Newspapers / The University of North … / May 25, 1921, 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
The news in this publi cation is released for the press on receipt. THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA NEWS LETTER MAY 25,1921 CHAPEL Hn.T., N. C. Published Weekly by the University of North Caro lina for its Bureau of Ex tension. VOL. vn, NO. 27 Editorial Board t E. C. Branson, L. R. Wilson, E. W. Knight, D. D. Carroll, J. B. Bullitt. Blitered as second-class matter November 14,1914, at the Postofflce at Chapel Hill, N. C., under the act of August 24,1913. BANK ACCOUNT SAVINGS IN N. C. MILLIONS AHEAD The last General Assembly of North Carolina authorized sixty-three millions of state bonds for state highways, con solidated schools, and public institu tions of learning and benevolence. Our bank account savings on January 1, 1921, were seventy-eight million dollars. The bank savings depositors of North Carolina could buy all these state bonds and have fifteen million dollars to spare. The man who fears that North Caro lina has been bankrupted by the col lapse of cotton and tobacco prices can be reassured by reading the last re ports of the Fifth Federal Reserve Bank at Richmond. With nearly one- third of our Carolina banks not report ing, we had seventy-eight million dollars of bank account savings in banks of all sorts on last New Year's Day. The chances are that a full re port would run the total to one hun dred millions or so. Now look back to June, 1915. At that time our full total of bank account savings' was only twenty-two million dollars. Here is a gain of fifty-six million dollars in five years. And it is even more reassuring to find that our gain in bank account savings during the hard year of 1920 was nearly four and a half million dollars. And, better still, the thrifty people with bank account savings in North Carolina increased in number in a single year from 245,520 to 323,349-a gain of nearly seventy-eight thousand. We are not surprised. In hard times more people think about savmg, and, with a smaller chance, they save more than in prosperous years. Prosperity breeds waste and adversity breeds thrift. It is human nature’s way. And we may add another word. Dur ing 1920, thrifty souls in Carolina laid away another four hundred and fifty- four thousand dollars in federal thrift stamps and treasury certificates. On a per capita basis only three states in the South made a better showing, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas. We have suffered in commercial de posits, the open deposits subject to check. They were seventy-one million dollars less than the year before; but in bank account savings we are still a- head of the game. Indeed in this par ticular we were in better case in 1920 than in 1916, in almost a fourfold ratio. Manifestly the state is not yet bank rupt. ROCKY POINT COMMUNITY We have our Woman’s Betterment Association, which has done more for our schools than any other factor. Our men are also members. Early in the fall we had an old-fashioned corn husk ing and candy pulling, to which old and young came. We have a Sewing Club which meets at the schoolhouse every two weeks. This alternates with cooking lessons. Both the Farmers’ Alliance and Union hold monthly meetings here. On Saturday before school opened, the parents, teachers, and pupils met and cleaned up the schoolhouse and grounds and afterwards enjoyed a good picnic dinner together. All enjoyed a commun ity Christmas tree before the Christ mas holidays began. Then came Com munity Service, Bird, and Arbor Day. We had about one hundred workers present. We again accomplished much needed work and got a little closer to gether. Next came Washington’s Birth day celebration, in connection with a Valentine Party. Our Farmers’ Insti tute was one of the best ever held here. We have also given two plays which were well attended. On the first of Februrary we organized the Athletic Club. We have a school library of a-’ bout two hundred and fifty volumes. We have also had two traveling libra ries this year. The community has free access to both. We have a literary society in our school. Our pupils won forty premiums at our county fair.— Miss Agnes Moore, Rocky Point, Pen der Co., N. C. GOD GIVE US MEN J. G. Holland God give us men! The time demands Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and willing hands. Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office can not buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Men who can stand before a dema gogue • And damn his treacherous flatter ies without winking; Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog In public duty and in private think ing. For while the rabble with their thumb-worn creeds. Their large professions and their lit tle deeds. Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps! Wrong rules the land, and waiting justice sleeps! COUNTRY HOME CONVENIENCES LETTER SERIES No. 54 A TYPICAL CASE THE CITY TEACHEHAGE With only nine ballots against it, Lumberton has carried a bond issue of $30,000 for the purchase of a site for a high school and to pay for a teacherage already erected. Lumberton is a good town, but the best thing about it is the evident determination it has to make itself better yet. And it is going about it in a sensible way when it undertakes to take care of its schools by paying early, if not first, attention to the teachers. Greensboro might well take a leaf out of Lumberton’s book in this respect. Every year there is a wild scramble here to secure suitable accommodations for a hundred or so teachers. "Even with the enormous amount of building going on, Greensboro is a crowded town, and there is no immediate prospect of any great relief. If the city were to provide an apart ment house for the exclusive use of teachers in the public schools, it would make the profession in Greensboro many times as attractive as it is now. It is not altogether, or even chiefly, a matter of expense; the city might charge rental enough to recover interest on its money, and still find its quarters in great demand. But even if such a building were a dead loss, from the financial point of view, it would be well worth while in that it would tend to strengthen the teaching staff of tlie schools; it would make it easier for the superintendent to secure good teachers, and very much easier for him to retain them, once se cured. — Greensboro Daily News. CAROLINA BONDS North Carolina has become a bond selling commonwealth, and is getting ready to move up further into a bond buying commonwealth. As bond sellers we marketed, up to j January 1, 1920, around ten millions of state bonds, twenty-five millions of county bonds, and thirty millions of mu nicipal bonds, or sixty-five millions of Carolina bonds all told. On top of this total, the last General Assembly authorized the further issue of sixty-three millions of state bonds for public highways, consolidated schools, and state institutions of learn ing and benevolence, and about twenty- five millions more of local highway bonds. We have sold, or will have sold dur ing the next five years, more than one hundred fifty-three million dollars’ worth of state, county, and municipal bonds. The grand total of our bond issues— state, county, and municipal-is a tre mendous sum, and it appalls many peo ple in a state that has hitherto been little given to either bond-selling or bond-buying. And yet the full total is less than half the bonded indebtedness of New Zealand, a little country with a white population almost exactly equal to that of 'North Carolina. What we have been little accustomed to hereto fore, New Zealand has been familiar with for thirty years or more. Which means that only in very recent years have we been willing to invest liberally as a people in commonwealth and com munity prosperity and progress. Our bonded indebtedness looks large; but our three hundred twenty-three thousand bank savings depositors in North Carolina could own every dollar of existing state, county, and munici pal bonds and have fifteen or twenty million dollars left over. And they will be easily able to own all the bonds we propose to issue by the time they are offered in the open market. As a mat ter of fact, we might easily do it if we were bred to the habits of thrift of the French people or the native New Zeal anders. Impairing Our Credit Our state credit is good in any money market, as good as that of any other state in the Union; and so, as a rule, is the credit of our counties and ntunici- palities. But there are certainly two things that our civic authorities will be obliged to do in order to establish and maintain a prime credit rating in the bond markets: (1) the setting aside of adequate sinking funds year by year and (2) the prompt payment of interest and the retiring of matured bonds with out any delay whatsoever. We are venturing these statements upon the complaint of a bond broker who during the last three months of 1920 sold to one institution in New York approximately a million dollars of Caro lina state, county, and municipal bonds. And the interest on these bonds has been paid, but it was paid from two to four days late upon one hundred thirty- seven thousand dollars of the total. As a result, this great banking institution declines to handle any more Carolina bonds. Credit is essentially ability and will ingness to pay what is due exactly when it is due; and careless delays impair the credit of a man or a municipality, a county or a state. Now that we have become a bond selling people we ought to become a bond-buying people, and bond buyers at home and abroad are shy of bonds is sued by careless people. THE COUNTRY IS SOUND Are we to have a repetition of con ditions that existed in North Carolina in the nineties, brought about by the Cleveland Panic? Conditions are ripe for it, though not nearly so bad as in those days. While money conditions are acute at this time and it is hard to market anything, yet there is no suffer ing in the country. In this part of the State was gathered last year the largest crop of corn this country has seen, and many farmers have enough on hand to last two years. Our smokehouses are full. We have more and better livestock than ever be fore. Our farm lands are from 50 to 100 percent more productive than they were in the nineties, and the farms are well supplied with farming implements. There is no excuse for pessimism. The sale of gasoline has been as great in Northampton this year as it was the corresponding months last year, which is proof that people can have what they want. Yet we may have, people who would play upon the misfortunes of others, who would make them believe there is something radically wrong, and by ap pealing to their prejudices gain popular favor. Let us hope that we may have none of this class among us.—Rpanoke- Chowan Times. A BETTER HOMES CAMPAIGN May 2 marked the close of one of the most remarkable and successful cam paigns ever held in North Carolina. This was the home and school improve ments campaign conducted in Iredell county under the management of Miss Celeste Henkel, Home Demonstration Agent of the county. The campaign was launched last Sep tember when the club presidents of the county met with Miss Henkel and for- A WIDE-AWAKE FARMER Several weeks ago a farmer living in one of our western border counties was anxious to install in his home electric lights and a water system. He had on his farm a small stream which he thought could be developed to furnish the lights and a small amount of power. However, very naturally he did not want to undertake the work without having the advice of an engineer. He decided to call on the Division of Country Home Comforts and Conven iences at the University for this assis tance. The Field Engineer of the di vision went to see this farmer right away in order to look over the situation very carefully and be in a better posi tion to advise. The stream was meas ured by means of a weir, and it was found that about the same amount of power could be developed as is ordina rily furnished by one of the average farm electric plants. Suggestions were made about putting in the dam and ad vice given in regard to the type of con struction and the necessary equipment. Best of all, however, when the cost was figured it was found that the installa tion could be made at a reasonable cost. The enterprising farmer and his son further lessened the expense by doing a great deal of the necessary work mulated plans for improving the schools and homes in every possible way. Pro gressive citizens and business firms added further incentive to the campaign by offering liberal prizes. Home and school improvement was talked on every occasion and each community and each home in the community set to work to make the homes and communities of Iredell model places in which to live. The expenditure of money to any con siderable extent was not a prime re quirement of the movement. It was more a matter of incentive for the ex ercise of taste and energy. The home with very limited means had as much chance to win as the home with abun dant means. The degree of improve ment was what won this or that prize. A list of some of the prizes offered gives an idea of the campaign. There were prizes for the community making the greatest improvement in its schools, homes and grounds; for the most con venient kitchen; for the greatest im provement in a one-teacher school; for the woman in the county writing the best composi.tion on “Why I need elec tric lights and waterworks in my home; ’ ’ for the best school composition on ‘ ‘The value of'the tractor to the farmer;’’ for the community having the most screened homes; for the housekeeper reporting the greatest number of inex pensive labor saving devices. A prize was offered to every school boy and girl in the county over twelve years of age writing a composition of not less than four hundred words on ‘ ‘How Electricity Improves Farm Life. ’ ’ A county-wide debate was also held. The query was, ‘ ‘Resolved that the automobile and trac tor are n^ore necessary to the farm family than electric lights and power. ’ ’ Everywhere great interest was shown. Old yards and school grounds were made over. Rubbish was removed and shrub bery and flowers put in its place mak ing the premises much more attractive. In the homes and in the school build ings the changes were even greater. Conditions were made more sanitary and the work of the house keeper and teacher were made easier by the addition of more conveniences and by more effective arrangements. On May 2 the campaign came to a close with the awarding of prizes and the final debate. At this time Gover nor Morrison delivered a most inspiring address. The results of the campaign were gratifying. During the campaign $20, - 092 was spent on improvements in the homes in the country, but this does not inelude the value of labor or the amount oi' interest aroused in better homes. Moreover, with its close the campaign has really just begun. The Statesville Eindmark well expresses it when it says, “Those who have not joined in the improvement, seeing what others themselves instead of hiring it done. For instance, the dam was entirely built by them. The Reward In a short time a small overshot water wheel was driving an electric generator providing power for lights and for the operation of a great many time and la bor-saving household devices, and the farmer and his family were enjoying an electrically equipped home although liv ing quite a distance from any^ town having electric current. We have too long assumed that modern conveniences can only be had in the cities and larger towns. Help for the Ashing There are a great many other farm ers in North Carolina who have small water powers which can just as easily be turned to the advantage of the own ers. Helping these farmers is just what the Division of Country Home Comforts and Conveniences is anxious to do. The help of the division can be had simply by asking for it. Already over two hundred wide-awake farmer citizens of the state living in seventy- two counties have received such assis tance and it is hoped that many more will avail themselves of this free engi neering assistance.—A. N. have done will feel the irrisistible urge to join in the good work; and the others, stimulated by what they have done, will see other improvements that can be and will be made. ’ ’ It was a great movement that Miss Henkel started. It might well be fol lowed by other counties in the State. Such campaigns as this will do much to promote home-making intelligence, a better educated, and a nobler citizen ship. It will make our State a happier place in which to live.—A. N. THE SCHOOL CAPITOL Schools exist to make citizens. Let the same machinery attend to the busi ness of citizenship. To this end, make the school district the political unit. Whatever makes elections simple, easily understood and easy to consum mate, and whatever brings the govern ment into close touch with the whole people, makes for the health, progress and permanence of a democracy, says Dr. Frank Crane, in commenting on the proposals of Dr. B. F. Wooding of Montclair, New Jersey. These are as follows, and they are worth considering: Permanently make the voting district identical with the school district. Make the school officials judges of elections. Issue a voting license to every one recognized by law as eligible. All voters’ names to appear on a bul letin board conspicuously displayed per manently in the school house, and con stantly amended as voters remove from one district to another. This will do away with the necessity of days of registration. It will save a vast amount of time and expense and useless red tape. It will furnish a means by which the will of the people can be ascertained at any time, on short notice, on any ques tion, local or national. It will keep representatives in con stant touch with the electorate. Great issues can be decided, unmixed with personalities or irrelevant matters; as, for instance, Prohibition or the League of Nations. People can know exactly what they are voting for. The people can enforce their will when the representatives fail. It would go far toward doing away with the ridiculous party system, by which the people are regularly confused and cheated. It would tie up the business of gov ernment with the public school, and thus promote the training of children in the art of democracy, concerning which now they are in ignorance before they graduate and in contempt after. Honest representatives could thus quickly find out what their constituents want, and dishonest ones be exposed.— Current Opinion. ■J'l ■f-.. Si I!' i'-'' HM
The University of North Carolina News Letter (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 25, 1921, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75