The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-06-12

their lives in wondering why she has
made such poor progressN Where
forty years ago there was absolute
illiteracy, today there are about three
millions of the negro race in the pub
lie schools.
Of all the philanthropic donations
that have been given in the past thir-
ty years for education which amounts
to over $600,000,000 less than three
per cent of this immense sum has
come southwark, and less than one
per cent has been for the education
of the southern white people. These
statistics show that the South has
been fighting her battles alone and
they have been fought we'll, for it is
estimated that according to our
wealth, we are now spending ten
times as much for education as the
New England states.
furthermore, the South has always
been a leader in the development of
the American commonwealth. 1t was
a Southerner that first struck the
note of independence. It was a South
ern COLONY that first unfurled her ban
ner in behalf of constitutional liberty
1t was Southerner who led the
armies of the Revolutionists to vic
tory land when victory had been won,
it was Southern intellect and southern
patriotism that created the Federal
constitution. Thus in the council
chamber and legislative halls, in the
camp or in the field of battle, oppos-
ing invading armies or fighting for
principals of right, the South's public
career presents the record of a life,
of civilization and of leadership,
so pure and noble that the world to-
day holds nothing equal to it.
Now may l speak directly to you
who are to be declared graduates of
this institution? 1t is true that we
no longer have the problems of the
"ante bellum" days to solve 1t is true
that the status of our educational and
commercial activities was never bet
ter. Yet, let me insist that they were
never better. Yet, let me insist that
there never was time in the history
of our Southland that demanded q
better prepared or a more consecrated
womanhood and manhood, than at the
present.
Our people are becoming less An
glo-Saxon and at the same time our
land is becoming more populous. The
thrush of outside capital is making
our commercial activities more com
plex and less satisfactory. Soon the
opening of the Panama canal will
bEneasp hEf sE94 N2 8HE onsibility and will
Your own proud and conspicuous
state that looks back with pride to the
days of her Calhouns is now facinp
the greatest crisis in her political his.
tory. The day has arrived when YOU
must rise to the plane of the good
thinking people of your state or fall
to the level of the rabble. Therefore
l believe that may say, without fear
OF contradiction, that no previous
class has ever gone out from this in
stltutlon with a louder and more def
mite call to leadership, than this one.
l appeal to you young ladies who
are just launching out on the voyage
OF life, to become leaders in the things
that will make for us a better and
greater Southland. lie me warn YOU
now, not to become embarrassed be-
cause you go out from a small insti
tuition, for l frankly believe that one
OF the greatest assets to the educa-
tlonal problem of the South TODAY, is
the small private institution. l am
sorry to see that there is a general
tendency to ignore that great work
OF the small college. 1 stand in a
state of perplexity when l contem-
plate the day when such institutions
as this one will have lost their identi-