Newspapers / The University of North … / Feb. 26, 1919, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The University of North Carolina News Letter (Chapel Hill, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
1 t 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. FEBRUARY 26, 1919 CHAPEL HILL, N. C. VOL. V, NO. 14 sauarial Board i E. C. Branson, J. S. (leR. Hamilton, L. R. Wilson, D. D. Carroll. G. M. McKie Entered as second-class matter November 14,1914, .rt the (Postofflee at Chapel Hill, N. C., under the act of August 24,1912. INEFFICIENT LOCAL RULE The report of the coinuiittee on Local tfovernment made to the National Coun try-Life Conference in Baltimore the other day is being widely reprinted in the pa- per-s of the United States. We give it to our 15,000 readers in North Carolina in tlie*paragraplis that follow, aa it appears in The Pantagraph, of Bloomington, 111. 1. Everybody in the United States lives tinder county government to be sure, but local government for 41 million dwellers in the open country means county gov- ■omment solely, and county government is the weakest link in American democra cy. It is expensive, inefficient and waste ful, headless, unorganized and undirect ed, honest as a rule but unbusiness-like and incompetent, irresponsible and law- leas. Which is to say, it follows local ■cjfstorns mainly, regardless of law. Such is tiie verdict of the two men who have given the greatest attention to this neg lected field of political science during tlie last fi ve years, and of the North Carolina Club of students and faculty members who have been studying this subject in direct ways during the last eighteen months at the University of North Caro •lina. College Obligations 2. Among the country people them selves there is no demand for better local government or almost none; they are satisfied, or content themselves with grumbling about taxes and in fierce part isan politics. And the colleges and uni- vereities of the country have neglected this field of political science. Courses in /municipal government and municipal alTairs are abundantly offered; and so of state, federal, and international afifairs. But, 80 far as we know, no courses are anywliere offered in county government and county affairs. The country people ■of America lack an adequate sense of civic ■and social responsibility, and the defic- ,i6ncy is rising into critical national im portance. Inielligent, consecrated lead ership and discipleship in our country regions in civic and social concerns are an urgent necessity, and the colleges of the country have here an important ob- ■ligation to .Assume. What Self-Rule Calls For 3. Satelligeut, effective self-rule in the the 1920 census be so amended aa to lo cate each person living on a farm as “on a farm in the country” or “on a farm wdthin city limits” ; and, furthermore, that these two classes of farm population be geographically tabulated with respect, as far as possible, to the various facta of the population schedule; (2) that the fed eral government—mainly the postal de partment—cooperate with state and local agencies to give every country dweller a definite geographical destination with ref erence to his trading center, upon some standardized plan—Plato’s clock-face system or some otherhffective plan; and (3) that the rural social laws of each state be codified and a digest of the same be distributed by some federal agency for general inspection and study. E. C. Branson, University of North Carolina, chairman; C. J. Galpin, University of Wisconsin; L. L. Bernard, I adversity of Minnesota; F. B. Clarke, Texas A. and M, College; G. H. Van Timgeln, Iowa State College; J. D. Black, University of Minnesota; S. G. Rubinow, N. C. A. and E. College.—The Pantagraph, Blooming- i-ton. 111. ■countryside calls (1) for prompt attention on a Isrge scale to the civic, economic, and social problems of our country re gions, by our colleges and universities— paGicularly by our churcii schools and seminaries; (2) by local study clubs, like The Westchester Research Bureau, New \'«vlc State, the Alameda County Tax As- :soci?i,t)on, California, and the North Car- olilift Club; and (3) for nation-wide pub- iicH.y ill the country weeklies and the agriciiUural press of the United States. Items for Legislation 4 't'iie legislation that seems to be Su ltd amen tally most urgent covers: (1) iuuihetl organization and responsible lieadHhip in county government, under 5/some form or other, (2) state manuals of iaiiti uctioa for county officials, (3) uni- tono county account keeping and report ing, (4) a state system of auditing county finances, as in Indiana and less effectively ill A dozen or more other states, (5) the FOUR MILLION SUFFERERS Dr. .1. Y. Joyner, our former State Su- aa.laiy plan of compensating county olli- •ciifis, .where the aggregate taxes amount, any, ’to $100,000 or so, and close attention ■to the county fee funds out of which these officers are paid, (6) legal sanction for oo'jnty health de[)artinents and health offi , CIS, eoiuity welfare boards and siiper- •i iitendents, county agricultural boards and .ageriG, all properly related to their var- ■ iooR state lioanls, (7) effective cooper ative ctedit union laws, as in North Car olina ind less effectively in nearly a score -of other states, (8) laws creating civic >machitiery for self-expression and .self- ■rulo in eotmtry communities, as an agen- oy of intelligent democracy in the sparsely settled rural area.s of America. M'e agree yi'ith .fefferson that town or township govemtneut is essential to the survival of our democrocy. perintendentof Public Instruction, is call ing for $200,000 from North Carolina for four million Armenians and other war sufferers in the Near East, most of them being helpless women and children—400,- 000 of them orphans. These victims of Turkish savagery must be kept alive until the coming harvest season and until they can be re-establish ed in their former homes on a self-sup porting basis. The 30 million dollars that America proposes to contribute to these purposes will do barely more than save these sorely stricken people from starvation meantime. The Drive in Orange Our quota in Orange is $1400, and the drive begins Feb. 21. Mr. and Mrs. J. Cheshire Webb are in charge of the campaign in north Orange. The quota of their townships is $860, as follows: Cedar Grove $230 Little River 100 Clu'eks ... 160 Hillsboro 240 Eno 130 Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Holmes head the campaign in South Orange. Their town ships are rated for $540, as follows: Chapel Hill $380 Bingham 160 The average is only 9 cents per inhab itant, counting both races. The preachers and Sunday school teachers of both races and all denomina tions are called upon to take a collection for this purpose on Sunday Feb. 22 or March 2. The teachers, white and colored, are earnestly asked to secure at least 10 cents per pupil by March 7. All are asked to report to Messrs. Webb and Holmes at the earliest possible mo ment, the subscription lists and the cash contributed. We can give the money and not miss it. Wffi cannot give it without lieing better Christians for the gift. FARMHOUSE CHEERFUL Apart from the esthetic value to be deriveil from it, beautifying the farm dwelling, modernizing its equipment, is good business. It is an investment that brings' profitable returns. The farmer and his family need wholesome relaxation just as much as any persons constantly employed. The home should be the place to obtain it. An attractive dwelling with an in viting approach acts as a magnet on the tired toiler. The sight of flowers and a well-kept lawn is a relief from the drab clod^of the plowed field, the brightness of the blossoms a change from the sameness in the color of the growing crops. A cheery interior at once dispels care and bright rooms in duce rest. ! Every dollar judiciously spent for labor-saving devices and for sanitary conveniences in the farm home is an investment and labor-saving contriv ances a necessity in these days of en lightenment. They save wear' and tear on the human machine and pro long life.—Federal News Ijetter. UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION LETTER SERIES NO. 159 A PUBLIC SCHOOL JOB There is a very self-evident and worth while piece of work laid out for our public schools. That piece of work may be des ignated by the term—Americanization— and it is not one-half so bad as it looks or sounds. Just what is meant by Americanization? Not what appears at first thought. The idea is not merely teaching English to the immigrant or giving him a course in Unit ed States history and civics. There is a much larger and more far-reaching signif icance to the term. The Size of It We have in the United States today iinndrods of thousands of native born citizens, speaking our own tongue, pro tected by our government and casting votes for its laws and officers who need to be Americanized. Is our American civilization only a matter of physical resources, factories, liarbors, commercial' enterprises, laws, statutes, constitutions, and the like, or is it a great, universal and eternal ideal of freedom, justice, equality, service? If it is this latter, and such it seems to be, then this ideal must be made a pait of the very fiber and sinew of every in dividual in the nation. The glory of the ideal and the possibility of its realization here and now must he made real to the boys and girls in our schools. Whose Concern? The very magnitude of the problem shows not only how necessary it is to have local communities and state units of government concerned in its solution but to enlist as well the co-operation of our great National Government. The job is too big for us to handle in our local units and we must look to Federal co operation to help us to do the job. To Americanize our people means to teach them the spirit of Democracy and show them how to live it in the spirit, Tliat means co-operative effort on the part of all our government units. It means education in a big way, with big ideals, for a big purpose. We cannot af ford to be picayunish. calling to his mate, when the fields of ripening wheat wave gently to the passing breeze. I want to hear the tinkle of bells on the distant hillside, as the sun is going down and the katydids commence their night long chatter. Then when old Jack Frost passes by, with his touch of white, I want to wander down the old rail fence and on to where the muscadines hang in rich profusion; and there for a time feast and forget. Yes, let me live out the years of my stay upon the earth in the fulness of the country, and then, dying, let me rest in the quiet church-yard near where father and mother sleep—where the sunbeams play in the summer, and the snow drifts high in winter.—Selected. the south could be made to aid in bring ing prosperity to this section; but cotton continued as a king dominating abject slaves will forever hold us in the slavery of poverty.—Richard II. Edmonds, Edi- or Manufacturers Record. DEBATE CUP WINNERS CAROLINA CHURCH ROLLS farm Designations S. Mie sub-section of our committee, iieade l- by Professor C. J. Galpin, also EPecumaieuds: (1) that the population of COUNTRY LIFE Let me live the years of my stay upon earth, 'way out in the country, close to nature and to nature’s God. I want to feel the touch of the seasons as they come and go, making up the years. I want to feel the chill of Winter in my frame, not too severe, but enough to make the blood tingle. I want to feel the gentle warmth of Spring, as with her touch of magic, she weakens new life in things dead. I want to feel the heat of Summer, as the golden sunshine ripens the harvest and matures the fruit and flowers. Lastly, I want to catch the cool breath of Autumn coming to fan away the heat and lethargy of summer. I want to hear the cry of the whippoor will as the twilight settles o’er the hill and hollow. I want to be near where B ib White is A CURSE TO THE SOUTH I have no hesitation in saying that it would have been infinitely better for the South if it had never raised a bale of cotton. This, the most royal crop ever given by Providence to mankind, has been a curse to the South. It fastened slavery around the neck of the South, and out of this came a condition which resulted in the Civil War. It has caused the South to think in terms of cotton, to base its relig ious and educational activities on cotton and to raise cotton merely for the purpose of buying foodstufl's from other sections. At times it has looked as though we of the South have cotton bolls for brains and a cotton string for a backbone, be cause we have permitted the rest of the world to absolutely dominate the cotton trade and hold the South in slavery by low- priced cotton. Holding a practical monopoly of this, the most important single agricultural product known to mankind, the cotton growers have lived in poverty almost un known to any other agricultural region of civilized countries in modern times. Pro ducing far less per acre in value of wheat and corn, the Western farmers have grown rich on their agricultural activities. The Southern farmers have been held in the chains of poverty. Had the South never raised a bale of cotton it would have concentrated its attention upon foodstufl's and livestock and it would today be the center of the livestock industry of America, as it can yet be whenever its people will thoroughly make up their minds to center their ag ricultural activities on diversified agricul ture and cattle and hog raising. The recent decline in the price of cotton may yet prove a blessing to the South if it drives this section away from the wor ship of cotton, a fetish which will forever curse us as long as we bow before cotton, and if it causes this section to produce the things which in the end wull increase the fertillity of our soil, enrich our farmers, give higher wages to farm laborers and bring a well-rounded prosperity to the life of the whole section. Cotton as a subject ruled absolutely by Preparations are being made in the high schools of the State for the seventh annual State-wide contest of the High School Debating Union. One hundred and seventy-five high schools have en rolled in the Union for a debate on the query: Resolved, That the Government of the United States should adopt a policy requiring one year of military training of all able-bodied males before they reach the age of 21. For the use of the high school students participating in the debates the Bureau of Extension of the University has issued Extension Series No. 31, “Compulsory Military Training’ ’. This 100 page hand book contains briefs, outlines, and care fully selected articles both on the affirm ative and negative sides of the query. The Wilson high school was sucessful in winning the Aycock Memorial Cup in last year’s contest. Since the organiza tion of the High School Debating Union in the school year of 1912-13, the Aycock Memorial Cup has been won by the fol lowing schools: 1913, Pleasant Garden; 1914, Winston-Salem; 1915, Wilson; 1916, Graham; 1917, Waynesville; 1918, Wilson. The triangular debates will be held throughout the State on April 4th. The second preliminary will be held on April 25th, and the final contest for the Aycock Memorial Cup will be held at the Uni versity on May 1st and 2nd. Indications are that this year’s contest of the High School Debating Union will be a sucessful and spirited one. The census of Religious Bodies in the United States was taken in 1916, but the printed report has not yet been given to the public. However, through the courtesy of the Census Director, the department of Rural Economics and Sociology at the I'niver- sity has the figures for North Carolina in in advance of publication. In this issue and the next we are giving these highly interesting facts to the 15,000 readers of the News Ijetter. Some of the significant details are as follows: There are fifty different religious bodies in North Carolina. In the country at large they number around 250. The four leading denominations in North Carolina are Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Disciples, in the order named. We have 8 different Baptist bodies in the-state, 7 kinds of Methodists, and 6 kinds of Presbyterians. We have nearly 3,000 Mormons in North Carolina, 2,800 Adventists, 2,200 Holiness Brethren, and 1,000 Tunkers or German Baptists. There are 1,080,723 names on the church rolls in North Carolina. The in crease in ten years was 256,338. The rate of increase during this period was 31 per cent against a population increase of 10 per cent. Sixty-two per cent or a little more than fifths of our people, ten years old and older, belong to a church of some kind. The people of responsible age in North Carolina who are not on the roll.® of any church of any name, sect, or sort in 1916 were 648,248 or nearly two- fifths of this age group. Next week we shall be giving the church membership ratios by counties ranked from high to low as usual. The figures range irom 23, per cent in Edge combe to 74 per cent in Bertie. By CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IN NORTH CAROLINA Based on the 1916 Census of Religious Bodies. E. EYBERS, Union of South .Vfrica, a graduate student in the University of Religious Bodies: White Baptists—Southern. 270,112 Methodists—M. E. South. . . .199,763 Presbyterian—Southern 57,856 Methodist Episcopal 26,384 Baptist—Freewill 22,914 Disciples of Christ 20,095 Lutheran-Southern 19,450 Protestant Episcopal 18,545 ChrisUiUis—Am. Ch. Con. . . 18,299 Methodist Protestant 18,033 Presbyterian—Northern 12,062 Baptist—Primitive 10,481 Friends—Orthodox 8,229 Reformed Church in U. S North Carolina. Members i Religious Bodies: Wliite IMemhers 6,109 Roman Catholic 4.989 Moravian Church 4,528 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. Churches of Christ.... , Lutheran—Joint Synod Adventist—Seventh Day .... Independent Churches Universalist Jewish Families Salvation Army Lumber River Mission Friends—Orth. Conservative. Christian and Missionary Al. Churches of God—Gen. A§.. Presbyterian—U. P Meth.—Ref. Zion Un. Apos. Adventist—Churches of God. All others Plymouth Brethren 951 887 704 622 601 572 530 434 402 314 285 249 156 153 113 54 Presbyterian—A. R 4,248 ■ Baptist—Regular Baptists.. Congregational Churches Mormon—Latter Day Saints. Lutheran—Synd. Con. Am.. Adventist Bodies—Am. Chr.. Pentecostal Holiness Methodist—Wesleyan 1,477 Apostolic Holiness 1,010 Unitarian Tunkers—German Baptists 3,714 3,125 2,802 2,558 1,960 1,894 994 964 Religious Bodies: Negro Members Baptist—National Con .212,019 Methodist—A. M. E. Zion .. 74.365 ■Methodist—A. M. FI 20,433 Baptist—FYee, Willi 10,773 Methodist—Colored 3,274 Baptist—Colored Primitive.. 1,000 Ch. of God and Sts. of Christ 301 Total, White and Colored... .1,080,7.23
The University of North Carolina News Letter (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 26, 1919, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75