The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1916-12-09
Conference on Education Was
Big Success.
Du BOIS HEADS COMMISSION
National Training School at Durham,
N. c., Host Of College Men From
Twenty States For Four Days-Pub-
i. 10 ssntlment Approves Course TAX
On by Dr.. James z. Shepard.
by N. BARNETT DoDsoN.


When the gavel sounded, closing the
conference on education at the Nation
al Training school, Durham, N. O., on
Friday evening, Nov. "a, after 1t was in
session for four days, 1t was evident
that the educators had accomplished
their purpose. Twenty states were
represented at the conference. The
commission appointed at the conclusion
Of the meeting consists Of DR.. w. E.
b. Dubois, New York; w. g. Scar
borough. president Of the Wilberforce
CO., university; ]. w. e. Bowen. At
lanta; w. ]. Hale, president Of the
State Normal college at Nashville; J..
R. Rendallia, president Of the Lincoln
university, in Pennsylvania; ]. A. Col
ton. Henderson, and DR.. A. NJ. Moore.
Durham, N. @. .s
DR.. ]. A. Cotton, principal of the
Henderson Normal and Industrial
institute, who presided at the opening
session, In presenting President Shep-
ard, who outlined the plan and scope
Of the conference, referring to the
growth and development of the Ma
tonal Training school, said, "Six years
ago when the people awoke one morn
ing and found a new school they pre-
dicted Jonah's gourd growth for the
institution, but it has survived all the
storms that have come to it."
DR.. Shepard announced that in the
general scope of the work would be in
Guided consideration Of duplication In
the schools, whether wasteful, unwise
and hurtful, and what plans ought to
be fostered to correct the evils; the ex-
tsnt Of teacher training and it's encour-
agement and how and where located (;
what system should be devised to meet
the needs. Of rural teachers; what
should be the standard Of the univer-
Sity, the college, the normal school,
teacher training and secondary schools !;
how students should be received from
one by another; to what extent reli
gious training should be carried on in
the various schools; whether there
should be q general clearing house for
Negro schools and whether the aid
given by the various boards has been
wise; helpful and economical.
Out Of the many fine ideas that were
promulgated at this meeting it will be
possible for the seven members Of the
commission to put down in definite and
understandable form just what is the
beth method to adopt toward helping
Negro education.
Northern philanthropists are grad
ually learning that all mountaineers
Of the south are not illiterate back.
woodsmen who have never seen q
train or heard of an automobile, much
less learned any Of the finer things of
life. And they are also beginning to
understand that perhaps the south un-
derstands the Negro~and is willing to
do her part, says one report Of the
conference.
Wealthy people of the north who
have wanted to help struggling race
have been imposed on by so many
takers that they are beginning to feel
that It Is unwise to make contribu-
lions to any and every kind Of insti-
tuition In the south. That feeling is
gradually being replaced by the sys-
tematic campaigns Of men Of DR.. James
b. 6hepard's type.
The commission, which is the result
OF the conference, will help to lay be-
fore the people philanthropically in
clined the real need. Of the Negro in
stdtutions, and the Endorsement Of an
institution by this commission or some
other that will follow will be guaran-
tee Of the worth Of the institutions
and the cause.