Evening star., 1942-05-03
Marked Progress in
Southern Education
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskin.

the South recently noted by the Rookie
feller Foundation is only another re-
minder of the renaissance that has been
taking place in schools, colleges and
universities in the Southern States dur
ing the past two decades. With added
new and improved buildings, larger and
better qualified teaching STATS, South
ern educational institutions rank among
the best in the country.
Southern culture, as academically
known, is a sort OF antebellum diStlnc-
ton between the classes that once popu-
lated the South These were the aristo-
Gratis who owned large plantations and
many slaves, and the land renters or
tenants. There is left q bare remnant
Of the former class and, while many Of
the latter still are to be found, there has
been going on a leveling process which
has left little distinction between the two.
This leveling process is foStered by the
public and private schools, the colleges
and universities, and 1t levels up rather
than down. For example, there are said
to be more men with academic degrees
farms. factories, and other businesses.
than in any other section of the country
similar in size.
A quarter century ago such men as
Josephus Daniels, Clarence Poe. the late
Edwin A. Alderman Of the University of
Virginia, and many others, began to
preach the doctrine that the soil OF the
South needed the attention of college
and university graduates. AS a conse-
quence, most of the so-called big farmers
of the South today possess educational
equipment peculiar to their task With
scientific knowledge of the soil, supple
mented by modern machinery, Southern
farmers provide large portion of the
country's wealth.
For more than decade after the Civil
crushed by their misfortunes and har-
ried by political opportunists, that they
were forced to devote most of their en-
ergies to saving their civilization DUR
ing the latter years of the past century
there was a forward movement, which
lapsed in some respects during the first
two decades of the present century and
then pressed upward more rapidly than
ever. Even the depression years did
not abate the movement to any disas-
trous degree. -
In some sections OF the South free
schools. 1t is true. do not rank with
such institutions in some other parts Of
the country, but during the past 20
years consolidated high schools have
appeared at an unprecedented rate With
network Of improved highways, schools
in rural districts have been combined
and pupils living at distances too great
to walk are transported in modern buses
at public expense. These consolidated
high schools, together with those In all
towns and cities Of any appreciable size
are the feeders to Southern institutions
of higher rank This is one explanation
why the South today is spending more
on education than any other geographic
cally comparable area In the United
States. rs1- - T@'7as>
; In the sphere of higher learning. the
advance has kept pace with that Of grade
and high schools. Noteworthy examples
of achievement may be cited In individ-
ual institutions. Few universities of the
North and West have attacked regional
social problems with such thoroughne8
and courage as has the University of
North Carolina. Similarly the Univer-
sity of Virginia possibly is first in the
field Of pure science. The University Of
Texas provides such an excellent grade
of graduate instruction in genetics that
its department recently was rated by the
American Council of Education as being
distinguished among other colleges and
universities of the country.
In the teaching Of medicine Southern
institutions are doing highly competent
work. The medical schools at Wander.
bilt, Tulane, University of North Caro-
lima, University of Virginia. and Duke
University, are noteworthy from various
points of view. The medical school at
Duke University has one of the largest
an best equipped hospitals In the
country.
More adequate educational facilities
for the Negro gradually are being pro-
vided. Much remains to be done, but
progress has been notable. The public
schools for Negroes are being improved.
and so are the facilities for higher learn
ing. There are Negro scholars of great
mental caliber on Southern faculties.
Many teachers at Tuskegee. Atlanta
University and Fisk University are ma
tionally known. -..,-.
The era Of Federal assistance has been
boon to many Southern educational
institutions, both high schools and
others. Badly needed buildings were
made possible through P. w. A. and
w. p A., which provided funds, not only
for larger and better teaching and ad-
ministrative spaces. but for hundreds of
dormitories, auditoriums, libraries and
laboratories. At the same time w. P. A.
money enabled hundreds Of Southern
teachers to give their full time to- teach
ing illiterates in the more remote sec
tions.
There can be no question that in num-
erous cultural spheres the South Is ad-
vancing rapidly. There are art museums
in Dallas. Tex, and Richmond Va,
which would do credit to cities many
times their size. The same two Southern
cities have their Little Theaters of spe-
cial dignity and caliber. as have New
Orleans, La, and Wilmington and Char.
lotte, N. C. s-.-..
The South also is producing n htera.