefore, etc.
Our University was established and
among its first students it inspired for
his work and sent out Archibald Murphy,
who began the agitation for popular edu-
cation and together with Bartlett Yam
cey another son of the University, sue
ceeded in establishing the literary fund
which should aid and establish the COM
mon schools. Then followed Calvin
Wiley another son who gave his life to
the work, travelling with horse and bug
gy to all parts of the State and estab7
fishing by his untiring energy the best
public school system In the South. Then
came the war with it's devastation and
ruin. One-third of the able bodied men
were lost in those terrible four years,
and little beside the desolate fields and
empty homes was left. With patient he
roism the work was taken up once more.
A little money was set aside for schools
but largely wasted. The doors of the
University were once more opened, for
tell you. therein lay and lies the hope
Of the people. In the first five years
there came from its halls, among others
who have nobly played their part, Aycock
the School Governor, Joyner the State
Superintendent of Schools, and McIvcr
and Alderman of your Board.
For fifteen years the sons of the Uni
versity have visited all parts of the
State and preached the crusade of edu
cation. They have held summer schools
and county institutes, battled over cleo
tions for school taxes, and established
graded schools. This is no new movement
with us, but an old warfare in which
we gladly welcome your aid and would
acknowledge without stint of praise the
help which has come from the colleges.
The University has trained and sent
out more than 500 teachers and these
have trained thousands of others. 1t
established one of the FIRST summer
schools for teachers in the South, begin
ming this work in 1877 and thus aiding
some 1000 teachers to fit themselves bet
ter for teaching in the common schools.
1t has manned the graded schools with
superintendent and principals, placing
| fourteen of its students in this work Ia
year. Forty per cent of its graduates
have begun their life work as teachers. /
/ will not weary you by further recount
ing these matters The point is this, that
the University has thrown itself heart
and soul into the great and Immediate
work which lay before it, of educating
the whole people, answering this call
as it did that other battle-cry forty
years ago when even its freshman class,
excepting one who was physically dis
abled, all entered the service and one in
three lay down his life for his beloved
South.
An heroic story, and doubtless similar
stories could be told of other Southern
universities. l have simply told you Of
the one that ! know best.
Some may ask why is it that more has
not been accomplished if such energy and
purpose have been shown. l answer that
! the chief obstacle has been poverty,
Southern universities have been forced
to struggle on with most inadequate sup
port The one of which I have been
speaking received it's first direct apprO-
priation from the State when it was %
| years old and that an appropriation of
! So, 900 and there are others which even
1 now receive nothing from their States,
| but depend largely upon the general gov
! eminent. The State of North Carolina
! has never appropriated money to place
a building at it's University. And yet the
return to the State has been beyond all
price in the sons she has trained for the
States and the nations service.
Do not misunderstood ne. l do not
mention these things as a plea for help
We are no beggars. We are doing our
work and doing it better and on larger
scale with each passing year. We are
/ proud of the labor and the sacrifice, the
hard years of struggle, and of the thou-
sands and tens of thousands who nave
been blessed in spite of poverty and be-
cause of toll.
AS for me it is the great happiness OF