The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-12-17
FEDERATION OF SCHOOLS.
New Secondary School Condi-
tions in North Carolina to be
Met-What the New Plan Is.

New Secondary School Condi-
tons in North Carolina to be
Met-What the New Plan Is.
The Wilson correspondent of
The Charlotte Observer sent the
following to that paper under
date of the 18th inst:
The most important question
which came before the Baptist
State Convention was settled at
the session to-day. During the
past five years the problem of
the Baptist secondary schools
has been constantly before the
denomination. The State school
system, with it's rapid growth
and the establishment of county
high schools, has resulted in in
jury to many of the denomina-
tional high schools. Some of
these institutions have passed
out of existence. In the con-
vention at Wilmington a year
ago a committee was appointed
to consider the conditions and
formulate a plan to be adopted
by the Convention. Many were
in favor of aggressive move
ments, and there were those who
were opposed to the State high
school system.
The committee, through C M.
Beach, chairman, reported this
morning. The report, after re-
citing the conditions, proposed a
system of federation. Its rec
concentrations were adopted by
the Convention after consider
able discussion.
Mr.. J. w. Bailey, in a master
ly address, clearly stated the
condition and endorsed the plan
proposed. At the request of
The Observer correspondent Mr..
Bailey gives this statement Of
his position and it represents the
views Of the leadership of the
Baptist denomination in this
State on this question.
THE Baptists must recognize
that the State has entered upon
a progressive policy of secondary
education. We cannot compete
with the States public high
schools and it is folly to under
take to do so, It is the part of
wisdom to give these our sup
port, to vote the necessary local
taxes and in every way heartily
support the States policy. On
the other hand we have the op-
portunity to establish in twelve
or fifteen well-selected commun-
tiles a series of secondary in.
stitutions. We should not Offer
them as means of mere denomi
national education: we Offer
them only as making for oul
mission Of establishing the king
dom of God Oh earth. Our ques
ton now is, Shall we undertake
to do this or shall we abandon
the secondary field altogether
l am for accepting this las
chance to round out our Baptis
! system of schools"
The recommendations of thu
committee were as follows
First, that this Convention ap
! point a committee consisting O.
one representative each from si1
: Baptist secondary schools, Walk
Forest College, the Baptist Uni
: versity for Women, the secretar.
| Of missions, the secretary O.
Sunday schools, the secretary O.
: mountain schools and the edito
: of The Recorder, which shall b.
known as the Baptist secondary
! school board of North Carolina
Second, that this board shall a
: soon as practicable select sucl
secondary Baptist schools as ma.
be deemed wise, which school
shall be made centres of Baptis
effort to equip, and as soon a
, possible to endow them SO far a
is necessary to secure perma
| nence and general usefulness
Third that in the selection o
? these schools the board shall en-
; deavor " distribute so as to Gov
: er all sections of the State and t
locate where expenses will be a
} low as is consistent with tn
grade of work required; Fourth
l that the following requirement
be made of the schools before sc
lections:
"O, The schools to be per
! petually owned and controlled b
!; a board of trustees, who shall re
port annually to the genera
: board; (2), that the principal c
, each Of said schools shall be
y member of a Baptist church, an
= the faculty as far as practicable
(3), that the schools shall agre
: to uniform curriculum to be d.
!. termined by the board; az, thu
n each school shall agree to canvas
+ supposed to be dead, or of his r