The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1913-01-16
NORTH CAROLINA GIVING ITS
COUNTRY CHILDREN POOR
STCHANCE IN AMERICA
EXCEPT NEW MEXICO

Isl OFAlNOE lin AMERlOA-
EXCEPT NEW MEXICO
(From the Progressive Farmer)
The country boys and girls OF
NORTH Carolina today have a poorer
chance for an education than chill
dren anywhere else in the Unitei
States except New Mexico. That IS
the fact-the startling, alarming
fact-brought to light by an Official
diagram just published by the Uni
ted States government. Our city
schn OILS, the SCHOOLS for city boys
and girls in North Carolina, are
about up to the American average;
but for cur country boys a,Id girls,
as this startling official table shows,
the average school term in North
Carolina is VET the lowest in the
American Union with the single ex-
ception of wild End woody New
Mexico. Ony New Mexico, the
land of Indians AID Mexican areas
ers,'' saves us tom being at the
foot of the whole list.
And there is no excuse for such
conditiofAabs olutely no EXCUSE.
oh, well" some one may say,
"of course, North Carolina is giving
its country bows and girls a School
term of only 93 days, while some
other states are giving 40 and 100
days; but the explanation is that
the other states are SO II iCkly Dopu-
lated. We haven't So m~nv people
per square mile, and BESIDES we
have to support schools for two
races
But this explanation will not dc,
bre+hren; it will not hold water.
N w Mexico with less than peo-
Pie per square mile, furnishes Drac'
tiCaIly as long a school term as we
furnish with As, people per square
mile.
Of the fifteen states in the union
D DIVIDING the longest school term Of
all for their country boys and girls,
Isl days or more-nine are ates
witch have smaller population per
square mile than ninety hree y
Moth Carolina. Both Cali ornid
and Nebraska, with an average
population per square mile of lily
IS, less than one-thlrd that 0;
North Carolina, are giving their
country boys and girls over no.
Gays school tenn, willie North Car
DINA, with an average population
per square mile three tim IS as great,
and white population over twice
as great, is giving only ninety three
days school term.
Or there is Washington with less
than half as many people per square
mile as either North or South Caro-
lima, which nevertheless furnishes
her country children 16t days
against our ninety-tllree days.
Moreover, Utah, with o'lly-one
fifth as many people per square
mile as there are white people alone
per square mile in the Carollnas,
has a 157-day rura! term against
our ninety-three dayS-and yet we
think ourselves so much better and
so much better civilized than those
heathen" MoImons!
No, friends, there is 10 excuse
for us. There is nothing to do ex-
cept to first confess that we hsve
sinned against our own flesh and
blood and then proceed 10 bring
forth fruits meet for repentance.
We have increased our average
school term month and m IRE since
1900, but we are still at the foo, OF
the list-along Wit! half breed New
Mexico.
A six months school term, even
if it must come through a five Cent
increase in the state levy to be paid
out drought the state treasury Gas
already advocated bp the Fam1rs
Union and the Teachers Assembly
is imperati> e.
1t IS no time tor straddlers. There
are let OF people who will tell you
they are in favor of six months
school term for all country boys and
girls If so-and-so. The only man
who will really count in this fight is
the man who is absolutely and un-
qua!ifiedly for the six-mon,hS term.
no matter what else happens, with
out any ifs and "ands," ano
without strings whatsoever tied t.
the proposition.
There are other needed reforms
but I'VE must let them stand on their
merits. Othe- Interests have hal
heir way long enough in Nortl
Carolina, regardless OF What hap
pened to the country boys and girls
and farmers propose now to demanc