The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-01
National Aid Necessary

w nile each or the southern StdleS las
 recognized the necessity for universal
 education at public expense, while each is striving heroieally to meet its cblga- | tions in that respect, and while each is making commendable progress under eY- | lsting conditions, the task is only begun.
 "If the south were as wealthy and | productive as other sections Of equal | area and population, which is not true l by reason of the ravages of war and | the presence of the negro, 1t would re- l quire about one and one-half times their 1 rate of taxation to give to her children advantages equal to those provided by l ether sections for theirs, for the reason | that the south is confronted with the 1 irremovable necessity of maintaining a | dual system of schools. #sfE ta l If this be a correct diagnosis Of the case. what Is the remedy? I may be mistaken, but in the absence of actioi- 1 by the national government 1 see no hope | of prompt and effective relief. Con- I gress must make an adequate annual ap- propriation for purposes general edu- | cation, to be apportioned among all or | the states of the union upon the basis | oi iliteracy, and to be expended by the several states through the channels al-
 ready established. Such apportionment would place most of the appropriation where it is most needed and therefore where it would accomplish most good. "The plan suggested would leave the di- 1 rect administration of the fund with the individual states where it properly be- l longs. Shall the federal government | make appropriations for the building Of
 lccks and dams, for the deepening of
 rivers and digging of canals, for the irri- 1 gation of arid lands, for the construction 1 of public highways, for farm demonstra- I tion purposes. for the eradication of the
 boil weevil and the cattle tick and at
 the same time neglect the nobler and more important duty of preparing the masses of it's people for citizenship.
 "The educational problem peculiar to the south was created by the national l government, and that government is in l duty bound to assume it's share iof the work in solving that problem.
 "If the continued inaction of the national government renders it necessary for one or both of the races to receive meager educational advantages, it Is best for all concerned that for a season the advan- tage should go to the dominant race; be- cause the best way to secure universal education for the negro is to give univer- sal education to the white man. The more you educate people in the right way, the more willing and eager do they become to give education to others. "Educate tho white man properly and
 
 Whitfield Speaks
 | Defects in our public school sys- tom are responsible for the desertion of boys of 1he country for the city, 1 for neglect of health and for much of what he termed civic ghteousness according to IT. L. Whitfield, presiden [. Of the Mississippi Industrial Institute and College, who read paper at the | 4t
 al association here today. Ills subject was, "rhe Need of a New Conception of Common School for tho South" | The church also came in for some crit cism in his paper.
 While Mir. Whitfield declared he was not pesslmst he. in effect, called for q regeneration of methods of educa- tion in public schools as being needed to make amends. for what he termed shortcomings of present day methods. On the subject of the prevalence of pre- ventable diseases he said: Tt k due to popular ignorance that these dis eases continue year by year But at what door can the responsibility for this be laid but at that of tho public school?" He gave public health bus reaus credit for much good, but point cd 10 tho fact that they dealt largely with adults and not with tho nhlidran | in lis period of training. The same ar- raignment he made Of the absence of proper physical training 10 insure a ! healthy mind in healthy body. There | is expended in this country every year for worthless patent medicines more than three times as much money as is evpepded for pabI}c education, A what door should Inc responsibility bs lad except that Of tBs public school s --the only agency tLat can reach and remove the caCsew
 ! Continuing Professor Whif6fld sst cd If the schools were making better citizens. if high ifeals prevail, afe pub lie officials aetuated bY highest nc. tives, is inc home life ail tbsf it should | be. was n0t tbe contest bstWesf iH gof and capital 1n1Ufirg tfls south, Wsy were the sons Ds farmers lssvi0s fBsjs | homes for Hfb8H e0ngGsgDiaiss fH sslejj large UUfabefs, what o49sss effffse, ti1e matter of public ppofSfsm-tC s1i saHeye4 argumenfs bs 8aa Bht 0ge aHsweF $40 declared
 "To my mind thsfe eSh Bs bgt 914 answer. fife schools b8ys beeg fD4 busy iB doing tBh scared work o, hapGipR abstract Ssg DwYe4gs ft98 ? along the 1iDs of ths changing eeae1 2 atious tD give tiB2s 4fG fHDft ~ ssR- plying the GsrissGs fer ftlsse fsgl an4 larger human BAsGs, WA81 Ws aas much needed ts bgt Hse}@sy the seagf. ton ef s01ist DfS46qss eD sf7s effcFft 1 bus 2 FaHse4g fsSf2&Sfl4ef9p Df fA. whole seb09t ~ffh fekefsHse tg fl3e ~. turs fOYfs, social, fi9499f9H9g sEd lafe VI:
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