The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-24
Education in the South.

Education in the South.
In considering the question of COM
pulsory education every Southerner should
study the statistics to sec what the South
is doing for popular education DIS COM
pared with other sections. Is the South
keeping pace? Dr.. ]. L. NJ. Curry, in a
paper which has been reproduced in q
recent report of the commissioners of edu-
cation, stated that in 1850 tho North with
a population Of 100000 had, POS colleges.
1,4o7 professors, 2s,o44 students and OK
pended on her colleges s1,514.6SS and on
her academies s452s, 1871; whereas the South
with population of 100000 had 262 col
leges with LASS professors, 27,055 students
and expended on her colleges s1,6G2,a19
and on her academies s4,32s.127.
It is apparent from these figures that
at the outbreak Of the war tho South
was doing more-largely more in proper
tion-than the North for the higher cdu-
cation Of her young men and women.
Neither section was doing very much for
the public school system and In the South
contempt by the upper class.
In the matter of universities and coll
leges the South seems to be holding her
own very well with the rest OF the coun-
try. According to statistics prepared for
the New York World by the United States
Bureau of Education, 1t appears that
there are to-day In the States Of Mary
land, Virginia, North and South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Texas, Arkansas and Missouri, 152 col
leges and universities against 1923 in all
the other States in the Union and 1858
professors and teachers against 1923
in the other States. The number of stu
dents in the colleges Of these States last
session was 42::s4s against s3,7o2 in all
other States. 80
The Southern States have also shown
great progress in popular education. In
the former slave-holding States the en-
tire sum expended for public education
In 1870 was slO,3s5, 464; In 1850, s13,G56,sl4;
in 1890, ,$2e,6sO.S10 In 1900, 'ai,so5,5eS; in
1923, ,654. There has been a ma
tcrIal increase within the past yenr or
go, and It may be safely said that these
States are expending more than $4,000
900 year for public schools, or four
times as much as they spent In 1870
Yet, according to the figures published
in the International Year Book of 1902
the South is far behind other sections in
the matter Of general education. In 1900
according to this report, tho ten States
south of the Potomac and the Ohio and
cast of the Mississippi, including Louisi.
una, had % per cent. OF the total popu.
lation OF the United States and Is pei
cent. of the school population; yet only
G. -2 per cent of the total expenditures
for public schools made in these State.
and only Al per cent, Of the 1868. ~
of the public school property was within
their borders. The per capita eXpendi
ture for public schools varied from s.
cents in Alabama and 81 cents in Nortl
Carolina TO s93 in Massachusetts ant
$3.50 in Nevada The average for tn
whole country was s2.aS; for these tel
III STATES only 90 GEMS. Inc average pc
capita for these States was less than one
third OF the average OF the whole coun
try and only a little more than one-fift
for the North Atlantic and Wcster
States. The average salary paid teach
ers for the entire school year varied fror
Ss7 for men and SIS for women in Mort
Carolina to $3.50 for men and 1896 fo
women In Massachusetts The ayerag
for the whole country. exclusive OF thes
ten States, was s45502 for men and s3l2
for women; for these ten States sl75 fc
men and t15o for women The averae
a,umbcr of days OF school for each chi
OF school age varied from % In Mort
Carolina to 107 in Massachusetts. For II
North Atlantic 1t was 81 for the Nor,
Central, 81, for the Western States.
for these ten States. 49, Only 1900
the 6,ei5,l6i children OF school age
these ten States were reported as g
rolled in private schools. The total scho
fund of these ten States was only Of
million dollars more than the school fun
in Ohio.
Ea1 DO II from VS. TO say word