:
I^t
The news in this publi
cation is released for the
press on receipt.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
NEWS LETTER
Published Weekly by the
University of North Caro
lina for its Bureau of Ex
tension.
MARCH 23,1921
CHAPEL HHX, N. C
VOL. Vn, NO. 18
Editorial Board i K. 0. Branaon, L. R. WUson, E. W. Knight, D. D. Carroll, J. B. BuUlU.
Entered as second-olass matter November 14,1914, at the Postofflce at Chapel HIU, N. C., under the act of August 24,1912.
breaking the record
Fifty millions for a state system of
public highways, nearly six millions
more voted to our state hospitals and
stats colleges of liberal learning and
technical training for new buildings and
e juipments, five millions more as a state-
a'd loan fund for consolidated public
seiools in country areas. Such is the
r3C)rd of the General Assembly of
North Carolina in 1921.
More than sixty million dollars is the
grand total of state bonds authorized
for building expansion in roads, learn
ing, and benevolence.
And moreover, the annual state ap
propriation for our state colleges was
moved up from $700,000 in 1919-20 to
$1,430,000 in 1921-22; which means that
the annual support funds for these
eleven state institutions have been more
than doubled in a single year.
There is Nothing like this record of
legislation in all the history of the state
heretofore. It is a record written in a
year of business depression and dis
tress. It is a record of courage on
part of a legislature that dared to
take stock of our status as a state and
to stake North Carolina against the
world.
And these millions invested in vital
state causes evidence a fundamental
change in the spirit of the people of
North Carolina.
It clearly proves that the people of
this state can have whatever they want
at the hands of the legislature. If they
want roads most of all, they can have
roads, and have them in the measure
. of their asking. If they want college
education, they can have college educa
tion in the measure of their asking. Or
public health, or public welfare, or asy
lums and schools for the afflicted chil
dren of the state, or anything else this
state needs in order to be a good place
to live in.
The will of the people to bring things
to pass is the main matter in all pro
gress.
Investing sixty millions in herself is
a new venture for North Carolina. It
lays heavy burdens upon responsible
officials during the next few years.
But if the state derives manifest bene
fit from these investments, if they pay
dollar for dollar or many dollars for
every dollar expended, the voting con
stituencies of this state will be more and
more willing, as the years go by, to
stake North Carolina against the uni
verse.
But if anybody falls down in admin
istering these funds wisely and with
proper despatch, then the chairman of
the Bouse Appropriations Committee
proposes to go after .him with a toma
hawk.
There must be no failures. The state
must derive immediate and manifest
values from these investments. Because
we have barely more than entered upon
the new day in North Carolina.
To those who desire to study for a
degree or teachers’ certificate, or mere
ly for cultural purposes, courses are of
fered in the following subjects: Eco
nomics, Education, English, History,
Latin, and Mathematics. Courses should
be begun before March 1st. Any infor
mation desired will be given upon ad
dressing the THome Study Division of
the Bureau of Extension, University of
North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N. C.
HOW A STATE SUFFERS
One of the most serious defects of a
legislator’s position is beyond his con
trol, and results from the vicious theory
that the members of legislative bodies
must in all cases be actual residents of
the districts they represent. This is one
of those numerous points where a people
who pride themselves upon their prac
tical sense have bound themselves rig
idly to an unwholesome theory. No leg
islative body so far as I know outside of
America, and American dependencies
like the Philippines where the same un
fortunate notion has been engrafted,
thus destroys the freedom of the leg
islator. The effect is not only to r^nde r
it impossible for the people freely to
choose the best and most representa
tive individuals to be found in the state,
but binds the political career of a man
in a legislature to the prejudices of a
majority of his immediate constituents.
A member of the legislature who
finds himself conscientiously at variance
with the wishes of the majority of the
people who have elected him, has three
courses open; he may yield his own judg
ment and conscience to theirs, aban
don political life, or change his home.
The first alternative is the one almost
invariably chosen with the result that
a member subordinates what he may
know to be the interests of the state to
the local interests of the district that
chooses him. He sacrifices the esteem
and confidence of the people of the
state as a whole in order that he may
retain the political support of the vot
ers of his own district.
This situation with all the unfortu
nate results that have grown out of it,
lies at the root of the lack of public
confidence in legislatures, and at the
bottom of the general confidence felt
in a state governor. For he alone of
all the men in the state can afford to
ignore the petty interests of certain
localities and can fairly claim to put
the interests of the state as a whole
above those of any locality. — David P.
Barrows, California Law Review.
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES
Realizing the need of expanding cor
respondence work, the University of
North Carolina has reorganized the
Home Study Division of the Bureau of
Extension and placed Mr. Chester D.
Snell, the new Assistant Director of
the Bureau, in charge. Correspondence
courses are now offered to all people in
the State who wish to study and earn
credits toward an A. B. degree.
All correspondence courses offered by
the University count toward the A. B.
degree and are equivalent to courses
given during the regular session. Ar
rangements, however, may be made to
take work without obtaining credit.
Any Home Study course for which the
University gives credit will be credited
by the State Board of. Examiners and
Institute Conductors towards state
teachers’ certificates. Teachers, prin
cipals, and superintendents, therefore,
are afforded an opportunity of increas
ing their efficiency by studying during
their spare time. The Home Study Di
vision is particularly anxious to serve
former students of the University and
other colleges in the state who have
been forced to give up study before re
ceiving the bachelor’s degree.
STATE LOANS FOR HOMES
The proposed home ownership amend
ment to the State constitution as re
commended by former Governor Hobby
was adopted today by a decisive vote
in the Texas House of Representatives.
The amendment provides that the
legislature shall hereafter have power
to give or lend the credit of the State for
the purchase and improvement of rural
and urban homes.
This measure, was sponsored by Gov
ernor Hobby before he retired from of
fice. It was defeated in an election two
years ago but at the last general elec
tion was placed on the ballot and re
commended for submission to the legis
lature.
SOCIAL WORK CREED
The North Carolina State Conference
for Social Service, at its ninth annual
meeting at Raleigh, January 26th to
27th, 1921, subscribes to the following
specific articles.
Not since the I9th Century’s contri
bution of public education to the public
good has there appeared to us so great
a potential for social progress as the
present promise of the principles and
technique of public welfare and social
service, interpreted as the organization
and method for making effective the
tenets of democracy. The present dif
ficulties, obstacles and criticisms of cur
rent methods and ideals of public wel
fare recall the very similar difficulties,
obstacles, criticisms, and even ridicule
heaped upon the beginnings of public
education in this country not many dec
ades ago. We view, therefore, all such
THEGOVERNORONHEALTH
We must throw around the home
and life of our people an enlightened
world’s knowledge of preventive
medicine, and make ceaseless war
upon sickness, suffering and death in
this State. Our great department
of health must be generously nour
ished and equipped for this humane
service. Disease cannot be success
fully prevented by individual effort
alone. Modern statesmanship de
mands that every practical effort
shall be made through organized
health boards and expert officers to
protect the health of the people.
Our health department has accom
plished wonders with the means fur
nished. I believe I express the deep
desire of our enlightened people when
I urge increased strength for this
great department of our government.
difficulties as the normal modes of pro
gress in an upstanding democracy, and
as a clear challenge for us to makegood,
as have past generations, the obligations
of the hour.
^Social Legislation
awe recognize with substantialjlsatis-
f action the increasing power and appeal
which the fundamentals of public wel
fare are creating in the, minds of men
everywhere; and the very happy align
ment of the forces of public service and
voluntary social agencies into a work
ing program of effective statesmanship.
This conference, formerly a small group
of specialists in limited fields, expresses
today, with unanimity, its indebtedness
to the larger contributions and partici
pation of governmental and public ser
vice representatives. Surely, this is a
logical and substantial evidence of North
Carolina’s active participation in after
war reconstruction of genuine propor
tions.
We reaffirm our allegiance to and
support of the social legislation enacted
by the North Carolina general assem
blies of 1917 and 1919. These laws have
given the State of North Carolina a
foremost place among the states of the
Union in respect to the principles that
all citizens shall assist in bearing the
burdens of the unfortunate members of
society, and that all communities shall
share alike the state’s constructive de
velopment.
Public Welfare
We also pledge our allegiance to and
our belief in the desire of the people to
support the progressive social legisla
tion which is being proposed to the gen
eral assembly of 1921—the programs
for good roads; for the development
and promotion of the great common
school system; for making the institu
tions of higher learning adequate to
meet the state’s reasonable demands;
for equipping and developing the elee
mosynary institutions; the general pro
posals for providing constructive recre
ation to the people, for the state censor
ship of moving pictures and the super
vision of other commercialized forms of
recreation; and other similar construc
tive measures to be offered. This pro
gram, when enacted, will be but a rea
sonable expectation in consideration of
North Carolina’s past intentions, and
her present spiritual and material re
sources.
We give our unqualified endorsement
to the work and plan of the State De-'
partment of Public Charities and Wel
fare. We believe that this Department
should continue in ministrations to the
delinquent, dependent and defective
members of our population, its super
vision of institutional services for these
groups, and its general promotion of
public welfare and its cooperation with-
other departments of service. We be
lieve, in addition, that it should be given
increased appropriations and powers in
order to make effective the complete
and balanced program of public welfare
to which the people of this State are
committed.
A State Council
We believe the North Carolina con
ference for Social Service to be the
logical body for initiating plans for a
COUNTRY HOME CONVENIENCES
LE'TTER SERIES Mo. 45
FARM LIGHTING PLANTS-I
LIGHTING THE HOME
For the man who must make his own
light and who wants a better light than
that of kerosene lamps, there are only
two real alternatives, electricity or acet
ylene.
Due to the rapid strides in the de
velopment of both these systems in the
last few years and to the growing de
sire of our farmers to make home life
more attractive and happier, we find a
great number of both types of lighting
plants installed throughout the state.
As the average man is faced with the
problem of which to buy, it is Interest
ing to draw a brief comparison between
the two. With this idea in view we will
discuss some of the main points to be
considered in the selection of a plant.
Getting His Money’s Worth
An acetylene generator is compara
tively inexpensive to construct and the
acetylene plant complete with pipes and
fixtures is considerably less expensive, in
any size, than the electric plant that
would be installed for the same amount
of lighting.
If all lighting installations were
made simply on the basis of first cost,
there would be no electric plants in
stalled. On the other hand if this is the
determining factor and nothing else
then there would be no acetylene plants
sold either, for kerosene lamps can be
bought at a cost insignificant even in
comparison with the cheapest acetylene
plant.
The fact is, of course, that the man
who is considering the purchase of a
plant is not trying to avoid paying out
monay provided he sees that he is get.
ting his money’s worth.
What It Costs
Just what the difference in the first
cost will amount to depends so much
upon the size of the plant, the number
and distribution of the lights, etc.,
that no definite statement can be made.
However, if we take the average medi
um sized house, usually with one or
more outbuildings, bam, stable, garage
and tool house then we can get a pretty
clear idea. Here a one-kilowatt electric
plant or an acetylene generator large
enough to hold about 100 lbs. of car
bide would suit the condition. The cost
of these two plants would be about $600
for the electric and about $360 for the
acetylene, or a $260 difference in favor
of the acetylene.
Ranning Expense
The next question which might arise
in the mind of a prospective purchaser
would be the cost of operation. This
of course depends largely on local con
ditions, but where the two plants are
operating under the same conditions and
both giving the same amount of
light, the electric plant at the present
coat of fuel and carbide is probably
somewhat cheaper to run. This is based
on the assmption that gasoline costing
30 cents a gallon is used as a fuel
for the engine of the electric plant, and
that carbide at $3.76 per 100 lbs. is
used for making acetylene.
Next week we will tell you about the
amount of attention required to keep
the plant going. — W. C. W.
State Council of Social Agencies. We
recognize this as an opportune time for
bringing about a closer affiliation in
contact, fellowship, information, and
work, of the four great classes of state
social agencies—namely, the state de
partments of public service, the churches
and voluntary agencies, and the pri
vate and denominational institutions
of higher learning. We authorize the
Executive Committee of this Confer
ence to proceed with the study of and
planning for such a council at an early
date.
We express our appreciation of the
courtesies and hospitality of the people
of Raleigh in their service and assist
ance during this Conference. We wish
especially to express our appreciation
of the hospitality of the Raleigh Wo
man’s Club whose services in providing
meeting places in their Club rooms and
in other ways, are an expression of the
ideals and purposes typified by this
conference. —Howard W. Odum, chair
man, Mrs. C. C. Hook, E. C. Linde-
man, Mrs. B. F. Griffin.
RELATIVE CROP VALUES
The United States Department of Ag
riculture, in its January Crop Reporter,
is quietly pointing out certain facts that
should come as - soothing balm to those
timorous folk whose troubled spirits
have a pessimistic outlook on the prob
lems of the day. An unobtrusive little
table sums up the crop situation, and
the showing is not only satisfactory in
the main for the country at large, but
particularly so for our own state.
The fact is, not only has the outturn
of crops been good, but, in spite of the
disastrous slump in prices of cotton and
tobacco, the combined values of, all
crops last year came well above the
average for the war period 1914-
1918. As everyone knows, during that
particular five years the whole country
strained every nerve to produce crops
sufficient to feed the world, and these
efforts were notably successful. Never
theless, if we compare the combined
value of the output of all crops in 1920,
and in 1919, with the average value for
all crops in 1914-18, the result is sur
prisingly encouraging. For the United
States the value of the total crop out
turn in 1920 is two percent above the
1914-1918 average; and in 1919 it
was fifty-eight percent above the
1914-18 average; while in North Carolina
the value of our 1920 crop outturn is
twenty-five percent above our 1914-18
average and the 1919 value was ninety-
nine percent above that average. Cotton
and tobacco prices notwithstanding, the
fact remains that we produced last year
crops worth twenty-five percent more
than our crops were worth when hu
manity, patriotism, and self-interest
combined to spur us to unceasing agri
cultural effort.
How Carolina Ranks
Let us see how we stand as compared
with other southern states. Represent
ing the average value of all crops for
1914-1918 as 100 in each state, we have
the following:
1920 1919
North Carolina 126 199
Oklahoma ..117 226
Florida 115 138
Texas 113 196
Tennessee 110 156
Virginia 109 168
South Carolina 106 190
Kentucky 104 188
Arkansas 101 165
Alabama 100 165
Missouri 98 158
Mississippi 91 171
Louisiana 88 146
Georgia 81 161
It is plain to see that in 1919 we prac
tically doubled the average value of the
preceding five years, that in 1920 our
crops brought us twenty-five percent
more than the five-year average return,
and, further, that in no other southern
state was the 1920 showing in relative
crop values as good as in North Caro
lina. When all the states are considered,
only nine states made a better showing
in relative crop values for 1920.
Does this look as if we had a right to
plead bankruptcy? With these figures
before us, should we hesitate in our
march toward an era of enlightened
well-being, even though progress re
quires us to unite’ in contributing of our
resources to further the cause?
The relative figures in Texas are
lower than ours in both 1919 and 1920,
yet the Texas program for university
building calls for seven and a half mil
lion dollars. And Louisiana bravely
votes a five-million university building
fund, even though for 1920 her crop
values are only 88 percent of the 1914-
18 average.
We venture to say that our courage
is not below the average while our re
sources stand so well above.
Here are facts that are worth ponder
ing.-H. R. S.