North Carolina Newspapers

The Library, br:r L The news in this publica tion is released for the press on receipt. THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA ■ NEWS LETTER Published weekly by the University of North Carolina for its Bureau of Extension. DECEMBER 5,1917 CHAPEL HELL, N. C. VOL. IV, NO. 4 Bdiiorial Board * E. C. Branson , .J. a. deE. Hamilton, L. K. Wilson, K. H. Thornton, G. M. McKio. Entered as second- .-class matter November 14,1914, .st the Postoffloe at Chapel Hill, N. C„ under the act of Augmst 24,1912. THE SPIRIT OF FRANCE A HIGH AND HOLY ENTER PRISE The world today is standing: on tiptoe, with waving hat and fren/ded enthusiasm shouting out its boundless admiration for the spirit of France. This free valiant spirit is contagious. It is encircling the earth. There is no es- cai^e from it. It takes us all in its sweep ing embrace and rushes us on to every high and holy enterprise. What better application can we make of this new endowment than to turn it full-powered to the noble task of educa ting tlie children of America? Hereto fore we have been dabbling with this im portant obligation. We have carelessly tossed to the schools the few surplus dollars that could be easily spared from the self-indulgent purse. We have sent with indifference the child to the teacher only tliose few days when the farm and the shop needed not his toil. We have let the slightest obstruction or the most trivial excuse separate him from this point of instruction and this period of time which represents the only opportunity he will ever have to prepare himself for the solemn duties of life. This enlarged undertaking will cost money; it will take time; it will require effort. ISut wiiatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice, we sliould throw ourselves unhesitatingly into this patriotic duty, and lx‘.|ueath to the future a generation of citi/eiis, reverent and dutiful, sound in mind and body, skilled in the practice of tlieir several vocations, and capable of turning their leisure to a rational use. Are the men and women of North Carolina equal to their part in this colos sal task? Are they slackers in this great contest? Are they traitors to the new duty and vision thrown aloft by this magnificent spirit? Let tliem answer by their deeds.—J. F. Webb, County School Commissioner of Granville County. group lectures, correspondence and read ing courses, single lectures on subjects re lating to the war, readers’ service, direct publicity on why we are at war and why this is out war, and the formation of an association. State-wide and nation-^^ ide if possible, composed of high-school and grainmar school students, parents and others, and called the Lafayette Associa tion, to symbolize the ideas to which La fayette devoteii his life and for the pur pose of “realizing the infinite power of the public school as the center of the community life of the nation in the es sential task of nourishing, developing and crystallizing through expression the national spirit of present and future America.’ ’ The Bureau of Extension, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N C., may be addressed for detailed informa tion regarding the plans of the patriotic work it has undertaken, and in which it is suggested that educational institutions elsewhere may participate.—Manufac turers’ Record. A FINE WORK IN PATRIOT ISM A recent ediiorial in The Manufactur ers’ Record generously, approves the War Extension Service of the University. A fine work in patriotism, it says. We re print the editorial in full because it greatly lieliw along the purposes of the Univcmily. Five war leaflets are already IB print. ffhe editorial follows: — ■Always conspicuous in its spirit of pa triotism, the University of North Caro lina has now made a movement to arouse the country to a fuller realization of what tlie war means to us. A leaflet just iasued gives a brief outline of the Uni versity's war extension service in the li^ of education. '-nie causes of the war, the practical re lation of the average American citizen to the war, the immediate necessity of win- .ning the war, American aims and ideals lin the war, and preparation for material, social and spiritual reconstruction after the war, are matters to be considered, and it ia believed that the present crisis -in democratic civilization cannot be ade- ■ rjuntoly met until there is brought home to ,the mind of the nation not merely the sscuHc of tear of the aggressions of Ger- hut a deep sense of appreciation of our ow« precious heritage of freedom, ddiis odticafcienai need, it is declared is ‘-the groaf, and unique opportunity of the educational institutions of America. ‘ Their di.stribution over the whole ixiawtry. their resources of writers and laFa^almrs.'their ready access to local fo- frimw of public opinion, and their hold I on the confidence of the public give them I an ap).ortuuity of incomparable import ance in this task so essential to the iound progress of every purpose of our I ••Government. Educational in.stitutions, from the •aigh‘M. through to the lowest, can, it is nehl without m the least disturbing their loriual functions, turn their resources to ..his fundamental work in edncation m rtd.at it means to lie an American in 1917 and after. A plan of providing war information service to the public is offered with fea- ures which include the establishment if extCHBion centers, the providing o THE LATIN AMERICAN CLUB The Latin American Club promises to l>e one of the livest organizations on the Hill this year, as was evidenced by the roll call last Monday night, at which time the Club held its first regular meet ing of the year. The year’s program, as submitted by the committee in charge, is divided into two parts, the first dealing with Inter- American Relations, and the latter part having to do with Latin America and the War. Topics under these headings will be selected for discussion at each meeting. It is felt that this program far surpasses the program of last year, in that the subjects are more timely and interesting. A new feature of the work will prob ably be a debate by tlie Club, during the fall, on some timely subjects relating to South America and the War. The program in full, as outlined by the Club, is as follows; Part 1. Intek-Ameeicax Relations. 1. llelations of the United States with pro-Revolutionary Latin America. 2. Aid of the United States in Latin- Ameriean Wars of Independence. 3. The Monroe Message; Part of Lat in America in its Evolution; Reception in Latin America. 4. Development and Extension of the Monroe Doctrine. 5. Debate: (Query to be supplied). 6. Phases of the Commercial History of Latin America. 7. The United States as a Latin American Power. 8. The Doctrine of Calvo and Drago. 9. Contemporary Pan-Americanism. Part 2. Latin A.mekica and the Wak. 1. Eflects of the War on Latin America. 2. Latin-Ameriean Trade during the War. 3. Resources of Latin America avail able for use in tlie AVar. 4. Relations with Belligerent Coun tries: Latin American Countries at AVar. THE SERVICE FLAG William Hershell Dear little flag in the window there, Hung witli a tear and a woman’s prayer; Child of Old Glory, born with a star, Oh, what a wonderful flag you arc! Blue is your star in its field of wliite Dipped in the red that was born of light; Born of the blood that our forebears shed To raise your mother, the Flag, o’er- head. And now you’ve come, in this frenzied day, To speak from a window—to speak and say: I am the voice of a soldier son Gone to be gone till the victory’s won. T am the flag of the Service, sir. The flag of his mother—I speak for her Who stands by my window and waits and fears. But hides from tlie others her unwept tears. “I am the flag of the wives who wait For the safe return of a martial mate A mate gone forth wdiere the war god thrives To save from sacrifice other men’: wives. ‘ ‘1 am tlie flag of the s-weethearts true Tlie often unthought of—the sisters too; I am the flag of a mother’s son And won’t come down till the vic tory’s won!” Dear little flag in the window there. Hung with a tear and a woman’s prayer; Child of Old Glory, born with a star Oh, what a wonderful flag you are! —The Indianapolis News. UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION LETTER SERIES NO. 143 WAR-TIME ARITHMETIC 1. If you bought 4 Liberty Loan Bonds of 1100 each and paid 2 per cent of their cost on filing your application, how much did you pay at that time? 2. On the fifteenth of the next month you paid 18 per cent^ of their cost, how much did you pay at that time? 3. AVhat was the amount of each of your next two payments of 4 per cent of the face value of the bonds? 4. The first issue of Liberty Loan Bonds was originally to bear 3 1-2 per cent interest. How much interest money would you receive each year on your pur chase at this first rate? 5. Since the second issue of these bonds the interest rate has been made 4 per cent. How much more money would you receive each year at this rate than ' at the first rate? 6. If you had bought 2 of the $50 and 1 of the $100 Second Liberty Loan Bonds, what would have been your first payment of 2 per cent on application? 7. This second issue pays its first semi annual 4 pier cent interest on May 15, 1918. Compute the amount you would receive at that time on each of your sec ond issue bonds. ; 8. The first issue of Liberty Loan Bonds was to begin bearing interest on June 15, 1917, the second issue was to begin bearing interest on November 15, 1917. Compute the interest you would receive by December 1, 1920 on the pur chases made according to examples 1 and 6. Remember both issues hear 4 per cent interest now. 9. A man in Greensboro wanted his son to have a fixed income of $400 each year so he bought sufficient bonds of the Second Liberty Loan registered in his son’s name to yield $400 each year. AA^hat amount of bonds did he buy? 10. For what reasons would you take $100 out of a bank where it was paying you 4 per cent interest and use it to buy a $100 Liberty Loan Bond paying 4 per cent interest? I Note: It is suggested that teachers might change the figures representing the amount or number of bonds pur- , chased and use these same examples over ‘ and over again as drill work. Other ■ changes in methods of procedure and further adaptations will readily suggest themselves. war. America’s destiny is at stake. Democracy is at stake. "The People greater and more majestic name than the King-expect every man to do his duty. And out of it all shall come a better America, a truer and wiser Democracy.— Dr. Frank Crane, Hearst’s Alagazine. we must put an end to it, before it puts an end to us! If Germany were to de feat the Allies do you suppose America would be safe any longer than ships could bring German soldiers to our shores? France and Lngland have been fighting for our lives and safety as well as their own, and we ought to have been helping them long ago. There are worse things than death. Better a short life as a gentleman un afraid, than a long life as a coward. Death is a small price lo pay when the world’siieace, the world’s happiness, the world’s civilization itself, everything that makes life worth living, are all at stake. And let us thank God that American wo men and children have so far been s{)ared seeing that awful struggle brought to our own land, for then indeed we would not fear death; we would pray for it as the only safety, as a merciful re lease from despair.—Mrs. J. Lindsay Patterson in the Progressive Farmer. WILLING TO FIGHT OVER HERE In this war period not only is every bit of food needed, but every bit of strength and every bit of courage and every hit of sanity. Sanity—good, old-fashioned common sense. A\e all need it. I don’t know how many people, wo men particularly, I’ve heard saying, “If the Germans come to this country, I d be willing for my boy to fight.” The best thing that such people can do is to get down on their knees and tiiank God that, if fighting must be done, it can be ! done across the seas and not here in oui I own land. Belgian men fought on their i own soil. Today, where and what are ■ their women and children? Roumania? ■ Serbia? Northern France? All fought j “on their own land,” as in their awful ' blindness many Americans now want to ' fight, instead of praying night and day ^that such an unspeakable calamity may never befall us. ' Favor war? No one favors war; it is the curse of all curses, and that is why THE VITAL FACT Until a man has found something worth dying for he has found nothing worth living for. And to the thousands of youth now in camp and on battlefield has come the ennobling call of the ideal. They are stepping up into a higher man hood. They are marching on to give America’s freedom to the oppressed mul titudes of the earth. Out of this conflict will emerge a new earth, a league of nations that will never again allow a militaristic organization to menace civilization. A stiU more vital fact is that this has become a war of the Peoples against the Rulers. Representative governments are pitted against the absolute monarchies and oligarchies. It is the uprising of the world. It is the revolt of hu.manity. It is the effort of Die health of civiliza tion to throw off the poison of absolutism that has long lain latent in its veins. A writhing, assassinated AVorld has called us, and we have answered. AVe need to realize this. Every mother needs to feel that she is sending her boy to light in the noblest conflict ever in history. Every preacher needs to believe that he can pray with a full and honest heart for -the men who are marching away to save those free institutions that Christianity has made. The die is cast. AVe have entered tlie WHY AMERICAN BABIES t)IE AA’hy do American babies die? has been the great question that Aliss Julia C. Lathrop, chief of the Children’s Bureau at AA'ashington, has been trying to answer for the last five years. She has discovered some of the fundamental causes and con ditions largely responsible for America’s unenviable baby death record, which is worse than England’s, Scotland’s, Den mark’s or France’s, but not quite so bad as Germany’s. Her conclusions are not mere guess work, but are based on a number of exhaustive studies of typical American groups or communities. One of the principal groups studied was the industrial city of Johnstovv-n, Penn sylvania, where men for the most part are employed in steel manufacture. Another was Montclair, New Jersey, a rich and prosperous suburban city, and the other was Manchester, New Hampshire, a textile manufacturing center where many mothers are employed. The baby deathrate in Johnstown, which has a foreign population, the women of which do not work in the industrial plants, was 134 per 1000. That of Montclair, a pros perous residential city, was 84, while the baby deathrate for Manchester, where mothers worked in the cotton mills, was 193. One of the conditions found affecting the baby’s hold on life was the bathtub. Houses with bathtubs had a baby death- rate of 72, whereas those without them had a rate of 164. The same thing was true of houses into which water was piped and those into which it had to be carried by hand. Room-crowding was another factor. Babies died much oftener when sleeping in a room with more persons than their parents than when with them only, while the same thing is true of their sleeping in their own separate beds. But by far the greatest factors found were illiteracy and hard work by mothers. It was found that the extent to which mothers increased the family revenue, just to that extent their babies died, and that babies of illiterate mothers have higher deathrates than those whose moth ers can read and write.—State Health Board. IF GERMANY WON Do you realize what would happen to us in America if Germany defeated Great Britian and France? You think of us separated from her by 3,000 miles of water, but oceansjin these days of electricity and airships and sub marines are barriers no more effective than mountain brooks. You recall the German U-boat which suddenly appeared last summer at our very door to sink several cargo and pas; senger steamers off our New England coast? AA'ithin six months after a victory of Germany in Europe, German warships and German troopships would be on their way to our ports to levy the great tribute upon this rich country which is part and parcel of the German war plan. That’s what the triumph of the kaiser would mean to America and to you— billions of dollars of tribute, of which you would have to pay your share through oppressive taxation. It is on the pan- Germanic program. Officers, merchants, educators said as much to me in Germany, Belgium, Po land, during my year behind the German lines on relief work. And you have prob ably read the corroborative evidence of their purpose in the kaiser’s threat to Ambassador Gerard, “America had better look out after this war!” In Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, prominent German merchants whom I met in the course of my travels frankly confided to me the intention of Germany “one day” to make an “overseas Germany” of South America. A German officer said to me at the great headquarters in North ern France, “AA'orld power or complete defeat; Germany wants no half-way re sults.” A German victory would at once put in jeopardy all the principles for which we ever fought—freedom on land in 1778, liberty at sea in 1812, the right of fron tier lines in 1847, and the rights of little nations in 1898. A fortnight ago a German victory seemed the wildest improbability. Since the situation has changed. The A GERMAN PRAYER i Thou who dweliest high in Thy Hea,v- en, above Cherubim, Seraphim, and the Zeppelins, Thou who art enthroned ds a God, of thunder in the midst oi lightning from the clouds, and lightning from sword and cannon, send thunder, light ning, hail, and tempest hurtling upon our enemy .... and hurl him down to the dark burial-pits.—Battle Prayer by Pastor D. Vorwerk, in Ger many. then German armies am pouring into northern Italy. Italy may not be able to stop them, Germany may force her to make peace. With Russia and Italy both out of the way Germany and Austria would be able to send practically all their forces against the allies on the western front. The chances are that England, France, and Belgium alone could not hold them. The United States must leap to tiieir side. Not xAmerican soldiers only, not Ameri can ships only, not American guns only, but American men, women, and child ren from Maine to Texas, from Texas to Oregon, must in one way or another con sider themselves fighters at the side of America’s allies on the battle front. If they cannot hold a gun, they must support those who do. They must save food and save money. They must talk war. They must think war. If they don’t Germany will win. And then —Casper Whitney.