The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-16

gest return to society in the progress OF
virtue and probity among its members
and in abe final adjustment of g social
complications and abuses, that one force
is education. Unfortunately neither busi-
ness men nor educators give half enough
thought to the tendencies CT civilization
and the direct influence borne upon these
tendencies by education would take
the broad ground that no adequate ap-
probation of the problems of modern
life will be reached until men Of affairs
come to regard problems Of politics and
society as fundamentally educational, and
until teachers learn to look upon the
whole problem of education as essentially
sociological. Fortunately, however, the
deep and abiding Interest OF the American
people in matters OF education and their
realization of educational needs. do
not hang upon their general rccos-
milton OF SO far-sweeping a truth
The day has long since passed when it
was necessary for. educational enthusiasts
to keep ever before the public all the CO
gent arguments in favor of education in
general and public education in particu-
lar. Few to-day have the tenerity to
confess their indifference to the subject,
and none, their antaxonisin. But the
trouble Is there are so many people who
are interested in education in the ab-
stract, and So few who are willing to be
taught lesson from the dull gray book
of facts and figures. 1t is this
lesson from the book Of facts and
figures which the Intelligent people
of Virginia to-day stand most In need Of
being taught. The burning question with
us are:. What are the Immediate needs OF
our educational system, and how may
they be most effectively met? And these
are questions which ought not to be ASKED
without receiving a definite and fearless
reply-a reply that does not shrink from
the revelation of our present inadequncy
and content itself with yolcing the mar
Vicious measure Of our educational pro-,
,gress and heroism. 1t will not suffice to
fall back in extenuation upon the noble
and coura geOus cxertions already made IN
behalf of education. and to point the fin
ger of apology to the insuperahle obsta-
Giles we have encountered In working out
even partially efficient system of edu-
cation. The accomplishments of our peo-
pie in this regard need no apology. Only
the intelligent conservation and the sac.
rihcial service of our noblest, though too
often our obscurest, spirits could have
made them possible. That the margin Of
the unachieved is not far broader is our
reasonable glory. But tho appalling fact
remalns-whatever may have been Its III
innate cause-that In Virginia to-day,
eleven out Of every hundred white persons
over ten years Of age are still cropping in
the horrible darkness OF illteracy while
the average length Of the school term
for every child between the ages OF s and
Is is less than 30 days In the year 1t Is
with such homely actuallties as these
that the people of Virginin-and especially
see OF the urban communiti es-need to
he brought face to face.
We are an integral part OF n nation
whose just pride Is the success OF her
stupendous scheme Of democracy. But
the basal assumption OF democracy Is
that potential political equality of lis
people which an Inadequate system Of
schools alone can give, And when VIC
speak of democracy We must bear in
mind that In Virginia. In common with
the rest OF the South, the triumph OF
democracy Is comparatively modern
achievement. The whole struggle Of our
people for constitutional equilibrium dur
Ing the first half h the nineteenth cen
fury was The endcayor to adjust n demo.
cratic organization OF government to an
aristocratic organization of society based
upon the existence OF slavery as an in
stitution, II was only when the whole
social fabric was torn aside az an i'm
| mediate result of the Civil War that the
| beginning Of q real democracy was had
The common white man became a pos
| sible entity In politics and society. In
an aristocratic society. where the dogma