The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-07-16

"
cation, such as Mrs. Helen A. Whit
ing of Georgia, and through the work
Of teachers, largely women, in the
teacher-training institutions, both in
the North and South, a program of
elementary education is being evolv-
ed for the Negro schools that as
as, and in some cases
better than, anything being done in
the white schools, Miss Carney said.
In the secondary schools, Miss Carn
ey believes, less progress is being
made, though it is these schools that
are growing most rapidly. The diff
Guilty with the high schools lies, Miss
Carney feels, in the tendency to fol
low the pattern Of formal secondary
education, to seek to meet the re-
quirements of rating associations,
rather than to develop freely the
type of life-related education, which
IS needed to meet the needs Of the
people.
In the field Of higher education,
Miss Carney spoke particularly of
the work that has been done by At,
lanta University, where, she remind
cd her audience, the first sociological
study of Negro life was carried on
by DR.. Dubois nearly forty years
@go, and where the first consciousness
of the value Of social education In
Negro schools was born In the affil;
alton Of Atlanta University with
Spelrnan and Morehouse Colleges
Miss Carney saw piece Of most
important educational pioneering,
and she praised highly the work of
DR. John Hope in bringing about the
evolution Of university in Atlanta.
and a university, moreover, where
the relation Of education to life is
constantly emphasized.
Other contributions Of the Negro
schools to education generally were
cited by Miss Carney In the early
days Of the missionary schools, she
recalled the large part that character
education and spiritual training had
in the lies of the students. During
formative years Of the great educa.
tional and philanthropic foundations,
the principle Of cooperation through
the various elements in the communi
ty was stressed, and developed even
more III the Negro schools than iii
the white schools. Through the Slat.
er Fund, the county training school,
which was the forerunner Of the Ne
gro high school, was evolved, and the
foundation was laid Tor the develop
ment Of a great system Of secondary
education for Negroes. Two major
CONTRIBUTIONS towasd the improve.
ment of education made by the Gen
eral Education Board, Miss Carney
said are sometimes overlooked or un
dervalued. These were the demon
stration teacher, whose work has vir
tually reyolutionized teaching stand
ards in the South and the develop
ment in each Southern state Of q
state for Negro schools, who by his
presence in the state department Oh
education serves as an effective
sfriend at court" for the otherwise
unrepresented Negro teacher and pu
pill. The Jeanes Fund, Miss Carnc,
declared, deserves great credit fol
developing the best type of schoo
supervision in this country. The type
of supervision, which the Jeane
teachers have evolved, has been iii
troduced in all parts Of the world
and has influenced the course Of life
related educated everywhere, sh
said.
Speaking Of the needs of Negr
schools, Miss Carney declared tha
the first is for more money, and sh
asserted the only way for the Soutl
ern states to get it S through feders
aid to the schools. She praised th
action Of Negro leaders in securin,
the amendment Of the federal educs
ton aid bill before Congress as
notable contribution to progress. Til
great need of Negro education, nov
rs it has always been, is the close
adoption of this education to th
needs of the rural population, whicl
make up the great mass of the race
The only great educational NOV
ments, she told the students, hav
been those in which the leaders hav
sought to meet the needs of tn
people.
Eve must always remember tina
as teachers we are agents, cntruste
with the largest possible responsible
ity to the lowly people she declared
II am glad that the great institutions
such as Atlanta University where yo
have met this summer, are showin
such constructive interest in the VI
derprivileged and depressed popul;
tions Of this country"