The news in this publica
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
MR. BB TTpnMB wm Bp H ■■ MIH PVH IBpBaj
Published weekly by the
tion is released for the press on
T^E\a7S 1-ETTEr
University of North Carolina
the date indicated below.
..
JEl VV Ji A
for its Bureau of Extension.
JUNE 30, 1915
CHAPEL HILL, N. C.
VOL. I, NO. 32
Elitorial Boardi B. C. Branson, J. G. delt. Hamilton, L. R. Wilson, Z. V. Judd, S, K. Winters, L. A. WiUiams. Entered as seco'id-class matter November U, 19U, at the postofflce at Chapel Hill, N. C., under the act of August 24,1912.
NORTH CAROLINA CLUB STUDIES
INCREASING COTTON PRODUCTION IN NORTH CAROLINA
Five Year Increases or Decreases
W. R1*'A I’AKKER, AVaym* (’oiinty t’lub
Leads in Per Acre Yield
North Carolina does not raise more cot-
toi> than any other state, hut leas'ing out
California and Missouri which produce
less than u hundred thousand bales all
told, North Carolina produces more cot
ton per acre tliau any other state' in the
Cotton Belt.
We Spin All We Produce
Our nearly four million spindles now.
consume all the raw cotton the state pro
duces from year to year, around 850,000
bales. We lead the South in the con
sumption of cotton and in the \alue of
manufactured goods. AVliich means that
North Carolina ought always to grow
cottin, and in greater quantities as our
cotton mills increase in number and capa-
dty.
A Foolish Policy
But our farmei-s will be foolish to go on
raising cottoii, unless their barns and
■bins, pantries, cribs and smoke
houses are filled with home-raised food
■and feed stnfl’s during the growing and
marketing season.
Our ten leading cotton counties cannot
:aflbrd to send to food farmers in the Mid-
■dlc West nearly twenty million dollars, as
ihey did in the Census Year.
The supply merchants and the l)ankers
may accumulate wealtli in these counties’
«nder this system, and they do; but not
the farmei-s, and they don’t.
The Penalties We Pay
Our 68 cotton growing counties sent
out of the state ninety-seven million dol
lars hi I^'IO for bread and meat, hay and
forage!
If this vast sum could be kept at home by
a, syh'in of live-at-home farming the ac
cumulated farm wealth would be more
than doubled in the next five years. These
amazing facts are based on 1910 census
figures.
Sixty-one Counties Increase
and Seven Decrease in Cotton
Production
The table that follo\\s s&nvsthe cotton
growing counties of North Carolina ar
ranged in order of production in 1914.
It shows also the per eentS of increase or
decrease in cotton production since 1909.
During this live-year period twelve coun
ties more than doubled their total yield
of cotton, in ratios ranging from 101
in Lenoir and Bertie to 162% in Gates;
while seven counties decreased, in ratios
ranging from thirty-two hundredths of
one per cent in Alamance to 67 per cent
in Hyde and Iredell.
The Part of Wisdom
These counties canafl'ord neither to in
crease nor decrease their output of cot
ton, unless they are gaining steadily in
the production of grains, iiay and forage,
fruits and vegetables, live stock and ani
mal products. If they are doing this,
well and good; if not, they are on the
wronsx side f>f the dead line.
Headed the Wrong Way
j^hice 1850, our tobacco crop has in
creased 1,300 per cent, and our cotton
crop 2,300 per cent; but oiir per capita
production of, corn, wheat, oats, pease
and beans, potatoes, beef, jiork and mut
ton is less than it was 65 years ago.
As a result our cotton and tobacco crops
failed to pay our bill for imported bread
and meat in the census year hy forty-tive
million dollars! The lialaiu-e is on the
wrong side of the leilger.
Eank County
Bales
Per Cent
Increase
Rank County
Bales
Per Cent
Increase
1
Robeson
74,168
13
34
Gaston
9,795
—20
2
Johnston
54,833
57
36
Stanley
9,401
48
3
Wayne
40,527
65
37
Lincoln
8,782
36
4
Scotland
37,877
• 32
38
Rowan
8,731
9.7
5
Halifax
32,423
38
39
Perquimans
8,666
13
€
Nash
30,656
72
40
Chatham
8,437
19
.7
Union
30,527
35
41
.Tones
8,314
67
8
Edgecombe
29,574
10
42
Lee
7,943
85
9
Wake
29,253
6.5
43
Pamlico
7,710
56
10
Sampson
28,508
76
44
Craven
7,452
93
11
Wilson
28,488
51
45
Pasquotank ■
7,365
16
'12
Pitt
28,449
57
46
Onslow
6,875
109
13
Anson
29,267
12
47
Gates
6,363
162
14
IMecklenburg
26,118
—4.9
48
Hertford
6,086
63
15
C/Umberland
25,368
37
49
Chowan
5,712
120
16
Cleveland
24,563
58
50
jMontgoniery
5,648
51
17
11 arnett
24,083
105
51
Camden
4,520
106
18
North am ton
18,856
75
52
jNIoore
4,129
145
19
Richmond
17,857
34 ■
53
Washington
3,931
7.7
20
Hoke
16,457
54
Vance
3,516
27
21
Lenoir
15,715
101
55
Pender
2,529
99
22
Franklin
14,258
9.2
56
Carteret
2,188
60
23
Bertie
13,588
101
57
Alexander
2,170
105
24
Bt'aufort
13,487
51
58
Davidson
1,919
—19
2-5
Duplin
13,366
11
59
Davie
1,711
30
26
Greene
13,179
59
60
Polk
1,510
—1 3
27
Cabarrus
13,137
35
61
Tyrrell
1,463
13
28
Rutherford
13,090
73
62
Granville
1,411
—11
29
Bladen
11,897
120
63
()range
1,403
—1.7
30
Columbus
11,841
120
64
Randolph
1,269
65
.31
Martin
11,794
104
65
Hyde
1,248
—67
32
Iredell
11,610
—67
66
Durham
1,044
18
33
Warren
10,878
13
67
Brunswick
943
6.7
34
Cataw'ba
9,958
55
68
Alamance
939
.32
CAROLINA CLUB NOTES
NORTH CAROLINA FIRST
The University News Letter is not think
ing first and most about the University;
but first and most about North Carolina.
Its purjiose is not to advertise the Uni
versity, but to advertise North Carolina;
to puzzle at and to puzzle out, if possible,
the economic and social problems of the
state; to sul)ject our everyday, work-a-
day ]iroblems of life and enterprise to
close scrutiny and analysis; to rejoice in
the counties and communities, the insti
tutions and agencies that are achieving
successes of every worthful sort.
Tills purpose of the University News
I/etter ought now to be clearly evident to
our readers. However, we are plirasing
it distinctly for the first time, and calling
on the ix'ople of the state to send us post
card items of the things we ought to be
celebrating in our colunins.
CO-OPERATION MAKES
HEALTH WORK EASY
IN ORANGE COUNTY
There have been 1,362 homes, 18
schools, 22 cluirches, 2 railroad stations
and 2 post offices visited and surveyed by
the corps of health workers in Orange
County up to Saturday, June 12, ^\ rites
Dr. F. E. Harrington, field director of
the liealth work in Orange. Besides,
there liave been 18 public meetings held
in different parts of the county. At these
NORTH CAROLINA CALLS
YOU
111 1910there were 237,229 wiiiteNorth
Carolinians living in other states, and
but 75,073 natives of other states hv-
ing ill North Carolina. The balance
against us in every state in the
union except Maine, New Hanishire
and Vermont. Those three states had
358 Nortli C'arolinians, while 612 na
tives of those states were living in
North Carolina.
Dot'S any intelligent North Carolin
ian believe the opportunities in Vir
ginia, Tennessee or tieorgia are su
perior to North Carolina? Then why
is it tliat nearly 135,000 of our citizens
have gone to those states, while but
45,000 of their citizens liave come to
us?
'What would these 90,000 people we
liave lost, in excess of wliat we have
gained, be worth to our state?
Lost: Three Hundred Million
Dollars
There are 160,(>00 more North Caro
linians in other states than there are
natives of other states in North Caro
lina. The average wealth of the
United States is $1,965 per capita. On
this basis these people are worth over
300 millions to North Carolina.
Is it worth while to spend !}i50,000
or $100,000 annually in an efibrt to
stop this tremendous di'ain on our re
sources?
Both patfiotism and good business
judgment lemand that we solve this
problem.
The Call to Organize
The call issued by 26 good Tarheels
to North Carolina peojile to meet and
form an advertising organization fol
lows:
“ You are earnestly urged to be pres
ent at a meeting of North Carolina’s
jn’Ogressive citizens, who love their
state, believe in its future, and are
willing to assist in furthering its wel
fare. Tlie meet'"u. will l>e held in the
chamber of commerce rooms at
Kaleigh, Tuesday, .luue29, at 11 a. m.
“Object of meeting: To create a
state organization for the purpose of
gatliering information regarding the
resources of North Carolina, and to so
distril>ute this information that desir
able citizens may be attracted to
North Carolina and help develope its
latent resources.
“Hundreds of thousands of our
l>est citizens have left North Carolina
for locations not offering the ad van
tages we possess. We need an organi
zation to convince these people that
their best o|i|iortunity is in North
Carolina.
“jMillions of good citizens have emi
grated from the thickly-settled, high.
]>riced lands of northern states to the
t’aiuaiian northwest, our own north-
we^it, west and southwest, attracted by
intelligently conducted advertising
campaigns. .Many would have come
to North Carolina had they known
the facts about our state.
“Millions of other good citizens are
looking for new homes.
“We need and can get theni if we
convince them that our chinate is un
excelled, widely varying from the
inountains to the sea, but never
rigorc>us.
“Tliat living conditions are satisfac
tory.
“That lands are cheap in price only-
“That our lands will grow any croi>
grown farther north and some others
and will grow more crops each year.
“That our lands will produce more
dollars per acre tluin lands farther
north.
“That we have many industrial op-
oportunities awaiting development.
“We need aii'organization to tell
the world the truth about North Caro-
Ihia. INIost of the information reach
ing good citizens of the north is ex
aggerated reports o f undesirable
things.
“This invitation is intended for
every citizen in the state; were it pos
sible, a copy would be addressed
each.—The (Greensboro News.
UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
LETTER SERIES NO. 34
COUNTY COMMENCEMENTS
No other single movement has done
more to rivet popular attention upon the
public schools than the county commence
ments that have been Iield recently in
many counties in the state.
The good things that are done through
the county commencements are many
and exceedingly productive of the very
best results.
What a County Commencement
Accomplishes
Among the many things tliat are
brought to pass by the county commence
ment, it may be said that
It brings together for one good day in
the year the grown-ups of all political
parties, churches, and beliefs;
I brings together the children from every
nook and corner of the county and gives
them a chance to get acquainted with
I one another;
si lows in beautiful stirring array the
children of the county as the hope of the
future;
kindle.? enthusiasm as the monster pa
rade moves through tlie streets of the
county seat;
promotes personal pride, school pride,
neighborhood pride, and county pride;
tells just what sections of the county
are forging to the front and encourages
those sections to reneued eflbrts for the
next year;
stimulates thc‘ more backward to more
forward and to do better things for their
children;
paxes the way to greater efforts for the
ducational and industrial uplift of the
county; ,
shows w ho are leaders for the educa
tion of the children and gives to all an
opportunity to get together and boost the
edticational interests of the county;
gives parents, children, teachers, and
ill county school officials a good social
time—something they ought to have even
oftener than tliey do;
brings together an exhibit of industrial
ind literary work from all over the coun
ty and arouses and delights all who see
the exhibits.
The Exhibits
Nothing is a greater revelation and in
spiration than tlie exhibits brought in by
the children. In old times ix'ople used
to think that one who “could not learn
books’’ could never learn anything at
school. The uew thought in education
tells us that many a bright child who
seemingly “cannot learn books” docs
really have a bright mind and can “learn
books” if he sees in and through those
books a w'ay to those things hu -takes in
terest in. The boy who makes for the
county exhibit a table, a toy wagon, an
axe helve, or a model gate shows that he
has mei-hanical ability that should be
ilcN-eloped and he sliould ha\e some way
to move forward to a mechanical educa
tion, The one who has made some article
tliat is used on the farm or who has writ
ten a composition telling how he made a
cro|) of corn or cotton, and in his compo*
sition shows his interest in and love for
farm fife, tells us that his nature and in
terest call for training in agriculture and
that he should have a way of getting it.
The girl who brings her needle work or
well cooked biscuits, bread, and cake
shows that she should have domestic
science in easy reach at school.
The Lesson of the County
Commencement
All these things, exliibitjj of handi
work, maps, essays, and cooking, show
that the best school is that school iu
which each child has a chance to develope
the talent which ('rod has gi\en him and
that the poorest school is the one in
which every child is forced to move along
iu the same narrow groove regardless of
the talent he has and to the complete de
struction of that talent.
The time is now here when every
neighborhood must have a school in
which, as children begin to learn the ele
mentary things that are necessary and
which are to be learned in books, their
special talent shall have an opportunity
to make itself known and to be devel
oped. In the near future every county in
the stat-e must have a splendidly equipped
high school in which all subjects, literary,
industrial, and agricultural shall be in
easy reach of the individual talent of each
child in the county.
to
literature was distributed and in all a
L^eneral health interest creati'(l.
What the Survey Means
A county health survey may be ex
plained as a friendly visit on the part of
the health officers to every home in the
county, which visits serve at the same
time as a tour of inspection, With the
tactfulness of a Lord Chesterfield, sanita-
tation becomes the chief topic of conver
sation, and soon the entire premises are
surveyed anl every unfavorable health
condition noted. Suggestions and plans
are extendel to the householder, as are
also the co-operation and assistance of the
health officers, whereliy these conditions
can bo changed and the home made sani
tary as to its environments.
The sur\ey pays Si>ecial attention to
the water supply and to the disposal of
sewerage. Some type of sanitary closet
is installed or recommended at every
home. The water supply, either the well,
]>unip or spring, is surveyed as to its lo
cation, construction, etc., special notice
being given to drainage and other sources
of iiolhition.'^Flies and screens come in
for consideration also.
Enthusiasm and Friendliness
Surveys have been completed in Hills
boro town anl township and in Chapel
Hill, J^no, and Cheek’s townships,
writes Dr. Harrington. Another note in
connection with the survey is stressed
by the doctor. He says: “Things conld
not go better. We are being received
with the l>est of enthusiasm and friendli
ness.”
Getting Down to Business
lereby enroll myself an active member
of the Orange County Sanitation league,
without any dues, ami without obligation
to attc'nd meetings.
“I pledge myself as a member to do all
in my power to ha\-e my home put in a
sanitary condition, to further the objects
of the leagne, and to increase the mem
bership of the branch to which I be
long.”
And the people are rapidly doing these
very-things.
THE BEST OF ALL
Th'J teachers in attendance upon the
University Summer School tfiis year num
ber 110 more than last year.
They come from almost every county
of the state and from every adjoining
state. The classes in liural Economics
and Sociology, for instance, have mem
bers from Virginia, South Carolina, Ten
nessee, and Oeorgia as well as from
North Carolina.
These students are all working upon
the problems of life and enterprise of
.their home states.
“Believing fully in the objects of and
the benefits toie derived from iiu|iroved
meetings, lectures on some phase of ^ sanitary conditions and being in sympa-
and sanitation were given thy with the Sanitary Survey of Orange
these were illus-County, as conducted by the Public
Free health Health Service of the United States, I
health work
and for the most part
trated with lantern pictures.
RELIEVING THE HOUSEWIFE
The other day we found the housewife
in a prosperous farm home bringing the
water for cooking, drinking, bathing, and
hou.se-cleaning from a water supply more
than a half mile away, and doing it
every day, many times a day. It is a
back-breaking hardship.
Running water in the kitchen, bath
room and barn would relieve the drudgery
and increase the comfort a thousand per
cent in every home.
A simple,linexpensive, successful way of
putting clear cool spring water into the
home lies in using a water wheel and
pump.
Write Prof. T. F.
University about it.
Hickerson of the
V