The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-06-01

hNc years, despite the usual Bourbon contingent
that we have always with us, the superior class
of the South has given itself to the schooling OF
the plain people of both races with an nelli-
vsince and zeal and at a sacrifice of money unsur-
passed in the history OF education.
speak now Of what / know. For twenty
years lived in the South in Ministry of Edu-
cation that included the whole people from low
est to highest. For ten years past in writing for
the National Government the history of the
American common school," have learned how,
for two hundred and fifty years, the people of he
North have been at work and through what tolls,
conflicts, sacrifices and countless experiments
they have at last given to the republic its most
precious possession-the present system OF COM
mon, private and incorporated schools OF every
grade, And ! say again. in view of all this, that
whatever discount must be made for inevitable
failure, indifference and hostility no more yalu-
able, patriotic and thoroughly American work
has been done during these thirty years than by
the superior people Of the South IN the planting
>o the common school and the revival of the
higher education for both races and all classes.
No group of men better deserves enrolment with
the fathers of their country" than George Pea
body, an adopted citizen of the South, with Johns
Hopkins. Paul Tulane Mrs. Newcomb and others,
and with them the leaders of education: William
Preston Johnston Atticus Haygood, Hugh s.
Thompson and DR.. J. L. NJ Curry, who already
have gone on TO the beyond and another multitude,
just resting from their labors," men and noble
women not few"-Laura Haygood, Clara Con-
way and Mary Stamps among the nobest OF the
noble.
Part OF the host have crossed the food
And part are crossing now
In this era of progress fifty per cent Of the
ten millions of negro citizens have learned to read
the Bible and write their ballot--as soon
,hes,s, as the rest of the plain people OF the
South will let them cast it. A great in
road has been made upon the fearful white litter
scy OF fifty years ago. Mutitudes OF ambitious
boys and girls, whose fathers and mothers died
without the sight" have welcomed the rising sun
that now darts ms searchlight into the darkest
corners Of the land. The latest Government re-
port from the present sixteen States used TO
esil the South. excepting Missouri, gives the fol-
lowing record OF public school affairs Number
OF children and youth in school. S,S9473I. Aver
age number of years in school for each pupil, ~.
Average number of school days in each year.
IooH Total amount expended in 1903 for edu
casou S3I ,oooooooo In the same year the State
of-New York expended S37.oooooooo) Il may be
war these States have expended as largely from
their own properly valuation in proportion as the
North. with a far greater strain upon the educa-
tional public to maintain what has been gained
each year and TO make reliable progress.
Ard never was the North SO ready, with no
disposition to interfere in local school admins
trston and no assumption Of patronage TO pour
out H. wealth for the uplift Of the plain people
IL I ii. I. a.
enormous financial investments in the material
and industrial progress OF this section. as to-day,
The final demonstration of the oid-time South
ern aristocraey that began with the establishment
and persisted in the attempt 10
neysmentfor destroy the republic; not as an
sos.bsr, organization but through the last
Education. group of eminent statesmen the
South has sent to Congress was
lis splendid advocacy OF the Blair bill" for
National Aid to Education; three times passed
at the entreaty in the South of eighteen Of the
twenty-five Senators from the ex-Coniederate
States The history Of that eventiul ten years has
never vet been written. The North and even
New England, for good reasons. does not yet
want It written Had that great act Of states
manship become law, with only enforcement
Of average honesty, it would have furnished not
only to the present fifteen millions of the
white, but to ten millions of the painest plain col
ored Southern people to-day common school as
good as the West had enjoyed up to 1860 Thanks
10 several sorts of people, each OF whom in turn
vii be brought to the bar of the final history that
is written "by the inspiration Of Cod receive its
sentence and pass on, this great bill was defeated
But such demonstration of patriotic states
manship and political foresight has come from
the South since 1860 as this memorable Sena-
torial Discussion conducted under the anDrovaf