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 University Ex
tension Division.
MARCH 8, 1922
CHAPEJ. HILL, N. C.
VOL. Vni, NO. 16
Hditorial lli>Hrd > K. 0. Branson, 8. H. Hobbs, Jr., L. B. Wilson, E. W. Kniglit, D. D. Carroll, J. B. Bullitt, H. W. Odum. Entered as second-class matter November 14,1914, at the Postoffice at Chapel Hill, N, C., under the act of Anjoisf 1918.
UNIVERSITY STUDENT BODY
The president’s report, recently from
the press, contains some interesting
statistics regarding the student body
for the past year. The total number of
religious bodies represented by the stu
dents is 14; the Methodist church with
534 has the largest representation. The
other sects arranged in order of size
are: Baptists 403, Presbyterian 281,
Episcopal 193, Christian 46, Lutheran
46, Jewish 21, Roman Catholic 19, Re
formed 12, Moravian?, Christian Science
6, Friends 6, Congregational 4, Univer-
salist 4, and without preference 28.
Regarding the student body in respect
to the business or profession of the
fathers, we find all manner of occupa
tions represented, from day laborers to
bank presidents. The 409 sons of farm
ers are far most numerous, comprising
about 25 percent of th,e student body.
Merchants’ sons follow with a repre
sentation of 275. Other fathers’ profes
sions are: manufacturers 118, lawyers
89, physicians 89, railroad employees 68,
men in public service 58, salesmen 46,
ministers 44, teachers 40, dealers in real
estate 39, bankers 30, insurance dealers
24, lumber dealers 22, contractors 21,
druggists 21, mechanics 20, tobacco
dealers 19, carpenters 13, hotel mana
gers 12, automobile salesmen 11, jew
elers 11, and with numbers less than 10
a whole army of occupations such as
barbers, blacksmiths, butchers, under
takers, publishers, miners, policemen,
chemists, florists, fishermen, musicians,
plumbers, etc.
Dr. Lawson’s report revealed that
the average Freshman this year in re
spect to size is no hammer thrower or
New York policeman. The average
weight of the freshies is listed as 130
pounds, average height 68 inches, chest
circumference 33 inches plus, chest ex
pansion 35 inches plus, circumference of
arm 11 1-2 inches, wrist 9 inches, thigh
17 inches, calf 13 inches, average lung
capacity 260 c. c. It is reported that
14 percent have defective eyes, 8 per
cent defective ears, 26 percent heart
lesions, 61 have had .their appendix re
moved, and 11 have had operations for
ruptures.—-C.. B. Colton, in The Tar
Heel.
THE NEW BAPTIST CHURCH
The new Baptist church at Chapel
Hill will be built at a cost of $120,000,
including pipe organ. It is announced
by the Baptist leaders who are carry
ing through the plans for its erection
that it will be one of the most complete
and up-to-date church and Sunday
school plants in the South. It is to be
of pure Greek type of architecture and
conforms to the general type of Uni
versity buildings. The State Mission
Board of the North Carolina Baptist
State Convention is paying two-thirds
and the Chapel Hill church is paying
one-third of the total cost of the build
ing. The contract calls for completion
by September 15, 1922.
The first floor is devoted wholly to
student activities and contains an as
sembly roorh and social hall, seating
300, and 14 large Sunday-school rooms,
B. Y. P. U., and Bible Chair class
rooms, large kitchen, two cloak rooms,
toilets, shower baths, etc.
The second floor contains the church
auditorium, seating 800, beginners’ and
cradle class rooms, mothers’ room,
primary assembly room and six indi
vidual primary class rooms, pastor’s
study and office, church business office,
supply room, and large double ladies'
parlor that can be used for large class
rooms and for social purposes.
The third floor contains the balconies,
seating 300, large junior and intermedi
ate assembly rooms, together with four
junior and four intermediate class
rooms and two large senior or adult
class rooms.
The fourth floor of the Sunday-school
wing contains a mezzanine floor with
four junior and four intermediate class
rooms.—University Press Item.
local church was definitely decided up
on, and committees were appointed to
carry the program to completion.
It is the purpose of the commission
to spend from $150,000 to $200,000 on
the new church. A two-unit type of
building will probably be built. One of
the buildings will be an auditorium suf
ficiently-large to take care of the regu
lar congregational gatherings. The sec
ond will be used especially for social
purposes, and for the conduct of vSun-
day school and Bible classes and the
holding of group meetings of students
or other organizations. The buildings
will be connected and are intended to
meet the religious and social needs of
the student body having Methodist af
filiations. The students from Metho
dist families number at .present 537, or
one-third of the students at the Uni
versity.
The buildings will be placed on the
present church lot which has recently
been enlarged by an exchange of prop
erties with the university and the pur
chase of the old A. S. Barbee office.
The style of architecture will be Gothic,
and it is the purpose of the Commission |
to secure buildings which will have a:
distinctly church atmosphere. j
Later in the year a campaign for a :
part of the funds will be launched, and i
Methodist alumni of the University and -
Methodists in general will be asked to
contribute. The program has been:
I heartily and substantially backed finan-1
daily by both the Methodist Confer- j
' ences. It is expected that the actual;
' building operations will be begun early i
' in 1923. I
The committee on plans for the build- j
ings is composed of Rev. M. T. Plyler, j
of Durham, Rev. Euclid McWhorter, j
of Aberdeen, and Rev. Walter Patten, j
E. W. Knight, and L. R. Wilson, of;
Chapel Hill. Officers of the Commis-j
sion and other members present at the |
meeting were Rev. M. T. Plyler, chair
man; Dr. J. H. Barnhardt, Greensboro, ;
vice-chairman; Rev. R. M. Courtney,
Thomasville, secretary; E. W. Knight,
Chapel Hill, treasurer; Dr. E. K. Mc-
Larty, Asheville; Rev. Euclid McWhor
ter; J. F. Shinn, Norwood; Rev. C. T.
Rodgers, Snow Hill; and Rev. Walter
Patten, Clyde Eubanks, N. W. Walker,
and L. R. Wilson, Chapel Hill.—Louis
Graves, Press Item.
A NEW METHODIST CHURCH
At a meeting just completed here, of
the joint commission of the North Ca
rolina conferences and the Chapel Hill
Methodist church, the program for
erecting the new Methodist church for
the students of the University and the
CAROLINA COLLEGES LEAD
North Carolina is fast gaining nation
al recognition in the field of community
organization. The Community Center,
a national periodical, in its last issue
took note of North Carolina’s program.
It reproduced in graphic form the or
ganization for service of the Extension
Division of the University, adding that
through this program effective commu
nity organization is being promoted.
The frequency with which North Caro
lina leaders in the field of sociology,
recreation, and community organiza
tion are called on to present papers at
national meetings and conferences is
noticeable and it is another evidence of
the above mentioned fact.
As a state we are so fortunate as to
possess a lion’s share of outstanding
leaders in this important phase of so- ;
cial endeavor. At the State College ■
for Women, Professor E. C. Lindeman, ■
who heads the Department of Sociol-'
ogy, edits a journal called North Caro- j
lina Community Progress. This publi- ^
cation deals with the special problems ;
of community organization and recrea- \
tion, the school, the community, and
public welfare. Professor Lindeman
also represents the American Country
Life Association in the capacity of Ex
ecutive Secretary.
At the State College of Agriculture
and Engineering, Dr. Carl C. Taylor,
who fills the chair of Agricultural Eco
nomics, is editor of North Carolina Ru
ral Life, which aims to make life in the
open country more efficient and attrac
tive.
The University News Letter edited
by Dr. E. C. Branson, head of the De
partment of Rural Social Science, is
liberally reproduced week by week by
the state press. This weekly news
sheet is devoted to the task of discover
ing, presenting, and interpreting the
economic, social, and civic problems-and
progress of North Carolina.
Dr. Howard W. Odum, director of
(Released for week beginning Mar. 6)
KNOW NORTH CAROLINA
What the Draft Act Showed
About North Carolina
J. W. Bailey
Under the Draft Act all the young
men from eighteen to thirty years of
age in the United States were sub
ject to military service in the World
War. Of those called, two million,
or about four-fifths of the total,
were physically examined at the
mobilization camps. The results of
these exammations have been pub
lished by the War Department in a
volume entitled Defects Found in
Drafted Men. The classification was
by states; but unfortunately the da
ta do not disclose the relation of de
fects to color, nativity, or occupa
tion in the different states.
With respect to rejections for al
coholism, North Carolina made a-
most gratifying showing, "^er num
ber per thousand being nine, while
the national average was mors than
three times as liie,li, or Ihii. -ono.
We made equally as good a record
with respect to drug addiction.
With respect to tuberculosis, we
made a bad showing, our ■number of
rejections per thousand being 30.47
against the national average of 24.6
—an excess of nearly six young men
per thousand. We made a much
worse record than some other states
having large negro populations, as
for example, Georgia, 24.46, Missis
sippi 24.12, Louisiana 27.61. As a
matter of fact only three Southern
states made as bad a showing as did
North Carolina. So our excess is not
due to the negroes.
For defective physical develop
ment we had 33.41 rejections as com
pared with a national average of
32.93. In total mental disorders we
rank near the bottom with 24.48 per
thousand against a national average
of 15.08. In respect of mental de
ficiency our record is bad, the state
having had 21.06. Who can account
for this, and how?
There are a great many defects in
respect of which North Carolina
made comparatively a pleasing show
ing, as for example, the condition
of teetlT^and eyes. We do riot show
up so well in respect of noses and
ears. And as a rule the ratio of de
fectives in North Carolina is upon
an average with that of the United
States, our rejections being 213 per
thousand, as compared with a na
tional average of 212. Less tlian
four out of each five young men were
found fit for war duty.
What should concern us is this:
To find and eradicate the causes of
our excess of tuberculosis, low phy
sical development, excess of mental
disorders, and excess of mental de
ficiency. For these aspects of the
matter are of the greatest impor
tance.
I quite agree that there is nothing
the matter with North Carolina—
that is, that there is no reason
why within our bounds there should
not dwell the happiest people on the
globe. But Heaven helps those who
help themselves. Our Commonwealth
must be what we make of it. And
it becomes each of us to stand in his
lot and do his best to serve his day
and generation. This is citizenship;
this is patriotism; this is true service
of humanity.
able for extension service in these
fields. Dr. J. l'\ Steiner, former na
tional director of the educational ser
vice of the American Red Cross, was
the first to be selected for this work.
The most recent addition is Professor
Harold D. Meyer of the State Normal
School of Georgia. Lack of space pre
vents the mention of many others who
are prominent in this phase of North Ca
rolina life and progress.—C. D. Snell.
HOW MUCH LAND?
But since we live in an epoch of
change, and, too, probably of revolu
tion, and thoughts not to be put aside
are in the minds of all men capable of
thought, I am obliged to affirm the one
principle which can and in the end will
close all epochs of revolution—that each
i^ian shall possess the ground that he
can use and no more.—John Ruskin.
THE EFFECTS OF TENANCY
Continuing its study of home and
farm tenancy, the North Carolina Club
at the University heard a report by
j F. A, Grissette of Caldwell county, at
its last meeting, cn the effects of home
1 and farm ownership.
Mr. Grissette discussed the conse
quences of tenancy from every angle,
showing its effects on (1) personality,
I (2> on family life, (3) on community
enterprise, (4) on illiteracy, (5) on in
dustries, .and (6) on the church. In
each case he pictured the instable, ir
responsible citizenship, the lack of
' pride and self-respect, the lack of con
structive interest and effort in com
munity affairs, and the hopelessness
that typifies homelessness in excessive
tenant areas, town and country.
As to personality, tenancy tends to
produce a careless, restless, irrespon
sible population with a minimum of
personal property and a minimum in
terest in community affairs in city
areas, and in country areas the same
effects appear in the nomadic, thrift
less habits of croppers and their fami
lies.
Why should landless, homeless city
dwellers be conservative, asked Mr.
Grissette, when they have little or noth
ing to conserve? With little or no pro
perty at risk why should they not listen
to any kind of fantastic radicalism?
Why should they be concerned in pre
serving the established order when
they have no proprietary interest in it?
But for the saving salt of a dependent
middle class, whose existence depends
on subserviency, American cities would
today be hot beds of socialism, as in
^England and Belgium.
On family life the effect is far from
uplifting, on the contrary it tends to be
demoralizing and degrading. Neither
presidents nor preachers are born in
farm tenant homes, he said.
As to the effect of excessive tenancy
on community enterprise, it is only
natural that a person who has no pro
prietary interest in a community and
little or no property at stake will hard
ly be actively concerned about - com
munity welfare’ and well-being, prog
ress and prosperity.
i The effect of homelessness on indus-
^ tries was illustrateiTby Mr. Grissette
! by reference to the labor problems that
every large industry has to deal with.
Home ownership has a vital relation
ship to the labor turnover. People who
have no attachment to a community
soon develop a roving and hobo spirit,
while on the other hand the steady,
satisfied home-owner has been found
to be the best type of worker, as the
Goodyear Rubber and Tire Company
has demonstrated.
Illiteracy and tenancy go hand in
hand. “Illiteracy breeds tenancy, and
tenancy breeds illiteracy; we cannot
cure one without curing the other. As
long as we have excessive farm tenan
cy we shall have excessive country il
literacy,’’ as Dr. E. C. Branson has
well expressed it. Educational condi
tions in the tenant areas of North
Carolina offer a striking contrast to
those in the home-owning farm civili
zation of Denmark, where only two
people in the thousand of population
are illiterates, against eighty-twb per
thousand in North Carolina. Denmark
has an area smaller than the cotton-
tobacco belt of North Carolina, and a
population just about equal to that of
North Carolina. And Denmark has 28
agricyltural colleges!
The relation of farm tenancy to the
country church is often overlooked, but
increasing attention to this particular
makes it clear that farm tenancy is a
church problem. Most farm tenants,
both in city centers and in farm areas,
move about too often to remain in one
place long enough to become interested
in a church or to affiliate with it. Then,
too, most tenants have but little money
’with which to support churches, and
they seem ta have the attitude of
“Where we can’t pay we don’t go”, as
one tenant puts it. It begins to look as
though the church along with other so
cial agencies must destroy tenancy, or
tenancy will destroy the church. Ten
ancy and illiteracy are twin-born social
ills, and they are a primary concern of
the church as well as the state.
Mr, Grissette’s report will appear in
full in Helping Men to Own Homes and
Farms, the 1921-22 Year-Book of the
North Carolina Club.—J. G. Gullick.
A STUDENT SONG RECITAL
The first student song recital in the
history of the university occurred on
Sunday, February 5, 1922. It was
given in the series of Sunday after
noon recitals given the first Sunday of
each month during the college year.
Those taking part were Misses Doro
thy Russell, Aline Hughes, Margaret
Eubanks, Mrs. Thomas Hamilton, and
Messrs George Hunt, LeGrand Everett,
and Albert Hewitt, most of whom are
students under Thomas Hoffman Hamil.
ton, the instructor in singing. The
work of these young singers was very
much appreciated by a large and rep
resentative audience.
Assisting them on the progrant was
the University String Quartet, which
made its first public appearance at this
time, and which is an important addi
tion to the artistic life of the school.
It is under the leadership of Carl Wie-
gand, director of the university orches
tra, who plays first violin. Henry
Wheeler, second violin; George Murphy,
viola; and Edwin Lindsey, cello, a»e the
other members. It is hoped that they
will oe heard often in the future.
the University School of Public Wel
fare, is at work building a staff of ex
perts in the technic of community or
ganization and public welfare, who not
only teach the theory and practice of
community organization, but are avail-
« NORTH CAROLINA IN THE WORLD WAR
Based (1) on Defects Found in Drafted Men, reported by
Surgeon-
General M. W. Ireland, to the 66th Congress, 1st session—Senate Commit-
tee Print, 1919; and (2) on the Associated Press item, The Victory Memo-
rial Building, Feb. 19, 1922.
North Carolinians serving, 92,510 or 19 in the 1,000 of all who served in
the army
and navy; North Carolinians who lost their lives in service, 2,645
or 20 in the 1,000 of the national war death roll.
Department Rural Social Economics, University of North Carolina.
Rank
Unfit to Serve Rate per 1,000
19th
Defective in body or mind or both
546
80th
Rejected as unfit.
213
37th
Tuberculosis victims
30
37th
Venereal diseases
70
39th
Apoplexy, paralysis, etc...
3
42nd
Epilepsy
7
46th
Instable nerves, neurasthenia, neuroses, hysteria, etc.
1
45th
Mental deficiency
22
45th
Mentally diseased *
24
24th
Heart diseases, organic
27
35th
Joint diseases
. 11
29th
Defective physical development .
33
15th
Mechanical physical defects
194
47th
Malnutrition—under-nourished or badly nourished,
disordered digestion, assimilation, etc
1