The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-04
.. UCATIONAL
RALLY DAY
JOyner, Glenn, AyCOCk
and MCIver.
BIG MEN AS SPEAKERS
Great Event at Teachers Assembly in
Greensboro Next Week is the
Rally DaY--.Citizens Of
All CaIIings Invited TO
Attend.

Friday, June 16, the final day of the
session of the assembly will be the
opening day of the summer campaign
for the promotion of public education
in North Carolina. A great educa-
tional rally of teachers, educational
leaders and workers, and of promi-
nent men of all professions and call
ings who are interested in the work,
will be held-one of the greatest edu-
cational gatherings ever held in the
State. The day has been surrendered
to the campaign committee for the
promotion of public education in
North Carolina. This committee is
composed of State Superintendent JOY
ner, Dr. Charles d. McIver and ex-
Gov. Aycock, with Mr.. r. d. w. Con-
nor as secretary. 1t was appointed at
the educational rally held in Raleigh
in February 1902, and since then has
been waging an active campaign for
greater educational facilities. Their
success is part of the history of the
State. Eloquent speakers have been
sent up and down the State preaching
the cause of the children, and urging
our people to vote taxes upon their
property for the benefit of their chill
dren.
Such men as Aycock, Joyner, Nc
Iver, Winston, Venable, Carlyle, Me-
bane, Foust White, Page, Small, DAN
iels, Jarvis and many others have
taken part in the campaign, and the
people of the State have been stirred
to educational activity as never before.
A few simple figures reveal the story
of the progress in North Carolina
within the last four years.
In 1880 there were only four local
tax districts in the State. 1t took ten
years, till 1890, to add four more; and
In another ten years only ten more
were added, so that in 1900 there were
in all the State only eighteen districts
supporting schools by local taxation
and these were in towns or cities. To-
day there are 277, and fifty OF these
have been added since January l,
1905
During the past two years there has
been an increase in the amount of
local taxes raised and spent for schools
of $39O,0O0 over the two preceding
years.
Though this progress has been grati-
flying yet only a very small part or tne
State has been reached. There are
still 2,195 school districts, including
1864 children, which have less than
four months school term annually.
And there are 2,472 districts, with
184.920 children, which have just four
months and no more. No less than 90
per cent of the children of North Car
olina are included i'm these districts.
The average length of the rural school
term in the State is only eighty days.
There seems left therefore vast
field yet TO be covered by the educa-
tional forces, and there is to be no
let-up i'm their efforts. The great
rally in Greensboro on the 10th, Is to
he the opening feature of this SUM-
mer's work The program for the
day is a most interesting and valuable
one It includes special addresses by
Hon. ]. Y. Joyner, Governor Glenn
Ex-Governor Aycock and DR.. MclVer.
In addition to these number or
pointed and practical talks or ABOUT
five minutes each will be made by
other well known active campaign
workers. 1t will be an educational
day in dead earnest, and those VINO
attend will be stirred with an enthu-
siasm and interest that will make for
the progress and the up-lift OF the
State for years to come.
1t is exceedingly fitting that this
session of the Assembly which prom
ises to be the most successful in its
history. should be brought to a close
with such a rally. The program OF
the first two days session will deal
with subjects more or less technical,
which will Of course, be of greater
interest to teachers than to others.
But as the educational welfare and
life of the State is a matter of gem
eral concern, in which every citizen
of whatever profession or calling is
vitality. and should be actively inter-
ested, it is proper that part of the
program should be devoted to gem
eraI educational topics in their re-
lation to the general welfare, in the
discussion of which men of other vo-
cations than teaching can take part.
Such is the purpose of the education
al rally on Friday, June 16 Tt viii
be the crowning point of the session,
and from it will go out radiating in
fiuences for good, which will be felt
i'm the remotest corner of North Caro-
lima.
1t should be clearly understood that
the program of the day will be of in
terest, not merely to teachers, but to
all public spirited citizens, and the
officers of the Assembly and the
members of the Campaign Committee
and cordially invite all such
citizens to be present and take part
in the proceedings.