The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-24


going on, and great results to the State
are expected Gov. Aycock gave decid-
ed impetus to this work, and many Others
have contributed. The press has done
its part actively, in this as in other lead
ing State matters. OF course ig-
norance is dense, people are stupid
education is needed, and education of
the right kind-the mind the soul, the
hand n better education for all sorts
and conditions OF men is what is required
There are tens oil thousands of reople
who can read who are profoundly igno-
rant How manv people who pass Tor
educated are really educated? The Car
lyle idea Tor his own country has
wider application He wrote about 1910,
or 1850, that there are now 81 900, 900
oil people in Great Britain-mostiy fools"
But now l am concerned with another
phase of education which is ante-bellum-
below de wah, as Sambo called it.
Inc coucatlon OF the past in North Car
DINA amounted to much more than lat
ter-day enthusiasts are prone to think
or 1T. The actual progress made in the
great Commonwealth prior to the great
est OF all modern wars, Is not known TO
all OF our living natives who are read
ers. 1t Is something OF sealed book to
the people In the big North. They do
not seem to have the falntest idea as to
what was accomplished in the derided
noble old State. which actually led in
popular education among all the South
ern sisterhood OF States. as it did in the
war when IL easily led ali others III the
number of ITS troops, and IN their ter
rife and unapDroached sacrifices. A State
that voted 1880 whites in 1860. actually
had in the service $4,000 soldiers, and of
this great number A, 000 died for their
Southland as the official records publish
ed by the United States Government es-
tablish and as the Confederate Hand
Book nearly confirms, putting it over
80. coo.
They fell in behalf of the sacred cause
forever dear to every true, manly soul
in the Southland. North Carolinian
IN 1904, who feels no pride in such
grand record of fidelity and patriotism
and courage, and who would shove aside
the living Contederates, is unworthy OF
such brave, self-sacrificing aGcestry-is a
decaycd s0ecimen OF a noble, unsurpasS-
ed stock. The fellow who is so fallen, so
perverted that he can not feel q glow of
anu Oh the
grand deeds of the men of 1876, but is
cailous, unfeeling, sneering with deaf ears
and stolid Indifference, is unworthy ana
not fit to accosiate with high, generous,
manly youth.
The State Normal Magazine of some
three years ago. .contained a paper upon
Calvin H.. Wiley" 1t was written by
q North Carolina woman of accomplish
ments, Mrs. Annie G. Randall, born
Goodloc, and niece of my old friend-use-
tul, gifted, able and true-the late Hon.G
Goodloe, who died few years ago at
Louisburg N. G. He was a native of
Franklin county. Long prominent in
journalism, at one time one of the edto-
rial writers for the New York Times,
when Henry j. Raymond edited it, who
was the able founder, and also Washing
ton correspondent of that paper. He also
published a book Mrs. Randall's con
tribution contains no little matter well
worthy of public consideration. She has
utilized the first report of the first Super
iurendent OF Public Instruction, Calvin
Ii. Wiley, made in 1856 1t will read like
fairy tale to the little ''witlings" who
laughed at staid, honest, progressive, self
contained, honest North carolina, and
it will surprise many native who passes
for being intelligent. In that year-six
years before the great war-there were
in North Carolina five male and nine te-
male colleges. How many are there
nearly fifty years after? In 1855, the
population was less than 1000, 0G0-one
million-In 1904, it has more than 1,9OO,-
900, or nearly double as much. There
were in 1853, 272 academies and 5000
common schools. Did you know that?
There were 100000 white pupils attend
ing. OF all the adult whites there was
but one illitorate in fifteen. Did you
know that also? People called our grand
State "Old Rip Van Winkle,' and yet
she was wider awake than any other
part of the South. She was up with the
foremost in asylums, penal institutions,
in the best OF laws and the best OF courts
when Judges counted for much, and were
OF the highest grade Of manhood and
character and fidelity to duty, and when
they were gentlemen and fully trusted
The very best, the highest, the most en-
gaglngN civilization on this continent was
IN the Southern, and not ore of the vain,
bcastful, sisterhood surpassed North Car
DINA. Ilitcracy among whites more or
less than now 1t was a half century
since? Has there been really any genu-
inc progress lii proportion to population
in nearly fifty years? Are males and fe-
males better educated now than prior to
the war. Then the school term was four
months. How much longer is it now?
There were but 1000 children between
six and twenty-one years Ct age not at
terding school then. Does not that beat
North Carolina of 1904, ''out of sight 20
is it indeed true that the state is like
Captain Bill Mallory's militia company |
saw him drilling one day in the early
forties-.'has advanced backwards" as ne
gave his command. Dr.. Wiley calculated
in 1865, that by 1888, there would not be
more than two per cent OF white litter
ates in the State. How many are there
in 1904?
Let me make an instructive quotation
from Mrs Randails edifying article, as
she draws information from DR.. Wileys
first report, and after reading it care
fully you may wonder at the stupidity
and injustice of certain inflated people
in the South who dared to throw stones
and mud at our progressive people:
From the same source we learn that
North Carolina had a larger school fund