The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-10

south fully realizes her obligations She frankly admits her comparative poverty, but she does not for this reason seek to excuse herself from her duty to her self and to the nation. Nor does she plead the reverses of 1864 to condone or extenuate the failures of 1904 Much less is the south disposed to excuse her meager educational appropriations on ac- count of the unequal distribution of na- tional burdens as shown by the annual pension roll and federal tariff legislation. Stimulated by the consciousness of her needs and forearmed by a full knowledge of her difficulties. the south has entered with sublime patriotism and enthuslas- tic heroism upon the accomplishment of her stupendous task.
 The third condition of educational devel- opment in the south is found in her com plicated sociological problems. Here lies the chief obstacle to the progress of the public school. In the first place, the land is occupied by two separate races whose least distinction is the difference in color; whose past represents no com mon heritage and whose future, as yet gives promise of no common destiny. This bi-racial condition of the population im- poses upon the south a dual system of schools, thus doubling the burden of maintenance-a burden already heavy for the tax-paying race. But from Ken lucky to Alabama. and from Virginia to Texas, this burden has been voluntarily assumed, and this sacrifice has been cheerfully borne, rather than risk the evils that would accrue to both races from consolidation. In the south's pres ent state of development. segregation is indispensable and imperative. To both races in the south, the subject admits of no debate To the weaker race, this duality provides the best possible oppor- tunity for development by the process of self-activity; it provides a vocation for the negro teacher, whose racil identity with the pupil constitutes an essential element in the educational progress of any people To the stronger race, it preserves its gains through the higher average of personal achievement with out lessening it's power by the sacrifice of it's children. To both races alike it guar antees the fundamental doctrine of race integrity, and preserves the ideal of racial purity
 It is not within my province in this paper to deal specifically with the con- ditions of negro education in the south Suffice it to say that the south has volun- tarily accepted the task of developing and educating their wards of the nation. This AS thOhilbdlblS tNlQtICtu D1 iUG ldCI lIldl since 1870. the southern states out Of their poverty, have contributed for negro schools more than one hundred and ten millions of dollars-five times the amount contributed for this purpose by private philanthropy. The south of today ac- cepts the race problem as heritage from the past and is content to leave its solu- tion to time and providence, seeking only to transmit it to the future with the fewest possible complications. The south has committed herself to the policy of educating the negro, in the first place, because it is solemn obligation, and in the second place. because of the con- viotion that ignorance offers solution forfnothing in the universe.
 White llliteracy the Problem.
 While the south is not indifferent to the problem of negro illiteracy, she has reach ed the deliberate and solemn conclusion that her greatest and most serious prob lem is the illiteracy of her native white population. She realizes that the first step for the defense of the state and the honor of the republic-ay, the first con- dition to the protection and the substan- tial elevation of the negro, must be the elimination of her native white illiteracy. While the southern states have only 24 per cent of all the white illiterates over 10 years of age in the country. In the education of the negro the south has been materially aided by the philanthropy of the nation. The assistance derived from the Hand and the Slater funds, and from numerous other benefactions, is grateful ly appreciated because of the great good that has been accomplished in laying the foundations of negro citizenship. The Peabody education board under the guidance of it's late lamented leader, Dr. J. l.. M Curry, has done a noble work for the education of both races by stim- ulating the preparation of teachers in all the southern states. In recent years the general education board, by means of