The Colorado statesman., 1912-05-04
TEN YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL
PROGRESS IN NORTH CAROLINA

Mr.. ]. Y. Joyner, superintendent of
of public instruction for this state,
has just given to the public a state
ment of educational progress in
North Carolina during the last de-
cade. From this statement it appears
that there were 23S,000 colored chill
dren OF school age in 1910 and $4,000
white, making total of 735,000 with
an average school term of los days
for white and 94 for colored. 1t is
also gratifying to note that this in
crease In days has been marked by
2S per cent. as to white and and 20
per cent. as to colored, and there is
put forth plans and suggestions which
II enacted into law will so increase
the school term throughout the state
as to make 1t not less than six
months anywhere. Such measures
cannot but meet with the hearty ap-
proval of all even though they call
for increased taxation. Experience
has shown that those states are for
ward in material character and
strength Of their public schools. The
backwardness of the south is due
more to the decadence of their public
schools than to any other cause. and
her present awakening is also pro-
portionate to the seriousness with
which she has grappled with the pub
lie school problem.
There is more, however There are
s,369 white teachers in the state and
2.793 colored with average monthly
ca1 urht q
to $34.47 and colored $23.4S. The con-
clusion is obvious that the colored
teacher controls a larger number of
pupils for about two-thirds the pay
and besides works under time. This
Is hardship which the colored teach
er must bear until the change comes.
There is certainly no clearer reason
for the dirth of colored teachers for
the rural schools than that given by
the above facts. A man can make
more at common labor and have
steadier job than he can teaching
school for $23 a month, and a good
cook or laundress might find her
monthly balances far in excess of that
of her sister who teaches a colored
school. This lack of adequate salary
for colored school teachers makes
school teaching a makeshift which in
the end proves unsatisfactory to both
the teacher and the state. Some plan
will eventually be provided which will
assure the teacher living salary and
thereby cause a larger number of
trained men and women to devote
their lives to this line of race uplift.
1t is noted that no word is said by
the superintendent about compulsory
education. This is of course a ques.
tion upon which honest men may diff
fer. Still there appears many cogent
reasons why North Carolina should
have such law, and enforce it. The
masses of the people of the state
need education of such kind and char
acter as will make them better citi
zens. The industrial turn which all
| education of the masses is taking
spells new day for the development
of the resources of our state and
country. Should North Carolina take
the lead in providing adequate and
necessary facilities for the intellectual
and industrial training of both races
and make it compulsory for every one
of school age to be trained until he
has acquired enough book learning
for the purposes of his life work and
enough skill to make living with
his hands? Such policy If adopted
and adhered to would make North
Carolina the model state of the
Union.