The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-07
CIVIC EDUCATION
 THROUGH DISCUSSION.
University of North Carolina stinu lates Interest in Local Problems.

(By Arthur w. Dunn, U. g. ouACd0
 of Education.)
 The arousing of a. Statewide civic consciousness and civic interest among young and old by means of discussion of live questions of local concern 1n the schooIhouse and at the country crossroads, is the undertaking of the university of North Carolina The university stands on the doctrine of Wendell Phillips. that agitation IS education. Agitation is marshaalfng the conscience of a nation to mold it's laws
 With a record of emphasis upon de- bate from its founding in 1795, the university has gone about 1t to system atize and universa1ize discussion or every conceivable question Of vital to- cal interest, not only by the youth or the State in the high schools. but by adult organizations of farmers, of wo- men, or of any other available group.
 For some years graduates of the university have established debating clubs in the schools where they have gone to teach, members of the faculty have answered communications, and materials have been sent to all parts of the State from the university libra ry and the State library commission Recently a. high-schoo1 debating union was organized, including more than one hundred schools, to conduct State wide debating contests
 As @ part of it's extensive plans In this direction, the extension bureau or the university has just issued man ual on Public Discussion and Debate ssto stimulate discussion of public questions chiefly by high-school stu dents, but also by community clubs and public organizations This man ua1 suggests a large number or QueS- tions of immediate interest in North Carolina A considerable number of fT7a ments pro and con being given. Ref erences are given to easily available material, much of which may be ob- tained by application to the univer- sity. to the library commission, or to public offices. In addition to this, instructions are given as to how to or ganize for such discussions and how to conduct them.
 While some of the questions sug- gested for discussion are of national significance the chief value of the work of the university lies in the way It focuses attention upon real prob lens of immediate local concern. For example, it is Resolved,
 .sThat County should pro- vide a medical inspector of schools; That all county officers in - County should be nominated through a, 1egaIized direct primary; l s.That the stockman is worse en- erny to the forests of North Carolina lfthan the lumberman;
 That the town of - should establish a tax-supported library: | ssThat it is expedient for ------- County to increase the salaries of its public schooI-teachers at least 25 per cent;
 should form a cooperative marketing i association
 These are only illustrative Of wide range of subjects
 | The manual points out that public | discussion in North Carolina during zhe past decade has undergone a most desirable change. Emphasis hither- | to placed largely on things political
 and national. is being placed on ques- tfons affecting the everyday life of North Carolina To make this | change even more far-reaching, every | North Carolina community should re- solve itself into a comm unity club and devote itself serio ously to the quiet persistent study of its economic, so- Ecia1, educational, and religious prob Items.
 s.The. plan Of organization and the | method of procedure in such clubs
 should be simpler than that of the
 school societies. Their object should
 be open, frank, earnest discussion. The building up of a strong, construc- l tive, community spirit, and commun- ity interest should be a second object | Out of such discussions, characteriz- ed by such a spirit, will inevitably
 come the solution of problems upon | which the welfare of the community absolutely depenos.
 eff a place of meeting is the only obstacle in the way of the formation
 of such a club, the local schoolhouse can we'll be used for this purpose. Ii | ought to be widely used and made
 the real social center of the commun- ity.''
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