The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-04-11
CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, THURSDAY APRIL T. 1912
Compulsory Education
Necessary Roth for tho Whites and
- the Blacks at The South, Accord
lug to Editor Willard.

Education in the South, held here
last week, the educational needs of
the South, including the special
needs of the Negro, were discussed
by prominent speakers from all parts
Of the country. !
At the concluding session last
| Friday afternoon, Robert G.. Ogden,
OF New York, was re elected presi-
| dent for the thirteenth successive
time. Other otticerp elected were.
Walter II. Page edit5r Of the Worlds
Work; Vice president; William A.
Blair, treasurer; Pr. Hollie B. Friz-
zcll, president of Hampton Institute;
Clarence Poe, North Carolina; Har-
ry Hodgson, Georgia: A. p. Bour
land, Washington, d. c.; George
Ramsey, Kentucky; J. II. KirklS S
Tennessee; J, H. zimmerman, A: -
sas; j. Y. Youner, North Carolin..;
J. B. Aswell, louisiana r. w. Laird
Alabama; S. c. Mitchell, South Car
olina; s., P. Brooks, Florida; A. A.
Murpree4A Florida and Joseph Cook,
Mississinpi.i eceWutive committee.
In the discussion on the educa-
tional need Of the colored people in
the South. Oswald Garrison Willard,
editor Of the New York Evening Post
declaredi that the Negro was the
South'ss greatest asset, and w. D.
Wetherford. prominent Y. M. c.
A. worker in an address on THE
TrainingEef the Negro" made a plea
for better educational opportunities
for the Race.
primarily, let me say" said Mr..
Vi1iard:q9 that in no field Of the
SontherH4 educational work is there
greater Heed of cooperation and SUI
pervisiens and control as in this par
ticu1ar 0ne. No one knows how
m many SCHOOLS for Negroes there are.
DR.. DilArd of the Jeanes Rural
school Hhnd Board, has listed about
$50 Negro schools and colleges, but
there are many others, some, no
doubt, Worthless; others are placed
where there is no pressing need for
them;%aaMl othe"s have made only
pitifully IN reflective beginnings whera
the necessity for them is tremendous
some, arat simple frauds upon the
public; %eshers exist only on paper
and make . handsome living for can
vassers who play upon the benefcer-
aries of the North
when the Stokes fund was Gre
ated it seemed as if the appeal of
this opportunity must be compell-
ing, but as yet It's trustees are not
Interested. Finally there was organ
lied three years ago, and is now in
process Of careful organization, an
ambitious society, the National AS
sociation for the Advancement Of Col
ored People, which has determined
if no one else enters the field, it will
beg for means to do this great work
just as soon it had demontrated It's
efficiency and work to the general
public.
1--WE need the best brains that
the coiored people possess in this
work, stimulated by the best train
In 1S,-to-- assume-the- proper leader
ship for the little struggling heart
breaking factories for the turning
out Of honorable American citizens
Of sWarthy skins. ...-~
Finally, LET ne impress upon you,
particularly you, my friends Of the
South, that for every dollar invested
in one Of those schools you will with
draw thousands. The Negro is the
Sonth's greatest asset. Not it's riv-
ers, nor it's water power, nor it's nat
ural resources compare with the
worth to it Of its colored people,
| without whose unfuggtng labor King
Cotton, still the cornerstone of Sou
thern prosperity, would topDle from
his throne
1T is not placing it on the high
est ground to point out to you that
the new science OF scientific man.
agement alone dictate the compul-
sorry education Of every Negro as Of
every white child That policy is
folly under which in Wilcox county,
Alabama, there was expended in
1910 but $3,339.7O for the education
Of 10.75S Negro children, while $780,
| G12.75 was spent for white children
and but 80 cents u head fef eelofed
children. Who will dare say that
this is square deal for either race
| Who will dare to say that the coun-
ty that spends 80 cents year a
piece on the education of certain Of
its children deserves to reap any 9TH
er harvest when these children are
grown up. than ono Of ignorance,
| idleDess, crime and viciOusness"
SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION