The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-05
THE DISPATCH THtasDAY MAY . 1909

conference. It has brought leading men
ar tha North face to face with the situ-
ation in tho so,.tl, and they now un.
derstnnd as they never understood pe1ore
and as they could never have unuer.
stood, but for the instruction which they
have had in this practical school. In
conclusion The Tribune man says:
"The southern educators are wortlhs
In perfect harmony With the northeI 81
philnnthropists who take an interest," III
their problem. And the northcrners arc
nerllnns more Interested In white than
In negro educntion for the training OF
the great body of white people Isolated
In the rural districts to intellectual free-
dom and an Understanding Of their econ
omlc opportunities lies at the foundhtioh
OF all southern progress. Iney reaiiHe
the difficulties of the southern SITUATION,
the deslrability Of protecting Intelligence
and property, and the poverty or me
South, which makes adequate schools
even for tho whites almost unattainaple,
A few southern politicians and news
papers are filled with alarm at what they
cnll tho Ogden movement" but pre-
dominant public opinion at the South IS
undoubtedly progressive, and the tact OF
Mr. Ogden and the sanity Of those who
are cooperating with him, both North
and South, have given tho renctonaries
no excuse for a demagogc campaign
against tho conference. The chief are
almost only danger to this great VOL
Of ''unoncial craftsmanship, as DR..
Felix Adler once called It, Is some III
timed radical exploit North or South
which will give the demagogucs here an
opening Freedom Of thought Is not yet
complete in the South. Attention Is now
being turned to the education Of all the
people. but onco let the questions ON
which the South Is solid be again pushed
to the front as matters Of sectional con-
troversy, and Governors like Montague
and Aycock. teachers like McIver. Dab.
ncy, Alderman and Fill. and Christian
ministers like Bishop Galloway, Will be
pushed aside by the tide OF unreasonlng
prejudice on which the demagogue IS
ever waiting to ride into power. with
fair chance to work out their purposes,
rntroublcd by tho precipitation or any
crisis these men would un1uestlohably
have the support OF the South for inc
teaching Of tho whole people from the
bottom UP IN industrlal EMERGENCY alo
good citizenship"
We quote from this. letter at length be-
cause It is fair and impartial, and SO
far as we are Informed cpitomizes the
situation. We wcro long ago convinced
that the Ogden movement Is philan-
| thropic, and that there is nothing IN ~
concealed In corner. It Is the honest
! endcavor or honest men to aid IN the
promotion Of general education through
out the South, and even the dcmagogues
are bound to admit that since this move
ment was begun, there has been Won
drous awakening throughout the entire
South in the interest Of popular educa-
ton, and that the public school system
| Is In n more flourlslling condition than
| ever before in its history. It cannot be
proven that the ogden movement" d'd
this. But the Southern Education Board
and the General Education Board have
been earnestly at work, and the cause
| of popular education has in the mean
time made gratifying progress. 1t may
not be case Of cause and effect, but
| 1t has that appearance.