The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-19

whites and blacks taking higher studies,
in other words, those who entered school
four, five and six years ago, the contrast
in the attendance of whites and blacks
in the primary studies, or the pupils who
have been enrolled but recently, is as
founding This fact demonstrates clearly
the growing incentive that disfranchise-
ment furnishes the negro to enter
school,"
This deplorable state of affairs should
arouse the interest of every good citizen.
1t must be humilating to every respecta-
bic white man who has any pride of race
or state. 1t is alarming from any view
point 1t is the result of Vardamanism in
Mississippi Tillmanism In South Carolina
and In Alabama-but as I am a naNive
of this state I should be impersonal and
speak gently-let me say, however, that
the turbulent times and a dilettante
policy have not brought industrial, social
or civic advancement. Ned Brace says,
1--WE need more common sense and genu-
inc patriotism and less politics. ] don't
know that Ned Brace was thinking of
Alabama when he used this language
but conditions are as l have stated and
this state seems to be very much in need
of something that will add to civic virtue
and social and economic advancement.
Neither sectional nor partisan prejudice
will cure the ailment, nor has the ag1ta-
ton of racial. animosities contributed to
the betterment of conditions.
With Mississippi, the home OF the
president of the Confederate states,
leading in illiteracy, lawlessness and
civic degeneracy; with South Carolina,
the home of the ablest and most prom
inent defender of the peculiar insti-
buttons of the SOUTH" and Alabama. tn e
cradle of the ConfederacN We come
next to the fourth state, in ascend
ing order from the lowest. The fourth
Is Georgia. the great Empire state OF
the South" glorious in American his
ltory, the home of Stephens, Toombs,
Gordon and Hill. If you would know
the record of crime, lawlessness and
civic degeneracy in that state you need
not go to the partisan press of the
north. The Atlanta Constitution, in Its
editorial columns, and in contributed
articles from brave and patriotic Cit
liens, has told the story, and, In the
language of that fearless paper, "all
Georgia stands aghast." But the pur-
pose of this article is to deal especial
| ly with educational matters. Touching
these conditions in Georgia, the state
school commissioner, In his annual re-
port, says:
"As to illiteracy In Georgia, our CEN
sus demonstrates that 11.5 per cent of
children over 10 years of age cannot
read, which means that there are still
| "a, 3S0 illiterates in the state, of whom
about 10000 are white children and
for the neglect of whom there Is no
adequate excuse. This Is simply APP
palling, when we consider that we have
been working on the problem of pub
| lie education for white children 12G
years and have maintained our common
school system In its present form for
| more than 40 years. Since the
| last previous census In 1903 the total
| illiteracy has been reduced only 1.d
| per cent. At that rate we shall walt
| so years yet and expend more than
| 800, 900, 900 before we shall Danish IL
| literacy entirely and be rid of it's curse.
| In this illiterate residium is
where society most easily and most
often breaks down and government
| falls 1t will cost far more in money
and in tears to punish the steady flow
of criminals that issue from 1t than
to educate the whole mass"
| The gloomy view of the situation III
Georgia as expressed by the commits
sioner of education in the language
have quoted Is fully justified when we
examine the statistical tables. The
highest enrolment In Georgia was In
| 1906, when 1T reached a total of 3d.
26S;s in 1907 It was 5O9.1S2. a decrease
OF 1855, ana IN lSUds the total enroll
ment was 508,403 a decrease OF 779
as compared with the previous year,
and a decrease of 1865 from the total
enrolment of 1906.
From the documents In my possession
| and from the notes made during a per-
sonal Investigation, could furnish evil
dence of ignorance. poverty and ply
steal and civic degeneracy that would
make every good man and woman in
this state "stand aghast" have gone
into the slums of the great cities. the
remote rural sections of the north
west and the south; my work has me-
cessitated an examination OF the edu-
cational reports and penal statistics of
every state in the union. our insular