The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-03-16
SEN. IRWIN SPOKE SATURDAY
OPPOSED PROPOSED COMPULSO-
RY EDUCATION LAW.
Says 1t Is Contrary to Our Form of
Government, and Means More
Money For Negro Schools.

Government, and Means More
Money For Negro Schools.
Senator ]. R. Irwin delivered an
address at the court house Saturday
morning in opposition to the compul-
sorry education movement, and was
heard by an attentive audience of a
hundred or more people.
Mr.. Irwin believes that this pro-
posed legislation is dangerous to the
state and destructive of it's best in
terests, and bases his opposition on
two grounds-that such law
would be contrary to every theory of
our form of government, and would
increase the amount of money white
property owners would have to pay
for negro education.
Dealt With Statistics.
The Speaker asserted that out Of
100000 white children of school age
in Georgia there are only about o.
900 who are totally illiterate, and
that most of these illiterates are
mentally or physically defective and
could not be reached by compulsory
education. Of $4,000 negro chill
dren of school age, he said, only ten
per cent are totally illiterate, and
not over 10000 are unable to read
and write.
The Seantor followed these figures
with the statement that the effect of
compulsory school attendance would
be to educate negro children at the
expense of whites, and quoted more
4 statistics in standardization of this
n line of his argument. Out of a
school population of $4,000 colored
children there are only 10000 in
attendance, he declared, at cost of
$3.50, 900 year. If it costs the state
S750,000 to educate 10000 negro
children, he continued it would cost
$1,750,00O to educate $4,000, which
will necessarily have to be done
if the compulsory school system
is inaugurated; thus from the school
fund of 100000 would be taken
the sum of $1,750,00O for negro
education, leaving only about ST.
225,0 900 for the white schools and
cutting the amount for the education
of white children nearly in twain.
4 The negroes pay only $250,000 a
+ year toward the school fund, the
\ speaker said, and the 100000 the
whites now contribute toward edu-
eating the blacks will be increased to
$I750,000 if compulsory attend
ance law is pa sed.
Paternalism and Capitalization.
Here Senator Irwin, having con-
Guided the statistical and financial
part of his argument, branched off
on another line. He said:
The proposed law is contrary to
every theory of a republican form of
II government 1t teaches the theory to
the youth that the people and the
VI children belong to the government;
1t teaches the principles of paternal-
Ism and Capitalization, and would
place in the hands of the government
me business belonging to the indi-
n Wdual and undertake to augment
state government by encroachments
y upon rights of the individual. 1t
enters the home, disrupts the time
honored relation of parent and child,
uSurps parental responsibility, and
snakes tilial love and respect. The
heart as we'll as the intellect must
ne educated; the child to be made a
good citizen must be trained morally
and spiritually if the best results are
TO be had.
Compulsory Church Attendance.
The state cannot assume to cul-
II uVate the intellect, and ignore the
moral training of the child. 1t can
noC divide its responsibility with the
parent. If it assumes responsibility
LOT the intellectual training it must
assume responsibility religiously and
morally; hence, in the establishment
oI compulsory school attendance
.nere must necessarily follow in time
co4lpulsory Sunday school and COM
~ pulSory church attendance. The sys-
ZEN is lifted for no free government,
guU Is adapted only to empires, king
UoLllS and principalities.
From a Local Standpoint.
IN conclusion Mr.. Irwin said the
eneCt OF the law in Terrell county
~oulG be disastrous. OF 1900 ne
f. ~ children of school age only about
,zoO are in attendance, at an ap-
SPpooo o cost of $4,000. If the A.
~ We're forced into school by a
compulsory law the cost would be
about $4,000, which large amount
ouiu greatly increase the school tax
ieaVe very little for the 1000
county.