Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1927-07-07
.DAN ANLSCRITICISES
NC CHOOL SYSTEM
20 Navy Secretary Tells Appa-
ian State Normal That State
fs~-ong On Supervision but Short
On Financing

educational system, much remains to
be done before the state can con-
slider itself as having an educational
system of the first class. "The pres
ent patchwork, half state and half
local, must give way to better sys-
tenn"
This was the theme of Josephus
Daniels, former secretary of the navy
and editor of the Raleigh News and
Observer, in an address Friday morn
ing before the faculty and students
of the Appalachian State Normal
School and Watauga county citizens
who packed the Normal auditorium
to the doors.
Mr.. Daniels motored over from
Blowing Rock, where he and Mrs.
Daniels are spending a short vacation
at the Mayview Manor.
THE fact that more elementary
teachers are being trained this sum-
mer in the Appalachian State Nor
NAL School than in any other educa-
tional institution in the South is
realization of great hope and the
promise of larger future" Mr..
Daniels said. eve measure educa-
tional advance by contrasts. Twen-
ty-five years ago, if any prophet had
ventured to predict the present
| g ~
by DR.. Dougherty and faculty, he
wuold have been called an iridescent
dreamer. But here is the proof in
brick and mortar, in the thousands
of teachers all over the state trained
here, and in the sure large service
those now being trained will render.
!. What has been wrought at Appa-
lachian has in greater or less degree
been accomplished all over North
Carolina. 1t is not the goal. 1t is
! only the foundation upon which
sounder and broader educational
structures are to be raised"
Discussing the next big steps
North Carolina must take, Mr.. Dan
iels said:
"Now that the era of agitation and
sound systems of securing funds has
progressed far, the taxayers are look
ing to the teachers to turn cut a
product worthy of its cost. The
present job for the teachers is to in
sist upon thoroughness of learning, to
deny advancement in grades to all
who have not mastered the course,
and to withhold diplomas until they
are earned. There is too much leI..-
ency in these respects.
The next thing is more emphasis
on teaching and less upon supervision
and direction and executive duties.
1t was necessary to paramount these
hitherto, but the highest salaries
ought to go to teachers in the school
room, for, unless teachers can lead
the pupils into desire for learning
and help them over rough ways, the
whole business of education falls
down."
Mr.. Daniels rejoiced with all advo-
Gates of universal public education,
free to all, from the ABC's to the
post graduate instruction, in the long
strides made in the years since Ay-
cock and McIver-''the two evangels
who woke up sleeping state"
eve arc spending $30,000,000
upon public Schools" he said. "Are
we getting a dollars worth of edu-
cation for every dollar expended?
That is question for public officials
to ask and render an answer to those
who put up the money for the sup
port of public schools. Nothing less
than adequate return upon the in
vestment will satisfy the people of
North Carolina"
Discussing the vital and funda-
rental next step in public educa-
ton, Mr.. Daniels said:
"The state of North Carolina is
long on the exercise of power in the
county and school district and short
on providing the means for carrying
out directions that come down from
Raleigh. The authorities at the state
capital tell the counties how much
they shall pay teachers, prescribe the
course of study and the books to be
used in the public schools, tell trus-
tees what style of school house they
must build, and in word direct
county officials in almost every par
ticular how schools shall be conduct
ed and send supervisors all over the
state to see that a uniform system of
public schools is carried on in every
one of the one hundred counties.
"And then, at the very point of
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