Americus times-recorder., 1914-04-08
CIVIC EDUCATION
THROUGH DISCUSSION
University of North Carolina
Stimulates Interest in Lo-
cal Problems
(By Arthu ". Dunn, L. S. Bureau of
EducatiOn)

(By Arthu W. Dunn, L. S. Bureau 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 in the schoolhouse and at
the country roads, is the under
taking of the university of North Car.
clina. The university stands on the
doctrine of Wendell Phillips that
agitation is education. Agitation is
marshalling the conscience of ma
tion to mold its laws"
With a record of emphasis upol
debate from its founding in 1895, tn:
university has gone about it to sys-
tematize and universalize discussion
Of every conceivable question Of vital
local interest, not only by the youth
of the state in the high schools, brr
by adult organizations of farmers, Of
women, or of any other available
group.
For some years graduates of thu
university have established debating
clubs in the schools where they have
gone to teach, members of the faculty
have answered communications, ana
materials have been sent to all parts
OF the state from the university Ii
brary and the State library commls-
sion. Recently a high-schoo debat-
ing union was organized, Including
more than one hundred schools, 70
conduct Statewide debating contests.
AS a part of its extensive plans e
this direction, the extension burea
of the university has just issued a
manual on Public Discussion aaI
Debate ito stimulat discussion of
lublic questions chiefly by high
schol students, but also by commun.-
ty clubs and public organizations. :
This manual suggests a large number
of questions OF immediate interest in
North Carolina. A considerable num-
Der Of the questions are analyzed, ar
gumsnts pro and con being giyer.
References are given to easily avail
able material, much of which may be
obtained by application to the univer-
sity, to the library commission, or t.,
public Offices. In addition to this, in
structions are given as to how to org
anize 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 thY
y ork of the university lies in the way
it focuses attention upon real prob
lens of immediate local concern. For
example, it is Resolved,
THAT -- County should pro
vide medical inspector Of schools
THAT all county officials in -
County should be nominated through
a legalized direct primary;
That the stockmen is a worse en-
envy to the forests of North Carolina
than the lumberman;
THAT the town of should
establish a unsupported library;
That it is expedient for
County to increase the salaries o
it's public school-teacher at least
per cent;
THAT the farmers of - shoul,
fern a cooperative marketing assoc.
: alton"
These are only illustrative of
wide range of subjects.
The manual points out that "publi'
. discussion in North Carolina duria.
: the past decade has undergone mos
desirable change. Emphasis hither.,
placed largely on things political anc
) national, is being placed on question
!, affecting the everyday life of Nortl
Carolina. To make this change ever
more far-reaching, every North Car
olina community should resolve itsel