The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-27
School Appropriations and
Wealth.

/, The Southern States made a noble
II struggle for Independence In ISLES, but.
after the Confederate cause was defeat
ed, the Southerners laid down their arms
+ and took up the struggle for existence.
The situation was enough to discourage
many men, most Of all those who had
S dust seen their fondest dreams perish
! east down, the Southerners addressed
( themselves heroically to their task, and
{|showed the same courage and heroisn
& In commerce and industry that they'll had
H shown on the battle field. AS a8result
Y of these efforts the South In forty Years
II has reclaimed her farms, has opened and
3 develo ped her mines has built splendid
systems Of railroad. has constructed pros
y porous factories Of almost every descrip-;
Gtion and is to-day far richer and far
more prosperous than ever before.
She is now struggling with the problem
@of education and her efforts in that di-
rection are most noteworthy and mont
noble. Professor Edward L. Blackshcar,
PRINCIPAL Of the Prairie State Normal
College of Texas. contributes an article
to the New York Evening Post In which
he cites facts and figures to show what
knotty problem is the educational
/ problem of the Southern States He
+ points out that schools have to be pro-
vided for both races, and that as the
population is widely scattered schools
must be made UP of small numbers for
4 convenience sake; that in many States
he pop!9! population is evenly divided between
the racea, and yet the white man liza S
practically the entire burden Of GOV
eminent to bear. For instance he
goes on, ''the population of Mississippi
and Louisiana combined exceeds that Of
Massachusetts by only 10000 and there
z are 10000 schools in the two Southern
States and only 1900 schools in Massa-
chusetts. Besides, in tho two Southern
upon less than one-half the population,
which makes the burden four times
as heavier than In the Northern states.
Take this In connection with the IA ct
tina the taxable values OF Louisiana and
mississippi together arc but, $52s 600 600
& while those Of Massachusetts are ss.os1.-
y 100000, We again have a clear idea Of az.
) listing conditions. In Louisiana and Mis-
sissippi with combined population Of
2S32.OoO there are l,17l,0OO children .of
school age. In Massachusetts with a
population OF c,ao5, 600 there are bur us
600 children OF school age. or nearly 400
900 less thanh the two Southern states.
Therefore. while the property yalucs IN
the Southern States are about 500 600 900
and those Of assachusetts about 81 ono :
100000, the whites of the two southcrn
states have 6o per cent, more children
TO educate, and only one-eighth as much
wealth with which to do 1t. In Louisiana
and Mississippi the negro children Of
school age exceed the number of white
children by 10000. In Massachusetts
there are 10000 white children Of school
age. and only 5000 negro children. So
While the negro forms but per cent.
OF the school population OF the Northern
States tkey are % per cent. OF the school
population Of the two Southern States.
" give approximate figures, in all es,l-
matea, Therefore, TO summarize, We
have:
!. Fifty per cent. more children to
educate.
2 Double the number Of schools 10
a maintain
81 Only one eighth as rnuei money with
which 10 do II.
4, The burden Of taxation falls upon
less than one-half the population.
But IN spite OF these drawbacks, the
South Is making progress In popular edu-
cation, and Virginia especially may well
sbe proud Of her achievements as has
been - clearly demonstrated by the con.
iereasa 10 be held at tbs University,