The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-04
Want the State to En-.
courage Writing Suit
able History.
II is Proposed For the State to Advance
$4,000 to Secure Good His.
tory of North Caro-
lima.

The North Carolina History Club
composed Of the leading students II
North Carolina history in the city OF
vising plans by which the study oi
North Carolina history. government;
and literature in the schools of the
State could be promoted, and to that
end the yhave prepared bill intro
duced by Major William a. Graham
of Lincoln county. in the House OF
Representatives on January 31St, and
is as follows:
THE General Assembly OF North Caro-
lima do enact:
Section ]. That for two years. 1895
and 1905, five thousand S5,000.00)
dollars per annum of the public schoot
fund be, and the same is hereby APP
propriated to be used by the State
Board of Education. as far as it may
deem it needful, to encourage, stimI-
late and promote the production. ana
to procure the control and publication
of such school books as, in the judE-
rncnt of the board. properly relate =
the history. literature or government
of North Carolina.
Section ,. That the Board of Edu-
cation shall fix the prices at which the
books published under the authority
of this act shall be sold to the chill
dren i'm the public schools: and the
proceeds of such sales, not further
needed in the judgment of Board, for
the purposes of this act shall belong
to and be a part Of the public school
fund.
The books published by authority Of
this act shall be used in all the pub
lie schools under such rules and regu-
lations as the said board shall pre-
scribe.
Section 3. That this act shall be in
force from and after its ratification.
1t is thought by its advocates that
the passage of this bill will cause the
writing of works on this subject II
be offered to the State Board of Edu-
cation. and the Board will be cmpcW-
cred by this bill if they deem ii neces-
sary and the works are adopted by
the board to aid the author to publish
the same on terms that will be adj
Vantageous TO the State. This is not a
direct appropriation. but it is a loan
Of five thousand dollars from the
public school fund to be replaced out
of the proceeds of sales of the books
so published by authority of the Act.
Any proceeds left over after paying
back the amount used shall be added
to the public school fund. One of the
leading advocates OF this measure said
yesterday:
"The State is spending nearly two
million dollars in the education of her
children, and devoting nothing 70
equip them with the tools by which
they must win their Way to the prope;
knowledge Of the history. literature
and government of North Carolina.
There are no suitable books on these
subjects now within the reach of the
children of the State. When the Text
Cook Commission had the matter un-
der consideration four years ago they
found no books upon these subjects
worthy of adoption. and none have
been supplied since. although this
need was advertised and went forth
to the world. In matters that relate
peculiarly to the State she should look
out for her own interests. She should
not only be ready to publish the good
things about herself which are fit for
use in the schools. but she should do
what is much more vital than this:
she should encourage those who are
willing TO write such things by giving
them to understand that they will have
the sympathy and support of those
who have her government In charge
and such works will educate not only
the children bnt the grown-up chill
dren for the proper appreciation Of
their State