The news in this publica
tion is released for the press on
the date indicated below.
the university of north CAROLINA
NEWS LETTER
Published weekly by the
University of North Carolina
for its Bureau of Ejctension.
fOCOTBER 6,1915
CHAPEL HILL, N. C.
VOL. I, NO. 46
' sa'torial Boardi B. C. Branson, J. Q. deR, Hamilton, L. K. Wilson, L. A. Willianas, K. H. Thornton.
Entered as second-claas matter November U, 1914, at the postoffice at Chapel HiU, N.C.. under theaet of.’Augt^st 24,
1912
]
NORTH CAROLINA CLUB STUDIES
INTELLIGENT CO-OPERATION
IN ALAMANCE
The State Health Board and the Ala-
miance School Board have co-operated to
have a sanitary iiiapection of the schools
find a medical examination of the school
children of the- county.
The state furnishes the medical experts
and the county pays the cost, at the rate
of 110 per school.
The teacliers advise the parents of the
results and the family physicians treat
tlie cases.
Many of the failures in scliool and in
life are due to physical ailments and de
fects that parents know nothing about
.and that are easily treated *at a small
cost.
Other counties need to follow suit in
rapid order, for the children’s sake.
TELESCOPIC STUDIES
Mark Twain, you may remember, once
made the perilous ascent of Mont Blanc,
some 16,000 feet upward over ice and
snow—by proxy, througli a telescope!
In quite the same way and with about
the same degree of peril, we have tjeen
accustomed' in our college careers to
mount the heights of doing and being,
•endeavor and achievement, business and
■life. In the world of reality it cannot be
.done with a telescope. In college it can,
•■and we reward these telescopic studies
with degrees of one sort and another.
Mark Twain wanted his ascent crowned
with a certificate and was mortally af-
ironted because he did not get it; but we
frequeutly get academic diplomas and de
grees for quite similar telescopic (»urses.
LIVESTOCK AND BANK DE
POSITS
We traveled 33 miles over the moun^
tains the other day to Boone, the capital
of Watauga, a region of cattle, cabbages
and kings, a land of peace and plenty,
overflowing with milk and honey in lus
cious abundance.
In the three little banks at Blowing
Eock, Boone and \'alley Onicis we found
1255,000 in surpluses, undi vided profits,
time deposits, and open accounts.
The farmers ow'u these banks, and this
snug little fortune has been accumulated
«ut of livestock sales for the most part.
The average is nearly $20 apiece count
ing men, w’omen and children in Watau
ga. It compares very well with the |il4.-
.50 in one of our cotton and tobacco grow
ing counties.,
But the most striking difference lies in
the fact that in one case the farmers own
the banks and skim the cream of the
bank business; in the other, the banks
Jire owned and operated l>y the mer
chants and the mill men. The farmers
own little of the capital stock and still
less of the dividends. They do the bor
rowing, by proxy through the time-mer-
chants.
pear trees are a feast for the eye and the
inner man.
It is a land of sugar maples, buckwheat,
and honey bees; chickens and turkeys;
milk and butter, cream and cheeses more
than Dives himself ever dreamed of. A
land of cosy country homes thickly set in
bowers of abudance along the valleys and
in the coves—nine out of every ten of
them shining with the pride of paint!
Here are hardwood treasures almost
untouched, and undeveloped water-pow-
ers for ten thousand wheels and lathes in
wood-working industries.
A Little Mountain Paradise
Here is a little mountain paradise of
resources and possibilities; but they are
possibilities that can hardly be realized
until Watauga sponges out an undue il
literacy with more efi'ective public schools.
Better schools, better highw'ays, easy
access to markets, or satisfactory market
prices are not likely to come without or
ganization and co-operative enterprise of
every sort.
The people of Watauga know all these
things far better than any University vis
itor can tell them. For three years they
have been getting ready-to gird up their
loins for a mighty effort in all these di
rections ; and then we can well believe
that the hub of the universe will stick
visibly out in the dead center of A\'atau-
ga.
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
The largest asset of any county lies in
the souls of her men—not in her soils and
seasons, barns or bank books, but in the
faith and vision, courage and cajiability
of her leaders.
The most inspiring - thing in W^atauga
is the Appalachian Training School and
its leadership in the development of this
mountain region; not in education alone,
but in agricultural and industrial fields
-as well.
The third annual conference of the peo
ple of Watauga met in the auditorium of
this school the other day, and the big, up
standing leaders are the Doughertys,
■Stringfellow, Brown, Grier, and Haga-
roau; not all of them connected with the
school, but all actively interested in the
Watauga that is to be.
Legislators can aflbrd to deal generous
ly with this school—or so it seemed to us.
bowers of abundance
Watauga is full of surprises for the
arolina lowlander. Rich meadows and
countless haystacks; slopes green with
grass and thick with corn to the moun-
tanitops in every direction. Here are
«attle upon a thousand hills, and sheep
swelling numbers. The apple and
THE BREAD LINE
Mr. i;. F. Beasly, editor of the Mon
roe Journal, believes with all his heart
that a fundamental source of social ill in
all its modern variety lies in holding land
out of productive uses for speculative
purposes.
He wants to bring all land, used and
unused, on the tax books at its sale price
and to take off all taxes on improve
ments put upon land By. the man that
works.
It would double our population, says
he, and nmltiply our wealth ten times
over in the next ten years.
A Banker Agrees With Him
The other day in Chattanooga, aai Ala
bama banker, who owns two square miles
of ancestral land, startled the Southern
Education Conference by charging the
tragedy of po\’erty upon land monojwly
and absentee landlordism.
Exempt the first forty acres from taxa
tion, said he, and impose a progressive
super-tax upon all hoMings above 40
acres.
New Zealand’s Way
New Zealand has had a progressive
land' tax in force for twenty odd years.
Anybody interested in learning the effects
of such a law ought to read Henry De-
niorest Loyd’s volume on Newest Eng
land, and Parsons’ Story of New Zea
land.
ADVERTISING NORTH CAR
OLINA
The purpose of the North Carolina Club
at the Fniversity is to cultivate familiar
loving acquaintance with tlie mother
state; with North Carolina as she was and
is and is to be.
In' keeping with this purpose the club
has entered upofT^the work of 1915-16
with the following program:
L What We Have To Adver
tise.
1. Blineral Resources.
Joseph Henry Allred, Surry
County, Sept. 27
2. TimVjer Resources; (l)Wood
lots, (2) Forests.
J. H. Lassiter, Northampton
County Sept. 27
3. Water Powers; (1) Available,
(2) Developed.
D. E. Eagle, Iredell county.. .Oct. 25
4. Prominence in Manufacture.
H. M. Smith, Henderson
County
5. Our Soils and Seasons
(1) Variety and Adaptability
M. H. Randolph, Meck
lenburg County Oct. 11
(2) Diversity of Products Oct. 25
(3) Per Acre Yields: Com-
parisons - °
(4) Per Capita Yields; Com
parisons
(5) Total Yields: Compari-
THE TRUE TEACHER
MUST BE A LEADER
Walter A. Ingrain
The true teacher has the gift of
leadersliip—of generalship. He has a
personality which demands and com
mands the respect of all. He is the
commander-in-chief of the educationsri
forces—the forces of progress in his
community, but withal in a tactful,
discerning manner.
He fully understands that, in rural
connnunities, the school building is,
and of right ought to be, the center of
social and literary life and he makes
it such by organizing his people into
school and civic betterment clubs,
mother’s clubs, agricultural societies,
etc., and he is prepared to take a
leading part in itall. He manipulates
and controls the entire social life of
the young people, without seeming to
do so, and sees to it that all social in
tercourse is of a high order. He is
deeply interested and a leader in all
movements w'hich tend to better the
conditions of living among his people.
Highways and neighborhood roads,
running water in the homes, screens
against flies, grassy lawns, flowers and
shrubbery in the yards, find in him
an earnest advocate in season and out
of season. He encourages his boys and
girls to join the corn clubs and can
ning clubs. He takes a great interest
in agriculture, stock raising, garden
ing and fruit growing and everything
that concerns his people. It goes
vi'ithout saying that he is a church and
Sunday school man and teaches re
ligion by precept and example.
The -true teacher always pursues a
constructive policy—he is a master
builder, and leaves behind him a chain
of new buildings, new furnishings,
laboratory equipment and libraries.
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
LETTER SERIES NO. 45
GREETINGS
The School of Education at the Uni
versity herewith sends greetings and best
wishes to the teachers of the State. May
the year bring pleasure, profit, and suc
cess to every man and woman engaged
in the w’ork of educathig North Caro
linians.
Prospects
Never before in the educational history
of the State has the popular'interest in
education been so great as it is this fall.
Never have we teachers had so much with
which to work; new buildmgs, better and
more ample material, larger salaries and
hearty co-operation. Many of us were
privilegetl to attend the summer sessions
and revive our lagging interest while rest
ing our tired nerves. We may well re
joice at the prospects for the year.
Forecasts
The boys and girls in our schools will
look to us for great things. We must
not disappoint them. They are our
special care and our joy. To us is given
the inestimable privilege of making every
one of these children themost valuable and
worthy i^ersonality possible, and we shall
prove ourselves equal to the task. Our
registrations will he larger than over, our
houra of schoQl work longer, our interest
in the childrejL and the community
greater. We welcome the increased op
portunity to serve.
Obligation
As we turn to our school work for the
year let us solemnly vow within ourselves
that we will not be petty in our handling
of our children; that we will seek the
best in every life and strive to bring it
forth; that we will do the task we have to
do with all our might, not asking for
easier tasks but for greater might.
So shall our hours be too few, our bur
dens too light and our own lives rounded
out to their fullness. May we all measure
up this year to the fullness of our own
stature.
.Nov. 8
sons Nov. 22
(6) Livestock Farming: Ad
vantages Nov. 22
(7) Agricultural Industries Dec. 6
(8) Co-operative Enterprise.. ..Dec. 6
6. Our Economic Freedom Dec. 20
n. Why We Need to Adver
tise
1. Elbow-room for Home-Seek-
ers; Why We Need More
People in North Carolina — Dec. 20
(1) Our Twenty-two Million
Wilderness Acres: Econ
omic and Social Effects.
(2) Our Need for Greater Ar-
cumulations of Wealth.
(3) Our Need for Larger Tax
Revenues.
(4) Our Need for Tax Re
forms.
111. Ways and Means of Ef
fective Advertising.
1. A state Publicity Bureau; (1) Pri
vately Supported, (2) .\s a Perman
ent Department of State.
2. A State-wide Board of Trade.
3. County-wide Boards of Trade.
4. School Fairs, County Fairs, The
State Fair.
5. How the Railroads Gan Help.
6. AVhat the Banks Can Do.
7. Local Newspaper Publicity.
8. Community Booklets.
9. Local Exhibits of Resources and
Products.
10. Picture Post Cards, Moving Pic
tures, etc.
DIRECTED STUDY
Many of the teachers in the State will
soon be contemplating the question of
the Reading Circle Work. The really
earnest teacher is anxious to grow in her
profession and in her knowledge of its
technique.
To such teachers the bureau of exten
sion at the University od^ help through
its CorrespoiidenceDivision. ;Uponthecom-
pletion of a coarse there laid down a cer
tificate is granted to the student and recog
nized by the State Department as sufficient
evidence to warrant the issuance of the
regular Reading Circle diploma therefor.
The work is carried on by the profess
ors in the School of Education and the
teachers are carefully guided in their
study of the books for the year.
Write to" the Bureau of Extension,
ChaiielHill, N. C., for complete infor
mation.
OUR BUILDING AND LOAN
ASSOCIATIONS
During the ten years from 1904 to 1914,
the number of building and loan associ
ations ill North Carolina increased from
41 to 138; their assets rose from $2,542,-
800 to$12,703,300; and their loans from
$2,427,000 to $12,292,900.
During the la.st eight years these associ
ations have paid back to shareholders a
little more than sixteen million dollars.
This is a remarkable showing; as Mr.
James R. Young, the State Insurance
says, It is second to that of no state in
the Union.
Home-Ownership in North
Carolina Cities
Sensible people in the towns and cities
have long ago learned that the simplest,
easiest, least expensive way of getting un
der ones own roof tree is to get into a
well managed building and loan associ
ation.
They are a great benificence, and have
everywhere promoted the ownership of
homes. A wise man finds it out early in
life.
It is well to remember_ that in general
the more populous and prosperous com-
nrr.nities become the fewer are the people
tfiat dwell under their own vines and fig
trees, unmolested and unafraid.
Thus-uearly two-thirds of the country
dwellers, but only one-third of the city
dwellers, are home owners in the United
States.
Spokane with 51.3 per cent made the
best showing in home ownership in the
United States among the 50 cities having
a 100,000 or more inhabitante in 1910;
and Greater New York City with 11.7 per
cent the poorest.
Greensboro Leads the State
In North Carolina, the liest showing is
made by Greensboro with 38 per cent;
and AVinston with 28 per cent made the
poorest showing.
Our seven largest towns in 1910 show
as follows in home ownership; Greens
boro, 38 per cent; Charlotte, Asheville,
and SVilminglon, 34 per cent each; Ral
eigh, 30 per cent; Durham, 29 per cent;
and Winston, 28 per cent.
In a growing community the average
man’s chance to own his own home de
creases with every passing day.
FORTUNATE COUNTIES
The Washington-Atlanta Highway
crosses Granville, Durham, Wake, Har
nett, Johnston, Cumberland, Hoke,
Moore, Montgomery, and Richmond
counties. All told 255 miles of this high
way are in North Carolina.
Two hundred and thirty-seven miles of
it are under - the supervision of Federal
highway experts. So far they have ex
pended $28,381 of government money
upon the highway in these counties, in
construction and repair work.
With the money spent in this way (1)
bridges have been relocated and rebuilt
or repaired, {2) new roads laid out and
graded, (3) earth roads surfaced with
sand-clay or top soil, (4) grade crossings
eliminated, (5) roads straightened or
widened, (6) culverts located, built or
enlarged, all in preparation for mainte
nance.
The Cost of Maintenance
The amount set aside for maintenance
is $15,555 a year. That is to say, for
every dollar spent in construction, they
spend 54 cents upon maintenance by pa
trolmen and repair gangs; or 156.50 a
year per mile.
The sections inspected by patrolmen
range from 6 to 29 miles. The sections
averse nearly 13 miles in North Caro
lina. The amount spent upon the annual
up-keep of the average 13-mile .section is
$764.50 a year.
Our Maintenance Fund in
Orange
At this rate in Orange county our 300
miles of public roads could be kept in re
pair year by year by 30 patrolmen and
work-gangs at a cost of $764.50 a year
per section, or $22,935. Unfortunately
our road tax of 35 cents on the $100
raised only $18,078 in 1914. With the
receipts from our dog license adiled, our
total public roads fund was only $18,778.
On the other hand, when the interest
and sinking fund charges upon our $250,-
000 issue of 5 per cent 40-year bonds were
met, we had barely $3,000 left for road
work. When the superintendent’s salary
had been paid, we had less than $2,500
with which to keep our 300 miles of pub
lic roads in repair.
The Federal government spends $66 a
year per mile to keep in repair the 239
miles of the Washington-Atlanta High
way in ten of our North Carolina coun
ties.
Fortunate counties! Orange county
has only 66 cents a mile for such pur
poses !
What Road Maintenance
Means
Repair on earth and sand-clay roads
means:
Dragging persistently at every available
opportunity,
Using the grading machine when neces
sary,
Filling depressions.
Adding sand or clay as required.
Removing all trash, tin cans, nails, oW
iron, bottles, etc., that accumulate in
somewhat astonishing quantities,
Replacing broken floor boards in cul
verts and bridges,
Keeping culverts open.
Clearing ditches and shoulders,
Trunming brush and trees at curves,
Cutting grass and weeds,
Harrowuig and dragging rough or ir
regular sections,
Painting guard rails and culvert heads;
and
Posting roads.
WORK RESUMED
Every day sees new' applications and
registrations in the Correspondence Study
Division of the Bureau of Extension.
Work will be resumed the first of Oc
tober and continue for the year. Al
ready the students of last year have been
sending to the office for more lessons.
Interest is greatest in the courses in
English, Education, Latin, and History.
The students are doing good work" and
have expressed the appreciation of the
opportunity thus offered by the Universi-
ty*
Write to the Bureau of Extension for
full information.