The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-20
THE KIND OF EDUCATION WANTED.


The approaching Conference for Edu-
cation in the South. to be held in
Richmond on April 22-24, gives promise
of being one of the largest and most
important meetings of the kind yet
held. 1t will be attended by philan-
thropists, educators and publicists from
all sections of the country, and it is
risking nothing to say that the cause
which it has at heart will be much
benefited by the outcome. The discus
sion that will be held at Richmond will
show what is most needed for the ad-
vancement of education at the South;
where expenditures can be made with
a reasonable expectation of achieving
best results and what educational en-
terprises are most worthy of assls-
lance.
Quite an elaborate programme has
been arranged for the conference, with
a long list of speakers. On this list
are a number of educators and others
who are thoroughly familiar with the
situation in the South, and who may
be expected to speak plainly with re-
spect to the sections needs. We take
it, therefore, that they will lay especial
stress upon the desirability of giving
particular attention to industrial edu-
cation as distinguished from the
academic or classical.
1t is the understanding that the
several organizations and interests that
will be represented in the Conference
for Education in the South are desir-
Gus of assisting both races. They do
not purpose to give attention to either
race to the neglect of the other, but
to help both to as great an extent as
may be possible. We have on sundry
occasions heretofore commented on the
futility of providing higher education
for the black race. Briefly, the rea-
son is that there are no opportunities
for the negroes in the learned profess
sions; no demand for their services as
lawyers, doctors, chemists, etc. and
hence no opening for such of them as
receive the higher education" either
among their own people or the whites.
What is wanted for them, therefore,
be workers and which will not unfit
them for the sphere which they must
occupy in life.
And to a degree this is true also
of the aid to be extended to the whites.
The professions are filled to overflow
ing There are already too many
"briefess barristers" and patientless
doctors. The demand of the day is for
young men who know how to do things
with their hands; for skilled workers
who are specialists in certain lines;
for scientific farmers, mechanical en-
gineers, electrical engineers, builders
and managers of mills and factories,
civil engineers who can construct roads
and bridges, and textile workers COM
petent to take charge of departments.
1t too often occurs that when
young man leaves school he is unfit
ted to take up at once any line of in
but he knows little or nothing about
the practical side of life. He must,
therefore, begin at the beginning and
learn some business, taking very small
pay while he is acquiring the informal
1tion necessary to enable him to COM
mand a fair salary. The system of edu-
cation that is wanted is one that will
send out workers from the schools;
that will train hands as we'll as brains;
that will pay less attention to the
classics and more to modern conditions.
In short, since we are into an age
of industrialism, We want schools that
will give industrial educatlons. 1t is
to be hoped that the meeting at Rich
mond will give impetus to the move
ment in this direction.