The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-18

4 proportion to the enlightenment OF their
i population, and unless,w o build Zip our
4 system of general education and bring It
abreast OF the times, wo shall not only
/ not catch ,,p with other sections OF this
/ country, but wo shall continue to fall
1 steadily to tho rear.
III believe that there are parts Of Vlr-
4 ginia III which the average country boy
car, 70 to public school the average
length OF the session, five or six months.
| and not be able to read n page of print
at sight; but what are wo to expect when
our teacf1ers arc paid only from $3.50 to
| SO month?
.One significant fact is that the negro
appears to be more Interested than tho
whites in securing s,lch an educato as
is Offered him, With the result that TIE
| Young negroes arc learning to read and
write, while the young whites arc being
kept by their parents from going to
school. This is why say that We ought
4 to have compulsory education j8#
mot only throughout New England, but
4 the West, where went last year, L found
n system Of public schools 80 far In ad-
vance Of the public school system, IN Nlr-
GINA, and, believe, in tho rest of the
|
1 try" g4sg
Effect of Bad Roads.
| ''Do sou consider that our bad roads
have anything TO do with the lack OF
education III tho country?'
.'I would say omphatically that ono I'M
portant, practical matter is to improve
our roads SO that the children may be
able to get to the schools which often
| they arc prevented doing now by our
backwardness dn that matter. 1t is not
a wholly pleasant task to speak III such
critical terms OF our conditions here, but
It seems to me Of tho utmost Importance
that our people should awaken TO the
| gravity OF the situation. Happily, they
seem 10 be arousing TO It, and believe
that the next few years Is going to 500
| vet greater awakening. Indeed. the IL
| )itcTacy In the South in tho last TWEEN
1 IN years has been tremendously reduced,
| and if our people set Themselves earnest
laly and persstently 10 work, VIC shall re-
duce it vet further, which means an ad-
vance Ill along the line. a good part of
| this reduction, happily. was IN the SOUTH.
Compulsory education In the North, how
over. accounted also for a largo part Of
| the decrease.
"According to the United States cen-
sus, the percentage OF illitcracy In the ma"
| tive born population ten years OF age
\ ana ever was reduced from 22.7 in 1850
| -. ~ l., lem ana ~ 10 . q, & 900 . .5s &
70 19s - isoo ,.,1 e, ,,,nd who has
81. = 10 eso,i,l, alonr
-. -, o.,
ti rs, ''.ss .hat = =, o,,y tha most val
49,, ~, have 'iivel n ,,ns co,1r-
.'''S..,.. ~. NO !, 1,r# JG3r Nj
|$c,urry, who devoted all the last part OF
Ibis life to awaken the South for her need
for education lie is followed BY large
1,,n,,,,,i, =. well ne IN other States III l..e
shn,,, hIs 'i,fa was M inspira-
tir,,, ~ b s5: AS Isl
y h,,,,1, Tr+arec+
~" - =
What practical means .c a,,' wy sue-
gcst to awaken our peo,le :;;.s3i ~
Eors one lhlhE. "ouiu s. ''.e''e e. ~.
candidates ior ol1ce ~ ,.n,,. ,s ~ rssm
INC sun - I.
luton o.. our pconle nave a...a,nu,su
system Oh edch,io,,. wv ~
so,nrS snme a or The several gentlemen.
| whose names are spoken OF in colnec-
tion with the nomination for the highest
| office in the state next year, would
| have the people declare for that one VINO
would most earnestly set himself to the
| reconstruction and uplifting OF our eau
catonal system, or nt least to the ear
! nest carrying out@ot ITS essential le eil
lures. $5g ia
Il am not IN politics. There II no
Office that want, or, as far as ! k ,llos
would have, but am ready 70 90 my my
Part lii a political campaign, as q; 3Vo ,le
III Hanover county, and an advocate o.
| this matter for j esteem It tho n1ost
essential thing for our people to-day. an0
| j mean to use what powergl may nave
TO arouse our people to It's Importance.
! 1t possibly may satisfy you that am not
! III politics, whom | tell you that y ! &
|%had the power l would raise tho tax n
| Virginia 10 give the people Ok lrglnlil
a better school systcln.I have been told