The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-10-25
M'Iver of North Cor
olina.
One Of the Most Useful and lmpor-
tant Men of His Generation in
America, Says DR.. Albert Shaw.

tant Men OF his Generation In
America, Says DR.. Albert Shaw.
Review OF Reviews for Octo ber.
Charles Duncan McIver, who died
suddenly last month, was one OF the
most useful and important men Of
his generation in America. If the
country did not know him we'll it
was because he was too busy serving
it's highest interests to impress him
self, as he might easily have done,
upon the entire nation. DR.. McIver
was the president of the North Caro-
lima State Normal and Industrial
women at Greensboro. That would
have been u worthy and honorable
post for any man to fill, but DR.. Nc
liver was much more than the admin
istrative head of Il school for girls
He was great educational states
man at q time and in a section where
the education of the children ought
in truth to be the foremost task of
the real leader of a State.
DR.. McIver was not quite fortysix
years old; but his influence was al
ready great and his achievement
was of the sort that saves imperiled
civilizations and transforms COM
munities. He recognized the fact
that the South was backward in it's
educational work, and from the very
day that he graduated at the Uni
versity OF North Carolina he became
an apostle OF the movement to i'm
prove the schools. He became an
organizer OF public school system in
the cities of his State, and leaderin
the work of creating rural schools
under conditions Of lack and need
such: Jas can hardly be understood in
the North. He organized and con-
Quoted teachers Institutes in all the
counties and became the great
propagandist of progress in school
affairs throughout North Carolina.
He soon came to realize the fact
that a good school system could not
be possible without IL better trained
corps of teachers, and he determined
to provide an institution that would
receive q great number of promising
girls from all parts of the State, give
them an education ut small cost, and
train them to be teachers of exactly
the type needed in the schools, par
ticularly Of the rural districts. He
appealed to the Legislature with
ultimate success, secured his apprO-
priauion in 1891, and opened his
school some fourteen years ago.
The State has dealt with him gene
rously, for DR.. McIver's enthusiasm
has never failed to carry the Legis-
lature in the direction of his desires.
Other very important educational
posts from time to time were open to
him, but he felt that his work could
best center in the direction and de-
velopment of the wonderful institu-
ton he created at Greensboro. II is
| one of the finest schools for the cul-
| ture of women in the whole world,
| and it will stand as a monument to
McIver's energy and splendid talent,
| both as an organizer and as q train
er of teachers.
In due time DR.. Mc1ver became the
leader of a remarkable movement in
his State for the adoption OF a plan
of adequate local taxation to supple.
ment State funds in the carrying on
ofschools. The Transforming results
of this campaign ought to be widely
known for their inspiratiOnal value
elsewhere. His personal influence as
all educational leader could not be
confined to the bonds OF his own
State, and he became Influential
throughout the South as one of the
half dozen foremost men in move
ment for improving schoollegislatior
and bettering practical educationa
conditions.
He was a man of remarkable elO
quence and of great readiness anG
power on all occasions in public
speech. He was famous for his wit
and for his unlimited store or anus
ing incidents and anecdotes.
| When the Southern Education
Board was formed some years ago h.
became one OF its members, and a.
chairman of it's campaign committee
his labors were incessant and O
priceless service to the cause. IL
was president of the Southern Edu
:, cation Association last year, ant
was always one OF the most promine,l
men in the National Association
. counting among his close persona
; friends the foremost educators in tn
United States throughout the Nortl
; as we'll as the South. Ifhe had chose
to turn his energies into political
channels he would have beenGoverno
l of his State and then United State
. Senator.
r His efficiency and his gifts of lead
: ership would have made him a mark
/; ed man, and a rare success in an
profession or calling. But he glorie
in the work he had chosen, and be
lieved that the right training of VIC
men, for the sake of the home an
the common school, was the mos
fundamentally important thin
with which he could possibly concer
himself: and so it was that he CAV
his strength and his life to that worl
He could be i'll spared, but he ha
builded so broadly and staunchl
that what he has done will remain
Furthermore, he had a fine gift fc
working with other men and fC
bringing forward young associate
and colleagues imbued with his idea
and spirit, and trained to promot
E educational progress along the lint
he laid down. Thus, his work wi
remain; his memory will long be hol
a ored in North Carolina; and in I'll
. loss OF. their noble educational lead'
IL many of the citizens OF his State wi
l. be the more firmly resolved to devo
p themselves to the great cause
which he was chief apostle.