The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-11-23
pIIDL1C SCHOOL SYSTEM
The Present Unjust Me thods
Are Depriving Many Child
rem of an Education

u Continual Changing Of Books q
Hardship on the Parents-some OF
the Books Unfit for an Impartial
srbool-A shame That North Car
oIlna is so Far Behind In Educa-
ton.
Mr.. Editor:-The present condi-
.,os and management OF the public
.1bool system in North Carolina
.soald deeply concern every school
,.,-on In our State. II is a refiec-
,ioD upon our people that we, who
live In such a great State as We do,
me surrounded with all the natural
blessings we might wish, land upon
vhich God has bestowed such boun-
.ful gifts, and whose sons possess
every attribute OF intelligence and
manhood, that our school system
should be so far behind our sister
States.
The reason is obvious. The DEM
ocratIc leaders use every conceivable
method to promote their cause.
whether it Expresses her citizens or
not And it seems to be that when
people speculate upon the minds
OF their young, that II Is one of the
most detestable trafics that could be
human intellect.
The one feature TO which wish to
a1 is
books. They are so frequently
changed that by the time the school
is supplied with the new books and
In good shape (for it requires about
five years to abandon the old books
and install the new ones) they
change again, thereby putting the pa
irons TO considerable inconvenience.
In fact, there are many parents who
cannot buy the new books; and |
have personally known boys to be de-
prived OF the school because they
were not allowed to attend and use
the books they had. Here in our
district it will take 1925 to supply
the students with new books, and
there is not over one hundred on
the roll. Now, just estimate the
amount used in the different coun-
ties and the sum it would take to
supply the State. The sum would be
enormous. 1t is almost all the pa
irons can stand, considering the high
produce. The only persons benefited
by such are the Democratic pie
eaters and book trusts.
Now, the cost is not the only unfair
project in connection with the book
subject. They not only use the pres
ent opportunity to satisfy their greed
but they are contriving and planning
all the while to stay in power in the
future. The books that they put in
the hands of the students and compel
the teachers to use, are partisan and
prejudiced, and used to make Demo-
cratic votes for the future. The his
tories that our young people have to
read are unfair and are meant to ex-
toll the Democratic party. The Con-
stitutiOn of our State and Nation de-
clare that all citizens have right to
exercise their own conscience, but
under the present system, our young
people are not allowed this privilege.
They have to read the books adopt
ed, 1t matters not how untrue, or be
excluded from school and deprived of
any chance to obtain an education. I
truly hope the time will come when
our youth will be loosed from the fet-
tiers which keep them bound to ignor-
ance.
One would not wonder at such a
benighted condition in the days OF
old, but it is said to be environed by
such in these modern days. Never
theless it is true. The ancients prac-
nced such, as every one who is at
all acquainted with history knows,
and our case reminds me more of the
dark days of Japan's early history
than any other. The days in which
the Shotgun exercised despotic au-
thor1ty over her subjects, surround
ed them with a Chinese wall of ig-
norance and superstition and depriv-
ed them even of reading correct his
tory of the past and knowing any
thing of their ancestors. This is be-
elouded remnant of heathendom. But
no one who studies the situation at
all can fail to see it thus.
1t is gratifying to know that many
thoughtful and considerate men, both
democrats and Republicans are be-
ginning to notice this evil. The thing
10 do is to put it to an end next
November. Everybody go to the polls
and vote for the party of progress"
the one that believes in free text
books for the students, in long terms
OF school on an economic basis, and
every other reform that will honor
This nation and maintain and even