The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-07-01
GOVERNOR AYCOCK'S ADDRESS
TO THE STATE CONVENTION
What North Carolina is Doing in the Educational World
The Watts Law P~raised-Discussion of the A. & N. c.
Railroads. Comparison With Other Administra-
tions-Presenting Facts and Figures.

two classes of detectives, the state a r
ing for the White blind at Raleigh and
the white deaf at M~organton, the color
ed deaf and blind being also provided
for at Raleigh.
There is no authority or law by which
the deaf or blind children can be COM
PEELED to enter these institutions. The
state has made adequate provision for
their tuition n care, but number of
them have s~teadfastly refused to take
benefit Of the provisions made. During
the past four years there has been a.
constantly increasing effort on the part
Of the authorities to awaken the people
to a sense of the need for training the
deaf and blind and to secure thereby
the cooperation Of each community In
creating a public opinion sufficient to
make each defective child seek these
institutions for instruction. In conse-
quence of this work during the past
four years there has attended at the
institutions for the deaf, dumb and
blind in Raleigh 1,234. AT the i~nstitu-
ton for the deaf at Morganton 919, as
compared with the attendance for the
preceding four years at the institution
at Raleigh of 1,204 and for the deaf at
Morganton of 736. We have spent for
buildings and maintenance 1924, $500 O,
while for a like period the former ad-
m~inistration spent 1911, 10000.
1 knew that we were poor and that
our people were IN economical people;
that they demanded low axe and small
expenditures. I knew also that they
would not forgive any administration
which failed to do it's utmost for the
care of these u~nfortunates. The Dem
ocratic party stands for light for the
blind and would unstop, If it could, the
deaf ears. Tt would carry knowledge
into every benighted mind and lift the
soul Of each little child into "A clearer
atmosphere.
Coming into office at a new period,
when our constitution had been amend
ed in such fashion that after 1908 no
person then coming of age could vote
unless he could c and write, my
mind has naturally been much occu-
pied with this all important question.
AS one should do who is charged with
the enforcement Of the law, 1 turned
for guidance to hat document, the
product of the great thoughts of your
fathers and mine, the Constitution Of
North Carolina, and I read there, IRE
ligion, morality and knowledge being
necessary to good government and the
happiness of mankind, schools and the
means of education shall forever be
encouraged
1 nave ernestly endeavored, with the
cooperation of my associates to carry
out these high provisions Of our Con-
stitution. I believe with Thomas JET
ferson hat Intelligence should ever
preach a crusade against ignorance as
the enemy of liberty and of moral and
material progress" Believing this;
pledged to it by the platform upon
which I ram; committed to it from my
early boyhood, I>have spent the greater
part of my time since 1 have been Cow
ernor in proclaiming his doctrine and
urging upon the people the Importance
of universal education. / have not
stood alone in this work. I did not
originate it. 1 cannot even claim the
credit Of having adequately present.
I'd it. 1t was the immortal Vance
who declared In a message to the legis-
lature That the common schools
should surely be kept going at every
cost and il sufficient inducements can
rot be offered to disabled soldiers n
educated women to take hold of them,
the necessary males should be exempted
from military services
Calvin H. Wiley, founder of our
public school system and the most elo>
Quent advocate of them, in the very
midst Of that great clash of arms when
darkness began to lower over the South
ern Cause, declared that 1.-The crowning
glory of North Carolina will be found
to be that when every nerve and muscle
Of the country were wrought to the
highest tension in a terrible and un-
exampled struggle for existence and
independence, she still supported a Wig
orous and beneficient system of free
n public schools which were attend
ed by fifty thousand of the children Of
her patriotic citizens" From that day
to this, the patriotic citizens Of this
state have been struggling to reach the
fulillment of that pledge of our Con-
stitution which requires the legislature
to provide for at least four months Of
public schools in every district in the
state. Too long deferred, to the griev-
Gus injury of the state, her peace, her
prosperity and happiness, we have I'M
der this administration successfully met
this requirement.
The patriotic legislatures chosen by
the people, ave made provisions for
It and the executive officers, under the
lead of our admirable superintendent
Of public instruction, have carried the
provisions Of the law into effect. To-
day we can boast for the first time in
the history Of the state that we have
redeemed our pledge, kept faith with
the people and made provision for an
the children. If the child is blind, we
have teachers ready to open his eyes.
II he is deaf, he can he taught to
speak. If he is friendless and poor
the schoo Jus door stands wide open
to shed its genial warmth upon him.
To do this has cost money. During
the first three years of Governor Rus
sells administration there was paid out
of the state treasury for public schools
SIS, M4.S3. During the first three years
Of my administration there has been
paid out Of the state treasury for pub
| lie schools s4S7, Pa 80. Beside this vast
| sum paid directly to the Schools we
have loaned to the counties for build
ing school houses, h sum Of $S5, $500
In addition to this the University OF
! North Carolina, the keystone Of the
arch of our public school system, has
largely increased her usefulness and
| reached a greater number OF young
| men. The attendance there during the
| past four years has been 2,315 as COM
$1,000