The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-02
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1905.
Is It a Mere Coincidence.

3 ID ? T
The staff correspondent OF the Balti-
more Sun, writing from Columbia S. u,
where the Southern Conference for Edu-
cation was recently in session, gives n re-
view of the work recently done and no"
being done in the South in the interest
Of public schools. In substance he says
that in North Carolina q Statewide
4 agitation for education WIS conducted
two years ago. and as q consequence,
y the schools are being greatly improved
and the State has loan fund for the
erection Of new school houses There
4 are now more than 1000 school libraries,
whereas a few years ago there were prac-
4 tically none. Many of tho districts have
n voted for local taxation to improve their
schools. The new agricultural building
Z at the Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege at Raleigh, is one of the finest Of
its kind in the country, while the new
motel dormitorles and other improve
ments at the State Normal College, at
Greensboro; the new buildings at the
State University, and many other col.
leges, show notable improvement He
continues:
.ln South Carolina Governor Hayward
and State Superintendent Martin, with
Dr. D. B. Johnson. Mr. a. F. Gonzales
.s&nnd a host of others. are leading a sinh
lar popular movement.
Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi and
Texas are falling into line, while in Louis
lana. under Superintendent Atwell, the
whole State Is being aroused. Tennessee
4 has in some respects done moro than any
Of the rest. BY a law to consolidate
school districts, over 1.60o$weak and In
effective schools were wiped out and
merged into larger schools. and the sys-
TEN has been silly advanced. DR..
Brown Ayres. who succeeds DIR. Charles
q W.Dubney as president of the University
of Tennessee. Is inaugurating Il vigorous
policy, while at Nashville there is al
ready assured the establishment of q
great teachers college, TO be known as
the George Peabody College for Teach
ers Professor Wyckliffe Rose. the dean,
is one OF the most energetic and effec-
tive young men In the South. He has
waged n. campaign for n year that has
resulted In Tennessee giving $4,000 TO
Peabody College and has secured the
pledge Of slooo.oo from the Peabody
Fund, while J. Pierpont Morgan has
agreed to give s25o,ooo II others Will dupll-
cate that amount Dean Rose Is nottyot
satisfied. He wants to use tho s2,0oo,00o
as an endowment, and In addition obtain
enough moneys, 100000 or soto erect
hapdsome buildings and give them thor
ough equipments I.
In referring Ia educational progress
in Virginia, no refers Mt some length to
the MAY campaign which is soon to
begin. saying:
The movement is designed to arouse
public sentiment in favor of q school thai
will give every child nine months In.
struction in the year. high schools lr
every county, we'll trained teachers. bet
ter supervision Of schools. the introduc'
ton OF agricultural and Industrial tram
ing in tho schools, the promotion OF
libraries and the organization of Citi
zens' Education Association in every ely
and county to aid the superintendent ant
teachers, to further, the consolidation nnt
Improvement of the schools by local tax
alton. and .tc improve the school houses
and grounds,
Our special purpose IN publishing TN
review is to direct attention to coin
cidence. Several years ago number 0
educators from the North and from IN
South met together and had Il confcrchc
in the interest OF education. The con
ference was SO pleasant and instructiv
and the Southern Conference for Educa
ton has now become I'm institution. !
has been severely criticised, and fror
some sources denounced as 'fanke
movement" in disguise, designed to cdu
cate the negro md teach him false nc
tons. We suggest to all such critic
that in y spirit Of fairness they pu
aside the question Of motive, which
at best a matter of opinion, and juda
this movement by its results. These di
tinguished educators from the Mort
have Been coming down here for veal
and minglng with distinguished educ;
tors of the South, and II there has bee
any disposition, except on the part (
one or two fanatics to drag in the neg
question in any objectionable manner, '
huve not heard Of st.; but there was mar
fast at every conference and In eve
possible way disposition to promo
the cause OF universal education. II
conferences have been held from we
10 year, and the great educational mov
Is ment, reviewed b. the correspondent
the Baltimore Sun, began about the tn
that the second conference was held, a
has gained enormous momentum fro
year 10 year.
This coincidence may be accidental,
we do not believe It. II is fair inf
ence. and altogether logical, that I
prosress in education Is the direct o.
growth OF the Southern Conference
Education. The Southern men and v
men who went 70 these conferences fr
year TO year returned 10 tneir homes
Unused for education They went 70 W
10 stir up The people anu improve