The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-10
UNJUST TO THE SOUTH
Baltimore sun.

Baltimore sun.
The April number of the South At
1antic Quarterly, published at Durham,
n. c., has an article on Some Phases
of Southern Education, by President
Kilgo, of Trinity College, N. c., which
makes a deplorable exhibit of Southern
Indifference to education, if its state
ments and differences are correct. Be-
ginning with praise of the Southern
Education movement as "a patriotic
benefeence commendable alike for its
generosity and it's wisdom the writer
proceeds to give his estimate of the
South in the matter of education. There
are tive prominent difficulties" he says.
that obstruct the growth of education
in the South. The first is lack of an
educational conscience and the second is
the lack of sound educational doctrines
and correct educational ideals.
This is hardly just estimate OF the
educational conscience" of the South,
in view of the fact that, since 1871, in
spite of the destruction by the North
during and after the Civil War of bill
lions of personal property, without COM
pensation, the South has spent $3.50, 100000
on public schools, of which sum $121,-
600, 900 was given to negro schools, to
say nothing Of the creation of numerous
excellent secondary schools, colleges and
universities. After the Civil War little
accumulated capital was left in the
South, and that was largely consumed in
the orgies of negro Legislatures and
alien governments forced upon the peo-
pie until 1876. In view of the work
done by the impoverished South with
her scanty means for private schools
public schools aud institutions of higher
learning, while at the same time recreat-
ing her industries. 1t seems nara m
deed that she should have applled 10
her a rule OF absolute perfection ana
be charged with lack OF educatlOhai
conscience" The true verdict, II seems,
is that she has done all that she coulu
and more than could have been eNpeeteu
of her-for the negro schools, particularly
What Northern State has done as much
in proportion to its per capita wealth.
and opportunities?
Tried by a rule OF absolute peflectloh'
no State in the Union is In satlsIac-
tory condition from an educational point
of view All fall short. But sym
nathetic critic is bound to md abundant
cause for defeats in Southern educalloh
1 In the exceptional LOSSES u NhS Wi A--O
destruction of the labor system and the
rIunderings Of the Reconstruction era.
rofhor than in the voluntary ignorance"
"emo4ionalism" and other alleged defects
~ the Southern character, One can
hardly say with justice, as the author
nnts II that 'tthe South has as much
education as it wants i" Ignorance
IN any part of America at this time is
voluntary. The traditional apology
Of poverty caused by the war cannot
be sincerely urged any longer as an ade-
onate excuse" To figures given to show
that but one-third OF the school popu-
lation attends school, an explanation
might be- added, showing that nearly half
Of the school population consists OF ne
groes; that education does not appear 70
the negroes as 1t does to the whites; tnat
the country is sparsely settled tna'
Rhode Islands percentage of attenoahce
ia not to be expected where homes az
miles apart; that the people for nealis
forty years have lacked Rhode lsi'nl
benefcent shower Of Federal laVois az ~
are poor. Surely. to depreciate mnae Az
South is doing and has done can naiu.s
be the right way to promote Sou'n9iA
education.