The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-03-17

Illiteracy in our state was reduced
, from 1871 per cent in 1920 to 10
pcr cent in 1880. Among the ma
, tive white people. illitcracy is 90
rcr cent and among the negroes,
I is 2O.6 per cent. In other words
over 90 per cent Of the colorcd
people in our state are illiterate.
Providing for higher education
among our people, we have Il IN
stitutions for higher learning,
This figure includes those for the
colored people as well as the
white. The State University at
Chapel Hill. which by the way was
the first State University to open
it's doors in America; Duke Uni
verSity at Durham: and the State
College of Agriculture at West
Raleigh. are the three major in
situations Of higher learning IN
the state.
This article is not intended TO
be an editorial one. nor it it a dl-
rect plea for educational facili-
ties; but it must be mentioned
that the fact of the matter is, edu-
cationally speaking, North Caro-
lima ranks 47th in our country.
And this in state, which, we are
told. has a per capita wealth OF
| $l73l. Are we, rs Il state, educa-
ton conscious?
North Carolina is rich in his
torical lore. Volumes could be
and doubles have been written on
early North Carolina history. Suf-
/ flee il to mention briefly some OF
the more or less salient facts CON
corning our states historical sig
nificancc. "Thc first permanent
settlements in our state were
made in 1863. in the Albcmarle
section" 1t is recorded fact,
however. that settlements were
first attempted in l5Si-S7 on
Roanoke Island, under the spon-
sorship of Sir Walter Raleigh.
These attempts failed. The birth
of the first white child on this
side of the Atlantic took place
within the confines Of what is
now the State of North Carolina,
in 1887. and the name of that
child was Virginia Dare. Her fate
is unknown.
There are 100 counties in our
state. The Oldest counties, num-
her two. They are, Currituck and
Pasuuotank. which were founded
in 1872. Henderson county was
founded in 1898, or nearly 100
years ago.
We can only mention some Of
the historical points of interest in
our state: Roanoke Island. Kill
Devil Hill, Ocracokc, Old Bruins
wick, Fayetteville, Aberdeen, Fort
Bragg. RALEIGH, Cary. Durham,
Chapel Hill. Winston-Salem. Sails
bury. Charlotte. Statcsville. Ashe-
vile and Cherokee Reservation.
North Carolina is rapidly TAX
ing place among the leaders from
the standpoint of tourist state.
The Great Smoky Mountain Ma
tional park in Western North
Carolina received national recog-
milton through our president HIM
self. and il is estimated that MANY
thousands of new as we'll as old
visitors will come to North Caro-
lima this year. A large variety of
scenic attractions are found with
in the state. North Carolina can
be favorablv compared with Cali
fornia. in that both states offer
the visitor attractions of noun
tain, plains or sea.
Those who desire communion
with God and nature can find it
best in the mountain regions of
the state; those who desire the
hectic gayety of crowds, and a dip
in salt water, can find it best in
the ocean resort region. Those
who have spent a lifetime in the
: heart Of our northern industrial
centerS, and desire to retire to a
small plot of ground for the re-
, naming years of their lives, may
, dwell in the great Piedmont Sec
, ton of the state. Those who seek
to wrcSt living from the soil will
} find North Carolina an excellent
place in which to reside; for not
: only is the soil excellent for pro-
|, duction of all sorts, but the dis
lance from the large United
States industrial centers is but a
short distance away by either rail,
air or car. >.
| For pure pleasure the Blue
Ridge mountains in Western
North Carolina and the Great
Smokes, offer the visitor all the
| Joys of mountain climbing, plus a
beauty which cannot be equalled
anywhere in the world. The Blow.
ing Rock region is called "The
| switzerland of America" and
rightly so.
There are nine national parks
IN North Carolina; and two ma
tlonal forests. The nearest to
hendersonville is the Pisgah Ma
Y tlonal Forest, from which comes