The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-28
Or. M'DAlIEL ON NEED
Of SECONDARY SCHOOL
Virginia Leads in Higher Colleges, But
Not i'm Preparatory Educa-
tional Institutions.
GIVES COMPARATIVE FACTS
Campaign Now on To Raise SI25,000
ny April 1--Somc Public school
Statistics Show We Want Shaking
Up.

Or. George w. Mcdaniel pastor of
/ the First Baptist Church, preached the
following sermon AZ his church yester-
day morning that will be of much in
lerest TO all educators In this State and
to parents who look to the future edu-
cation of their children.
My people are destroyed for lack
of knowledge. Hosea 4: g.
Virginia is especially well supplied
with colleges for men. There are five
state or semi State iBstitutions--the
( I University OF Virginia. Washington and
I.Nc, Y. Z. l., Y. NJ l. and William and
Nary--three more than most OF the
southern States and two more than
ans other Southern state. We also
have five UNCONVENTIONAL colleges for
men Randolph Macon, Roanoke Col
lege Emery and Henry, Hampden- Sid
ne% and Richmond College. For wo-
men there are an equal number. The
State has four normals---Frederick
larE, Farmv!llf. Radford and Harri-
sonhurg There are three splendid
private nstitations--Mary Baldwin,
Sweet Brlar and Hollins The denomi-
nations have two standard colleges
Randolph Macon and Westhampton.
OF the five standard colleges for wo-
men In the South. two are IN Virginia.
This Commonwealth is sadly lack
Ing. however, In primary education
and secondary schools The two sur
priscs which met me on coming to
Virginia were the vast amount OF un-
titled land and the deplorahle condi-
sion of the public schools. In Texas
every public school child has 81 from
the public school lands before any tax
is levied for school purposes. The re-
Ffr a zrh hill a Inc 70
long terms. and adequate salaries.
The man In Virginia who puts tho
rural schools upon the proper basis
will be a public banefactor. He would
he held in as endearing recollection
as the people OF North Carolina now
hold their great educational Cover
nor. AycoCk.
Comparative Schools.
Our Baptist people are equally
backward in their secondary schools.
We have only -four in the State. and
they have not tho necessary equip
mcnt. Mississippi Baptists have five.
valued at $4,000 with l.496 stu
dents Texas has fifteen. with 2,548
students Missouri has seven. North
Carolina has fifteen secondary denomi-
national schools and three times as
MANY ministerial students as Virginia
Paptists. The Methodists Of Virginia
have twice as much invested and twice
as many students as Baptlsts, There
arc two hundred Baptist students In
/ the Pedo- Baptist schools of Virginia.
The need of the secondary school
is basal for several reasons: First one
never gets the higher education until
/ he has the lower Second. any one
who has the secondary education can
secure the higher Third. compare
lively few will take the higher edu-
cation. - Fourth. all should have al
least the secondary education. There
Is tremendous significance in this logic
for Baptists. They predominant
among the piddle classes. We have
some among the higher and somt
among the lower. but in general oui
people belong to the middle classes
who are the back bone OF every Coun.
try. Unless We educate them, what
outlook has the denomination
II am aware that some depreclatt
the UNCONVENTIONAL school and ever
argue that 1t has no place In the edit
cational system. They have read his,
tory to poor advantage and are blinc
to existing facts in the United States
OF the nine members of the Supreme
Court, eight are college men. ana
seven are from UNCONVENTIONAL col
leges. Nineteen OF the twenty sever
Presidents were college men, anJ
seventeen fire nineteen were trainet
in UNCONVENTIONAL colleges. Two-third
of the college men of Congress ii
Who's Who" for 1915 graduated from
denomlnational colleges: SOC pc
cent of the theological students arr
from denominational schools. 81. 3 pc
cent of the foreign missionaries ar,
from UNCONVENTIONAL schools; S4.S pc
cent OF the homo missionaries art
from UNCONVENTIONAL schools. Tit
historic university was Christian. TIL
great universities OF this country wer
founded by Christian men. The TIVE
oldest-will,am and Mary and Har
yard---were founded through the eff
forts OF ministers OF the gospel---Par
son Blair and John Harvard
Campaign to Raise Sf25, 600.
The Baptist Education Commits
sion is In a campaign to raise S125,
900 by April / and payable by Jan
uary. 1918, for the benefit of our fou
secondary schools; two for boys
Fork Union Military Academy ant
Chatham Training School-and tw,
for girls-Roanoke Institute. at Dan
vile, and Virginia-Intermon College
at Bristol. This is $4,000 less thar
they have given In free tuition ant
reduced charges. The property O.
these schools is worth s24o. 900. ane
of that amount the local commune
ties have given 100000. Baptists OF
the State gave only $4,000; that 10
the communities In which the school:
are located have given five times al
much as the entire State. though these
schools serve the whole Common
wealth. Their present debts are but
one-seventh Of the value of theii
properties and gifts made to then
are secured by first mortgages Hence
there Is safe investment for demon.
lnation If the commission adheres
strictly TO this plan.
The services rendered by our sec
ondary schools entitIe them to support
The first two years In the Junior col
leges at Bristol and Roanoke cost
about half Of the first two years at a
standard college. and the work done
there is accepted for the freshman
/ and sophomore years of the higher
colleges. These four schools have been
attended by over 10000 boys and girls
Chatham and Fork Union have taught
140 ministerial students. Young men
enter the ministry in these institutions
Z avery yApr THEW mora than Jnefi ~