J-^ibiar y'
Chapel Hill
V
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.
JUNE 12, 1918
CHAPEL HHX, N. C.
VOL. IV, NO. 29
Editorial Board t E, C. Branson, J. G, deR. Hamilton, L. R. "V^ilson, R. H. Thornton, G. M. McKie.
Entered as second-class matter November 14,1914, at the Postofflce at Chapel Hill, N. C., under the act of August 24 1913.
AN ACID TEST FOR TEACHERS
Teachers ought not he allowed to teach
and high school pupils ought not be al
lowed to graduate unless they are decent
ly well informed about the war the world
is now waging, and unless they are
actively doing their bit and their beat for
liberty and humanity in all the ways
that are possible to them.
This in brief is the creed of Dr. Wil
liam H. Allen, Director of the Institute
for Public Service in New York City. It
is given in specific detail to the public by
the World Book Company, N. Y. in an
80 page booklet, under the title War-
Fact Tests for Promotion and Gradua
tion.
The chapters are (1) Why we are at
War. (2) Our Peace Aims, (3) Home-
Town War Facts, (4) Home-State War
Facts, (5) Home-Country War Facts, (6)
World War Facts, (7) After-the-War
Needs, and (8) Commencement Suggest
ions.
It is simple, brief, specific, informing,
and tremendously stimulating. It ought
to be in the hands of every public school
teacher and trusteee.
as "a Creed worthy to be learned and ac
cepted as a guide to action by all Ameri
cans.”
REACHING THE FOLKS
The following advertisement appeared
in the New Eepublic of April 20:
“University of North Carolina Publi
cations. War Information Series. Study
Outlines and Bibliographies.
“National Ideals in British and Ameri
can Literature, 100 pp—50 cents. Chap
ter Headings: 1, From the Beginnings to
Shakespeare; 2, The English Renais
sance; 3, Rise of Modern Democracy; 4,
England Democratizing under Victoria;
5, Rise of Imperialism; 6, American
Ideals; 7 and 8, The War and Democracy.
“American Ideals in American Litera
ture.—10 cents.
“The Community Pageant; An Agency
of Democracy.—10 cents.
“A Syllabus of Latin American His
tory.—25 cents.
“Address Bureau of Extension, Chapel
Hill, N. C. ”
These are four of the 18 leaflets that
recently were praised with enthusiasm by
! - -r» 1_1- T . ,
The public school is the only piece of j the Philadelphia Public Ledger, and by
civic machinery in America that reaches
every home in the land and the units of
population down to the last man, woman,
and child.
And as for the 9 million people who
dwell in our small villages and the 51
millions more who live in the widely
scattered homes of our county regions,
weTl never reach them and stir them in
to active participation in this war unless
our public school teachers and officials
are informed and aroused.
If we win this war, the fourth line of
national defense—the jiteople who stay at
home—must be as well organized and as
bravely active as the first line of defense
in the trenches abroad.
How to reach and and arouse our 60
million country dwellers and villagers is
the biggest problem in America today.
THE AMERICAN’S CREED
The idea of laying special emphasis up
on the duties and obligations of citizen
ship in the form of a national creed ori
ginated with Henry S. Chapin. In 1916-
1917 a contest, open to all Americans,
was inaugurated in the press throughout
the country to secure “the best summary
of the political faith of America.” The
contest was informally approved by the
President of the United States. The art
ists aiid authors of the Vigilantes, es
pecially, and representatives of other pa
triotic societies supported it; the City of
Baltimore, as the birthplace of the Star
Spangled Banner, ofl'ered a prize of $1000,
which was accepted, and the following
committees were appointed: A commit-
p^v4ee on manuscripts, consisting of Porter
Emerson Browne and representatives
from leading American magazines with
headquarters in New A'ork City; a com-
niittee on award, consisting of Matthew
Pago Andrews, Irvin H. Cobb, Hamlin
arland, Ellen Glasgow, Julian Street,
■ooth Tarkingtoii, and Charles' Hanson
owne; and an advisory committee, con-
•Bisting of Dr. P. 1’. Claxtou, United
States Commissioner of Education, Gov
ernors of States, United States Senators,
and other National and Stale officials.
llie winner of the contest and the au
thor of the Creed selected proved to be
William Tyler Page of Friendship
Heights, Maryland, a descendant of
President Tyler and also of Carter Brax
ton, one of the signers of the Declaration
of Independence.
The Creed prepared by Mr. Page was
■ecognized by all as not only brief and
simple and in every way suitable for edu
cational purposes, but also remarkably
comprehensive of that which is basic in
American ideals, history and tradition,
as expressed by the founders of the Re
public and its leading statesmen and wri
ters.
On April 3‘, 1918, in the presence of
; the member.s of the Senate and the House
of Representatives, THE AMERICAN’S
CREED was formally accepted in the
name of the United States Government
by the Speaker of the House, and it was
there read in public for the first time by
the United States Commissioner of Edu
cation, who has oflicially commended it
Commerce and Finance, a New York
Journal. The other 14 are free to North
Carolinians.
A State-Wide Appeal
The University is interested, or mainly
so, in the attention these publications re
ceive in North Carolina. However, ap
plause abroad will help to give a value to
them in the mind of the people at home.
1‘rimarily they are given to the public,
not to challenge the admiration, of the il
luminated in upper academic circles,
but to saturate the mind of the multi
tude with the history, and the essential
doctrines of Democracy. And no larger
contribution to the literature of Democ
racy has been made by any state univer
sity.
The mind of the mass is the main
spring and the measure of our civiliza
tion. Nothing long endures in any de
mocracy that does not grip the common
sense of the common man of the com
monwealth.
This fundamental belief leads us to val
ue the space given to these bulletins in
our home papers even more than the
space given to them by papers beyond
our state lines.
OUR NATIONAL CREED
William Tyler Page
I believe in the United States of
America as a government of the peo
ple, by the people, for the people;
whose just powers are derived from
the consent of the governed; a democ
racy ill a republic; a sovereign nation
of many sovereign states; a perfect
Union, one and inseparable; estab
lished upon those principles of free
dom, equality, justice and humanity
for which American patriots sacrificed
their lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my duty to
my country to love it, to support its
constitution, to obey its laws, to re
spect its flag and to defend it against
all enemies.
OUR DO-WITHOUT PATRIOTS
They are people in the United States
who save and lend their money to the
government, who do without many things
they have always been accustomed to,
and ill this way free for government use
materials and labor that are essential to
war purposes.
They are the true Home-Guard, and so
far it is a very small army. Not many
of us have yet suffered any real discom
fort for the sake of liberty and humanity
in this time of supreme peril.
Only one person in every five in these
United States has yet bought a liberty
bond. In Germany six peraoils in every
ten shared in the last war loan—which,
by ttie way, was Germany’s eighth pop
ular subscription for war purposes.
We do not .yet believe in Civilization as
the Germans believe in Kultur.
North Carolina has put 66 million dol
lars into liberty loans in the three cam
paigns. She over-subscribed the third is
sue six million dollars or more. But few
er than ten people in every hundred of
our people have bought a liberty bond.
Many of these people have bought bonds
on a credit, and are paying for them in
installments with real self-denial. As a
rule the bond buyers are peciple who are
already thrifty—who already have the
habit of thrift or a ready capacity or a
lively impulse to form the habit.
The liberty bond campaigns have been
massive and spectacular. The posters,
the parades, the blare of brass bands have
mightily stirred the patriotic impulse of
the few who can think in terms of $50
and more.
Get Busy With W. S. S. Now
But our liberty bond campaigns have
left the swarming multitudes with a feel- i
ing of helplessness,
ten must think in
nies and nickels and dimes. Two-bits
and five dollars are to them bigger than
John D’s millions are to him.
These are the people who have not yet
been reached and stirred to patriotic
thrift. They are the vast throng of
spenders and wasters; who consume all
they produce and spend all they make
and a little more as a rule; who live
from hand to mouth day by day; who
earn little, save ' little, and have little;
whose money promptly slips through
their fingers, no matter how large their
daily wages are or how much they get
for their cotton and tobacco.
They need to develop the habit of
thrift—the habit of looking ahead sensibly
and denying themselves wisely. They
now have a chance to develop this habit
on a patriotic basis. War savings
stamps give them this chance.
As a community concern it is import
ant to save the thriftless from the
ness and wickedness of waste. Usually
the poor in the South are poor because
they are thriftless. It may not be so
elsewhere, but it is so in this land of op
portunity. Community prosperity and
progress depend on the thrift of its mem
bers. The larger the number of savers,
the more local capital there is for busi
ness enterprises, the larger the weekly
pay roll, the bigger the_ volume of trade,
the larger the deposits in banks, and the
fatter the dividends of stock holders.
By far our biggest job is the marketing
of thrift stamps at 25 cents, and savings
certificates at $4.15 each. It is far more
important tiian our liberty bond cam
paigns.
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
LETTER SERIES NO. 150
A TIMELY BOOK
Have you seen War Fact Tests for
Graduation and Promotion? It is an at
tractive little paper covered book of about
80 pages as full of war facts as a nut is
full of meat. It does not moralize and it
does not preach but it does -f>ut before
you cold facts about the War. When
you have read it once through, you must
go back and read it again. You feel sure
that here is a list of facts which every
self-respecting citizen ought to have at
his tongue’s tip. Certainlyjevery school
pupil ought to know them.
For Teachers’ Use
The live teacher, and you are one we
assume, will wish to own the book’ be
cause it is so definite and very specific in
its suggestions. If you are doubtful how
you can teach your pupils about the war
you will find this little book full of exact
information put in usable form. For in
stance, it suggests arithmetic problems
based on the liberty loans, food conserva
tion, thrift stamps, etc. It suggests how
your commencement may be made patri
otic in nature. It suggests topics for es
says and proposes relay races in the reci
tation of war facts.
Try One Yourself
J ust try yourself on this series of ques
tions suggested as the basis for a spelling
down contest.
1. In what month and year did this
war start?
2. On what date did the U. S. decide
to fight?
3. What years are within the draft
age?
4. What agency is charged with re
sponsibility for preventing waste of meat
and flour?
5. Name three important inventions
that have been first tried out in this war.
6. How many reasons do you know
for our going to war? Start to name
them.
7. Go on naming reasons why we are
at war.
8. What is meant by selective draft?
Try these questions out on your pupils
and see what score they can make. Thin
send 24 cents to The World Book Com-
pany, \onkers, N, Y., and buy a
of the book.
copy
39 per cent of the members of congress.
47 per cent of the speakers of the
house.
54 per cent of the Vice presidents.
62 per cent of the secretaries of state.
67 per cent of the attorneys-general,
69 per cent of the j ustices of the su
preme court.
Even at the time of the founding of
the government, 50 per cent of the'jmem-
bers of the constitutional convention
were college graduates.
If these figures should be made to ap-
weak- public officials of the past] de
cade, the percentage would run much
higher, since the value of college training
is becoming more and more mandatory.
—J. C. Jones in The Forum.
A PROPER DEADLINE
Enemy propaganda—even in prison
camps—has won more important victor
ies than enemy arms.
The most fertile soil for enemy propa
ganda is the uninformed or misinformed
mind.
What correct, definite, uu-dislpdgeable
information is being given the children
of your schools and by them to their par
ents?
It is dangerous to leave to chance the
war facts 22,000,000 school children and
300,000 college students see, hear and
study.
No child and no college student should
be given a certificate of promotion or
graduation from one single one of our
schools this year until after fie has proved
his mastery of those minimum essentials
of knowledge and understanding about
the war issues, war dangers, and war
duties which governmental and educa
tional authorities decide may be reason
ably required of each grade.
Not one single teacher should be ad
mitted into, or continued in, the teaching
profession, especially in those schools for
which the public is responsible, who
has not this same minimum knowledge
and understanding.—Wm. H. Allen in
Public Service.
COLLEGE CULTURE PAYS
Today, less than 1 per cent of the men
in the United States are college graduates
and of course at the time of the founding
of the government, 140 years ago, the
proportion was much smaller than it is
now. Yet, out of this 1 per cent have
Nine people of every | come:
small sums—in pen- j 55 per cent of our presidents.
FRANCE GAILY BLEEDS
France gaily bleeds upon her torn fron
tiers and counts her waning wealth of
men and gold with still unquailing heart.
Belgium, a shambles and a house of
shame, superbly keeps the faith with ex
iled flag ana king beneath the banners of
a conqueror.
Bewildered Russia, groping, manu
mitted serf, plays perilously with sudden
rights as children with a toy they do not
understand, who, in the search tor reve
lation, break the works beyond repair.
The path to Austria has taken an Ital
ian life in toll for every foot of progress
made and after two years spent upon the
stubborn heights, the farthest sentry on
the last outposting peak is not a night re
moved from his own boundaries. »
► St
Eumania struck one blow and then be*
came a German camp, a looted realm;
and Servian Peter leads his homeless
waifs on alien soil. ^
Britain in vain hurls her full strength
into the West, recruits unceasing levies
for the slaughter-heap. Her constant
transports ply the Seven Seas. Pa than,
Egyptian, Anzak promptly answer each
fresh call, and the astounding Prussian,
with never an invading foot upon the
Fatherland, calmly eats their steel, pre
sents unbroken fronts, maintains his hold
from Antwerp to the Dardanelles, and in
solently challenges the world from pole
to pole to pool its might and come in
arms against him.
The end of this grim war is not in sight.
Whoever thinks the Allied cause is won
has read his facts amiss.
We have our part to play—a sad and
and heavy dauntless part.
We cannot, dare not fail our pledges.
Should Europe yield, as Europq may,
before we can assert our strength, Ameri
ca alone must meet the Central Powers,
free then to devote their undivided fleets
and armies to our desolation.
This is the time for minutemen—for
the right-minute man—the time for the
best to lead and the rest to heed; for swift
minds, for bold minds; for vast audacious
plans; the time for unity, for sacrifice,
for action by the fastest clocks.
We’ve sworn to save Democracy—if we
delay, we may not save ourselves.—Her
bert Kaufman, in The Cosmopolitan..
THE FIREWOOD SUPPLY
The reports from Washington indicate
that we shall be warmed by firewood or
else go shivering through the coming win
ter for lack of coal. It is wisdom to look
ahead somewhat.
The farmers of North Carolina control
the firewood supply, for they own all land
within profitable hauling distance of all
our cities and towns. Even the wood that
is shipped in by rail is practically all cut
from the farms. XIjC cutting of firewood
for market is therefore distinctly a farm
activity.
The present emergency is the farmer’s
privilege and opportunity. It is his priv
ilege to do his bit by supplying the only
possible substitute for coal which is one
of the principal sinews of w^ar; and it is
bis opportunity in that he can now mar
ket at a good profit a product of his farm
for which heretofore there has been little
or no demand.
City Woodyards Needed
The State Fuel Administrator advocates
the establishment of a municipal wood
yard in every city and town of North
Carolina as a war measure. This should
create a steady demand for wood at a fair
price, thus enabling the farmer to cut and
haul whenever he has the time, without •
waiting to engage a load to some private
party. He could be just as sure of being
able to sell his wood when he took it into
town as he is his cotton or wheat. The
municipality could then cut this wood
into fire or stove wood and deliver it to
the ultimate consumer or direct the far
mer to the party who wants it, thus en
abling him to take advantage of any ex
tra charge for delivery. The farmer could
then plan regular winter work for his
team.^ One of the greatest drains on the
farm is having to feed teams that are not
working and the first concern of a wide
awake business farmer is to arrange to
have Ins teams busy as much of the time
as possible. The marketing of firewood,
whether done through a municipal wood
yard or not, will furnish profitable em
ployment for teams which otherwise
might be eating their heads off.
A bulletin is being issued by the State
Geological and Economic Survey entitled
Cord wood for Fuel which gives cost of
cutting and prices received for firewood
in North Carolina. Included also are
some valuable suggestions to landowners
tor cutting and marketing their cord-
wood. The State Forester, Chapel Hill,
North Carolina, will be glad to send
copies of this bulletin to all who may an-
^1^ foi’iC-Press Notice, N. 0. Geologic
al and Economic Survey.
KEEPING OUT FLIES
As the fly-season approaches it may be
of interest to note that a good wav—the
very best, one man says—to - keep flies
out of drug stores and restaurants is to
place in the entrance a long armed four-
blaited ceiling fan that drives air ver-
ticany downward. '
Flies will not cross this barrier, and no
screen door is necessary. . The cost cf
running the fan is two to three cents per
hour. ^
It is stated that this method has been
thoroughly tried out and and found sue
TOssful. A. H. Patterson, U. N 0
Faculty.