The news in this publica
tion is released for the press ot»
the date indicated below.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
NEWS LETTER
Published weekly by the
University ot North Carolina
for its Bureau of Extension.
FEBRUARY
2, 1916 CHAPEL HILL, N. C.
VOL. n, NO. 10
EHttorial Boardi
K. C. "Branson, J. (.4. Hftmiltoii, L. R, Wilsfui. L. A. Williams, K. Thoriitoii, G. M. filntered as .swiOiid-clasH
matter November 14, 19M, at the postoffice at Chapel Hill, N. C., under th.i mit of August 24,1'.tia
: 1
NORTH CAROLINA CLUB STUDIES
A BANKER STATESMAN
The Pig Clul) Boys in eleven comities
of Georgia own 2,000 registered hogs, and
11,000,000 lbs. of porli have Ijeen pro
duced in these counties during tlie last
iseason. Good work for Mr. James E.
Downing, the Pig Chih agent in Georgia.
The Pig Club Work is also getting well
under way in North Carolina. Afevs' such
jmen as George A. Holderness, the wliole-
i'souled banker in larboro, could easily ,
put Jjorth Carolina in tlie lead in pork ^
production. Any boy in Edgecombe j
, can get a pure bred sow from Mr. Ilolder-
ness upon his own note without endorse-
; merit. Mr. Holderness not only leads in !
: banking, but .also in livestock farmilig, !
; and agricultural statesmanship. ;
confer in framing a new taxation system
for New York.
l>r. Kaper is ranked as one of the tax
ation experts of the country. He is au
thor of a book on taxation and a book jn
railway transportation. He has studied
the system of taxation abroa/1 and exten
sively in the L'nitc*il ..States.—New York
W.orlil.
WONDERFUL GAINS
For many long years southern agri
culture tias been weak in livestock farm
ing. But during the last year nearly
3,000 silos have been built in the 15
southern states, 1-3,000 pure-bred animals
have been imported for breeding purposes,
37,255 square miles liave been freed from
the cattle tick, and 2,000 vats built, says
Secretary Houston in his last report.
Our .State Commissioner of Agriculture,
Major W. A. Graham, reports 115 silos
built ill Nortli Carolina during ttie last
year. In 71 counties in which the farm
demonstration agents have been at work,
45,730 acres of land have fxsen improved
Or brought into cultivation by drainage,
32,837 acres of uew land have been
brought into productive use during the
last year. In the last five years 2,897
renters have risen into- farm ownersliip,
while only 102 former owners have fallen
into tanaiicy.
These are gains of fundamental sigiiiti-
cance.
EXTENSION LECTURES
Extension lectures are being delivered
in various parts of the State at regular
intervals by members of the University
faculty.
Dr. J. M. Booker lectured before the
Woman’s Club of Wilson on Jan. 24th.
Dr. E. A. Harrington gave an illus
trated lecture on “Color Photography”
in tile high school auditorium of Hei^fier-
son, Jan. 28tb, under the auspices of tlie
local Woman’s Club. \
Prof. E. C. Branson gave an address on
“Robert 12. Lee, Gentleman, ’' iii Golds
boro, on Jan. 19th, under tht^ auspices of
the local chapter of thelf. D. C. (M
Jan. 25th he will address the Confeience
for Social Service in Charlotte, and on
Feb. 12th, he will speak in Statesville be
fore the teachers and farmers of Iredell
County.
HIGH SCHOOL OEBAJES
V'ery satisfactory progress is being re
ported from all parts of the State by the
312 high schools which are enrolled for
the approaching spring debates of the
High School Debating Union.
I’reliminaries for choosing speakers will
be held in all of the schools. The num
ber of contestants who are trying for the
honor of representing their schools ranges
from 7 in some instances and 15 in other
instances, to the whole high school enroll
ment in still other instances.
Supt. S. W. Rabb, of Laurinburg, re
ports that all of the students of the {^au-
inburg High School are going tlirough
a series of elimination contests to decide
which four shall represent Laurinburg
in the debates.
The people of North Carolina will have
an opportimity of getting full information
on all sides of the question of the En
largement of the N avy when the triangu
lar debates occur in the 312 communities
on March 31st. The high school students
are hard at work 4n preparation and may
be count«d on to produce some intensely
interesting arguments.
NEW YORK CALLS HIM
Dr, Charles Lee Raper, head of the de
partment of economics in the University
of North Carolina, and rural investigator
for the United States Department of Agri
culture, has accepted an invitation to
MODERN BOARDS OF TRADE
Chamber.-t of Commerce no longer con
fine their activities within city limits; to
inci'ca.sing their population, their trade
and their real estate values; to more fac
tories anl larger weekly pay rolls. Tiie
new keynote of auto-booster parties was
sounded tlu; other day in Walworth coun
ty, "Wi.Kcunsin. The busuu‘.ss men .^tood
up in their machines and said to their
country coushis everywhere iu the sur
rounding trade b'rritory;
“We are not asking yon ti come and
buy from us, but Us come and sell Ui us.
W'e offer you for your [u’oducts the best
markets and fairest prices to be found in
our end of Wisconsin.
“Our library and high school advanta
ges are freely yours. We have no ordi
nance against the peddling of farm prod
ucts. Our open market spaces are free.
)ur hitching grounds and camping sheds
are ample and comfortable. They are
yours without charge. Daily market in
formation can be had from our city head
quarters over your telephone lines. No
membership fee is nece.ssary.
“Our rest-rooms are equipjied with
books and lounges, tables and chairs,
toilet and lavatory facilities. You and
your wives will find the latch-string on
the outside.’’
A NINE MILLION INCREASE
The farmers of North Carolina on Jan
uary 1^ 1916, were nearly nine million
dollars richer in horses, mules,, milk
cows and swdne than in 1910 when the
census was taken. They had 16,000 more
horses, 25,000 more mules, 11,000 more
milk cows, and 372,000 more swine.
Our rates of increase during this five
year period were 9.6 per cent in horses or
nearly two and a half times the rate of
the,country at large; mules 14 per cent or
nearly 3 times the general rate; and swine
a 30 per cent increase against a 3.6 per
cent increase in the Ignited States.
Our increase in milk cows is not up to
the mark ; 3.5 per cent against 5.6 in the
country at large. Also we had 4000 fewer
cattle of other sorls, and 45,000 few'er
sheep.
But all told, here is a most wonderful
increase in livestock in five years! It
keeps pace with our increases in crop
production as noted in the University
News Letter, January 12th.
Barring only sheep, milk cows, and
ttther cattle the increases show well
against the increases during the census
period. We are improving the breed of
our dairy and beef animal8>. but the Fed
eral Livestock Report of January 18 indi
cates that we are failing to gain in num
bers as fast as we ought to do.
BEYOND RIDICULE
The Office of Markets and Rural Or
ganization in the Departmejit of Agri
culture at AVashington has on record
more than 8,500 co-operative marketing
associations among the farmers of the
United States.
The recent report of this office esti
mates that the co-operative buying and
selling of these farm organizations
amounts to nearly one and a half billion
dollars a year.
Farm co-operation in this country has
passed beyond the stage of doubt and
ridicule. Unorganized, non-co-operating
farmers are still a large irtajority, but
they are the sorry jest of organized big
business and the joke is now on them as
they are learning these days.
BANKS A-PLENTY
Since 1900 our banks have increased in
number two and a half times faster than
our population, says B. F. Harris in The
Banker-Farmer; and we now average one
bank for every 250 farmers, or about 7
1-2 banks for every agricultural county
CAN DEMOCRACY BE
EFFICIENT
Dr. Edwin Alderman
How' can a jwHjple devoted to indi-
viiiualism and fro'doin iv.tain that in
dividualism which guarantees freedom
and yet en.graft upon their social order
that geniuH for co-operation which
alone insures i»»wer and progress'.'
'[’hese are the final intt'rrogatories
of d(mocracy as a .sane vision glimii-
.ses it robbed of its earlier illusions.
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
LETTER SERIES NO 60
in the United States.
Is this, a measure of the nece.-^sity for
agricultural credit in^he^se days w'hejinot
even the most remote farmer can e.s‘ape
increasing commercialism'.' He used to
li^'C on farm products; now he nuist live
on farm proH'ts. M'hether he will or not,
he cannot now escape the big world of 1
markets and credits.
But also, can conunercial banks depend
ing on short-time loans, maximum inter
est rates, and Uuitl assets serve the farm-
ere who need long-time loans, with mini
mum interest rat:e.«, on collateral not
readily convertible?
Can farm busiiw\s8 ever de|>eudt>n com-
mer(^ial money for the credit it needs? It
seems clear that farm credit must l>e
ba.sei on the investment money of the
country, if only our statesmen can jiiizzle
out a simple, .safe plan. '
BIG BUSINESS
In tlie United States the investment
capital for the public schools for 1912-'l3
amounted to over $2,000,000,000. Of
this total 1293,093,879. was found in per
manent school funds; the xalue of un
sold school lands was e.stimated at $266,
132,679; pul>iic property u.sed for .school
]Hirpo8es was valueil at $1,347,066,909.
Read these figures aloud and note the
sound of the amounts, .''urely public
scluKil w'lirk is a big business.
Details ,
There is a wide variation in the amount
of tliis investment capitiil in the various
states. Minnesota leads them all with
over 1^240.000.000 credited to this itOTii.
I’ive states, ilinne.sot«. Nev\- York, Illi
nois, Pennsylvania. Washington report-
over 11100,000,000 tor this item. .A little :
state like Rhode Island reports ^over i
$9,000,000 and even .Vrizona with the:
smalle.sl amount report^ ' ovei- !ii2,o00,000 i
worth of investmenr capital in her school ^
business. Nortli Carolina ranks 39th in i
this respect with a reported ?9,099,823 as
her share of the $2,000,000,000 national i
inve.stment capital in public schools.
Comparisons
.>nly two of the eight states with a i>er
capitii country wealth of ?2,000 or over
report a total investtnent capital of $50,-
000.000 or moi-e—Illinois and Cahfornia,
While the [)er capita country wealth in
Xew Jer-sey is only |531, she nevertheles.s
has an investment ca]»ital in the school
business of nearly $60,000,000.
South llakota ranks third in lu'r per
capita country wealth (nearly .tS.OOO)
and ranks 28th in the amount of her in
vestment capital, with a little over .fl4,
000,000.
The country folks of North Carolina
have on the average 1322 each for the
year but the state as a whole, has invest
ment capital in the school business to the
amount of over $9,000,000.
Sacred to Children
This mighty fund is a sa^'i-ed trust. H
is the children’s money. It represents
in a tangible form our belief in the educa
tion and development of child life. Such
a trust needs carefid, honest, conscien-
tioii.s and conswrated management. It
is not a legitimate srrab bag for the i>arty
politician.
THINGS TO BE PROUD OF IN
PASQUOTANK'
1. A bri.sk and beautiful -little capital
city of 10,000 people. iAIore than half of
the population of the c.ounty is in this one
city, which grew- at a 32 per cent rate
during the decade, or two and a half
times faster than the country population.
2. A high level of culturi' and small
illiteracy rates. Only three counties have
smaller ratios of illiterate wliites, 10 years
old and over; and only four counties
make a better shoVv'ing in the literacy of
white voters. However, 353 illiterate
W'hites 10 years old and older, and 152 il
literate v\ bite voters give ratios that are
nearly twice the rates of the couiitry-at-
large. The moonlight school has work
to do in Pasquotank.
3. A high rate of church membership,
58 per ceiit of the total population. It is
18 per cent above the average for the
sta,te. Nevertheless, 3,100 people in'the
county, 10 years of age and older, were
not on the church rolls of any denomina
tion in 1906.
4. The willingness of the people to
bear local school tax burdens. In 1913-14,
the rate was $2.63 per thousand of assess
ed valuation; and in this particular Pas-
quotiink stood ahe^d of 94 counties in the
state.
5. In per capita I'ountrv wealth, Pas
quotank w'ith $351 ranked 17th among
the i.wunties of the state in the census
year. It is not a large amount, it is bare
ly a third of the average for the country
people of the United States, and about a
tenth that of the food and feed farmers of
Iowa; but it is beyond the average of 83
counties in North Carolina.
6. The wealth in automobiles. In
June 1915, there were 147 machines in
the county, or one for every 22 families.
In this particular Pasquotank ranks 23rd.
The county in 1913-14 had nearly $90,-
000 invested in public school property,
and in 1915 about the same amount in
vested in motor cars. We are rich in the
same comparative w'ay all over the state.
7. Livestock wealth. In the census
year the county hM 32 cattle per thous
and acres and a rank of 22nd; but the
number of hogs was 74 or nearly twice
the average for the state. In this par
ticular only 12 counties made a better
show'ing. It may be interesting to know
that the county had 5,000 fewer hogs in
1910 than in 1860. Pasquotank is also
one of the 17 counties that gained instead
of losing in sheep during the last census
period. Her sheep more than trebled in
number in the ten years, and her gain of
205 per cent puts the county first in this
detail.
However, livestock farming in a ■ free-
range, tick-infested area is at a great dis
advantage. Grades and breeds count for
more than mere numbers.
DEBATE OUTLINE
Resolved: That the Monroe
Doctrine should be abandoned.
An outline furnished by the Cia.«s in
English. 15-16, University of North (Car
olina :
A FFIK M ATI V I: A IK i I ^MENTS
L The Monroe Doctrine w’iis good for
its time, for
A. The South American republics
needed the protection of a
strong power.
B. The TTnited States needed the
trade of the independent na
tions of South America.
('. The South American countries
were friendly and wanted our
protectkui.
II. Conditions have changed, for
A. The danger of South .America
is over.
B. Our trade relations can be im
proved as well without the
Monroe Doctrine as with it.
C. South America looks with sus
picion upon proposals of the
United States to protect her.
III. Under the .Monroe Doctrine, Eu
rope holds us responsible for the
fair conduct of South American
States.
IV. If any political relationship is ad
visable, an alliance with South
America for purpose of defense
would be better than the Monroe
Doctrine^ for
A. Then the South American
States would bear their part.
NEG ATIV E A R(-i UM ENTS
I. Tiie Monroe Doctrine is vital tCKlay,
for
A. [t has been ratified by every
President having international
disputes; Polk, Cleveland,
RoQsevelt, and AVilson.
B. Foreign nations have recog
nized it.
C. It has been praisel by South
American leaders.
II. The Monroe Doctrine does not make
the United States responsible for
the behavior of South America, for
A. It simply w'arns against Euro
pean colonization, in South
.America.
B. it does not prevent the collec
tion of just debts, for Hay and
Taft have declared this.
III. An alliance with South America
would be undesirable, for
A. The United States would have
to take part in a defensive war,
hojvever caused.
B. Many of the South American
States are backward in civiliza
tion.
C. South America does not want
such an alliance.
spent for rural schools in North Carolina.
In 1913-14 the Treasurers received $51,-
183 of the $3,622,510 sixwt for the same
purpose.
For both years it represents nearly 2
per cent of the total expenditure for our
ruial schools. That means that of every
1100 of taxes raised to run our rural
schools about $1.50 of it went to pay the
Treasurers in the county office^.
The actual amount thus expended was
over $1,000 more than was spent for sup
plies, libraries, insurance and rent, all
combined!
THE PROFESSOR SAYS
Blessed is the teacher who knows when
to smile, and does it.
It is a hundred-fold more etficient to
say—You may—than to have to declare
—Thou shalt not.
There is inexpressible joy in life when
one finds oneself in one’s daily tasks.
A 100 PER CENT COUNTY
All the teachers in the schools of Ons
low County have enrolled in the Reading
Circle study offered by the^ University
through its Correspondence Division.
A special arrangement has been made
by which the county is to pay the neces
sary fees and the teachers are to buy the
books.
Onslow is the fij^t 100 per cent enroll
ment county in this work.
EXPENSIVE HELP
In 1909-10 the Treasurers of school
funds received $41,601 of the $2,126,695
/
A SORRY EXHIBIT
In Illinois there are nearly 10,000 one-
room, ungraded schools. The majority
of the country boys and girls receive their
only instruction in these institutions.
Large numbers of the schools are most
unsatisfactory, standing in a dilapidated
condition, with paint, plaster and win
dows gone. In their arrangement and
construction the principles of lighting,
ventilation and sanitation are unknown.
Smoke and, dirt take the'place of pictures
on the walls. The yards are without
fences, trees, or shrubs of any kind. So
says Prof. G. I. Christie of Perdue Uni
versity.
It is a sorry exhibit for a state that
spends 35 million dollars a year on pub
lic schools. It is nearly ten times the
money we spend for this purpose in North
Carolina.
FranKlin’s Saw-Dust Pudding^
Dire as our need is for larger public
school revenues, it is manifest that popu
lar education is a problem that cannot be
solved with money alone.
The spirit, the intelligence, the high
level of culture, and the blazing enthus
iasm of our teachers in the State Assem
bly at Raleigh on Thanksgiving Day is
so far our largest asset.
- And it is magnificent! But it is a pity
that these noble public servants must live
day by day on Ben Franklin’s sawdust
pudding: which is about the only fare
they can afford on common-school salar
ies that average only $271.36 a year!
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