The news in this publi
cation is released for the
press on receipt.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
NEWS LETTER
Published Weekly by the
University of North Caro
lina for its University Ex
tension Division.
jjECEMBER 7, 1921
CHAPEL HELL, N. C.
VOL. VIII, NO. 5.
Kditprial B,..rd . B. O. B.-adson, 8. H. Hobbs, Jr„ L. B. Wilso.., B. W. Kait-ht, D. D. Carroll,’J. B. BdUitt, H. W. Odum. Bnterod as socond-class Hovember 14.1914, at the Postofflce at Chapel Hill, N. C.. under the act of August 34. 1918.
LIVELIHOOD IN CAROLINA
More folks and fewer workers, 3^3
thousand more folks and 52 thousand
fewer workers, a 134 thousand decrease
of workers in country occupations and
a 120 thousand increase of workers in
city occupations, 11 thousand fewer
folks engaged in domestic and personal
service, cooks, house-maids, yard-men
and the like—such in brief is the story
of the occupational census of 1920 for
North Carolina. ' v
The occupational groups of the state
in 1910 will be found in the University
News Letter Vol. I, No. 8. A table of
comparisons will be found elsewhere in
this issue. The 1920 details follow.
There were 2,560,000 people in North
Carolina, in round numbers, in 1920.
Nearly eighteen hundred thousand are
ten 5^ears years of age and over. Nearly
one-half, or 48.6 percent of this age
group are engaged in gainful occupa
tions outside the home, or 895,621 all
told. Women engaged in household
work in their own homes are not ac
counted by the census authorities as
being gainfully employed.
The gainfully employed of the
state are 52,218 fewer than in 1910—or
so read the figures on January 1, 1920.
Many of these ' people are going to
school. The schools of all grades and
types are everywhere fuller than they
have ever been before in North Caro
lina. Others are taking a holiday, per
haps. It seems to be the fashion of
late.
Fewer Farm WorRers
The people at work in agriculture and
forestry number 477,543. This group
of workers is 134,024 smaller than in
1910. Here is a sudden decrease of
more than one-fifth or twenty-two per
cent of the farm workers of the state.
It accounts for the 615,000 acres that
have gone out of cultivation during the
last census period. The country exodus
is only just begun in North Carolina.
The chances are that a still larger num
ber of farm families will desert the
countryside during the present census
period. X
The second largest occupational group
in North Carolina is engaged in manu
facture and liiechanical industries. They
number 211,019 worl^ers, and the ten-
year increase was 74,175 or 54 percent.
This increase, in contrast with the de
crease of farm workers, clearly shows
the drift of our farm populations in
to the urban, industrial centers of the
sj:ate.
On Tom Tiddler’s Ground
The domestic and personal ■ servants
are 56,634, and they are nearly 11,000
fewer than in 1910—a decrease of six
teen percent. It is not news to Any
body to say that cooks, house-girls, and
yard-hands .are taking a vacation. They
are hard to get, hard to keep on their
jobs, and still harder to pay. They are
slated for hard times by the boll weevil.
Another year or two and they will be
glad to take any job they can get at al
most any price anybody is willing to
pay—in North Carolina as in the cotton
states south of us. A multitude of peo^
pie playing around on Tom Tiddler’s
ground will get down to work when the
boll weevil gets busy in North Caro
lina.
Tlfe next largest group of workers
in the state are the merchants and
bankers. With their employees they
• number 52,931, an increase of 16,324 or
forty-four percent during the last ten
years.
The people engaged in transportation,
mainly railway and street-car workers,
number 36,331-an increase of 11,248
or forty-five percent.
The people engaged in professional
service, doctors, teachers, preachers,
lawyers, and the like, number 29,749.
The ten-year increase is 12,536, or seven
ty-three percent.
Clerical workers, bookkeepers, cash
iers, typewriters, stenographers,
vassers, agents, and the li^, almost ex
actly doubled in number during the last
ten years. The increase was from 10,-
249 to 20,509, or one hundred percent.
More Public Servants
Public office holders, locjfl,. state, and
The smallest occupational group in
North Carolina are miners and quarry-
men. They are 2,002 compared with
952 ten years ago.
It appears that farm workers in
North Carolina still outnumber all other
occupational groups combined, but also
it appears that they are greatly dimin
ished in number.
It is also clear that all other occupa
tional groups except the miners and
fishermen are city groups—that is to
say, their occupations center in towns
and cities. Their increase contributes
to city growth, and city growth in North
Carolina draws directly upon the sur
rounding country regions. This fact
explains the fifty-four percent increase
in urban population in North Carolina
during the last ten years, in contrast
with the nine and one-half percent in
crease in country population. Our city
population- increased nearly six times
faster than our open country population
during the last ten years.
The table of occupational increases
and decreases appears elsewhere in this
, issue.
TEACHER-CITIZENS
I have seen no sadder spectacle than
the typical school man and woman of my
early manhood, holding places theoreti
cally supposed to be the radiating cen
tres of civic understanding, but fearing
to lose' those places if they spoke other
than the lines of their antiquated books.
I have seen town councils call before
them experts upon public questions and
never a schoolmaster heard. I have
seen delegations go from town and city
to the legislature for community needs
and no teacher in the lot. I have seen
men and women away from home con
ceal the fact that they were teachers
because the country had conceived of
them as strangers to the concerns of
other men.
I resent being'held in such isolation;
I want to study and to teach what the
live citizens around me are thinking
about. I want to know what is going
on in the world. It is essential to my
happy life. - It is essential to the men-
; tal tone'of a teacher to be given regu
lar rations of public opinion, gathered
by trained editors, served appetizingly,
prepared for people, not for schools,
fresh and warm, but not, a§ many les
sons are, cooked to -a crisp.—William
McAndrew, The World’s Work.
HOMES OF COMMON MEN
Woodrow Wilson
The great voice of America does
not come from seats of learning. It
comes in a murmur from the hills
and woods, and the farms and fac-
tc^ries and the mills, rolling on and
gaining volume until it comes to us
from the homes of common men.
Do these murmurs echo in the cor
ridors of our universities? I have
not heard them.
We are at last beginning to see the
necessity for such institutions in North
Carolina, and various counties are now
bestirring themselves in behalf of white
plague victims and of the homes in
fected by. such victims.
COUNTY TB. HOSPITALS
North Carolina is at last becoming
aroused to the importance of local re
sponsibility and local effort in behalf of
the piteous white plague victims of the
local communities.
It is preeminently a local responsibil
ity. It is necessary to stop and think
only a minute or so in order to realize
this fact. North Carolina, for instance,
has right around twenty-five thousand
open, pronounced cases of tuberculosis.
The ratio of such cases is right around
ten pei; one thousand of population, and
North Carolina is not in worse but in
rather better case than most of the
states of the Union in this particular.
This state cannot build a sanatorium
for twenty-five thousand patients, nor
can it equip such an institution for the
care and cure of twenty-five thousand
consumptives. The enterprise is im
possible as a state responsibility and
effort. The best the state has been
able to do so far is to arrange four hun
dred beds in the state tuberculosis hos
pital at Sanatorium, and the need is for
twenty-five thousand beds. *
The alternative is’inescapable. There
must be beds in sufficient number in
local hospitals to care for the local pa
tients. Wake must have her own hos
pital for the seven hundred and fifty
cases that must otherwise d^ year by
year in private homes in Wake county.
Mecklenburg must take care of her
eight hundred cases in her own hos
pital, and Guilford her own seven hun
dred' and ninety cases, and Forsyth her
seven hundred and seventy eases, and
so on the state^over. It must be done
in county or county-group hospitals.
There is no otl^er way to do it. In the
richer States, like New York, and New
COUNTY HOSPITAL EFFORTS
A large delegation of Guilford county
citizens went before the board of county
commissioners and asked that they au
thorize an election to let the people of
the county decide whether bonds shall
be issued and sold to provide funds for
the erection and maintenance of a county
sanatorium for the treatment of tuber
culosis. As a result, the election will
be held on December 20 and fro;;^i:hat
time on it will be strictly up to the
people of Guilford County whether the
tuberculosis patients of their county
receive proper treatment or not. The
election will be the decision of the peo
ple as to whether or not they care to
save the lives uselessly sacrificed to
tuberculosis every year in Guilford.
The county commissioners of Gaston
county have taken the same step and
an election will be held Februrary 18,
1922.
Mecklenburg county has gone a step
further. A site for a county sanatorium
and $10,000 for maintenence has been
secured and construction will begin in
a short time.
Cabarrus, Stanly, Montgomery, and
Davidson counties are contemplating
the erection of one county-group sana
torium to take care of the patient;s
from these counties.
Randolph and Catawba counties are
also.interested and we may expect word
any time that the elections have been
ordered.
I would like to insert here ^hat the
eounty sanatorium approved by the
voters in Wake county two years ago
is completed and will be opened for
patients immediately. But, alas, the
people of Wake did not care.i Lfet us
hope that the county has enougji'peo-
ple who do care, will make another
effort, and that it will be successful.
Kinston, Statesville, Henderson, Tar.
boro, Clarkton and other cities have
called for tuberculosis clinics to dis-
cover the cases:
Every city in the state will engage
in the sale of Christmas seals 'to pro
vide funds for the treatment of patients
-and for other forms of tuberculosis
work.—N. C. Tuberculosis Association,
Press Service.
years ago Herbert Spencer pointed out
the fact that health''training was the
first consideration in education. Cen
turies ago the Greek teachers stressed
physical development and produced the
highest type of civilization the world
had known.
We have been slow tolearrithelessun
they taught. The time has come when
the business men must find out by per
sonal investigation whether the chilfften
of their communities are getting a de-
cdqt start in life. They must see for
themselves whether or not children are
cooped up in buildings where wrong
lighting ruins the eyes, wrong seating
twists the backs, and poor sanitation
^promotes disease. The facilities and
leadership in the teaching of health and
the development of strong bodies must
likewise be investigated. For a period
of years over 50 percent of the deaths
among Michigan school teachers be
tween the ages of 25 and 34 have been
from tuberculosis. An unhealthy teacher
can not do much for the physical educa
tion of those in her charge. Good health
is the foundation of business efficiency
and success, and American business
men will see to it that their children
have this asset.—U. S. Chamber of
Commerce, Press service.
THE SWEDISH WAY
Young people’s rural associations have
been formed throughout the rural areas
of Sweden under the general directors
ship of the Nation’s foremost educator^.
The associations came into vogue in 19il8.
Their aim is to rouse and encourage in
terest in the vocation of the farmer, to
help young people to the education ai^'
training that fits them for this calling,
and especially to counteract the tend
ency to leave the farm.
The associations work toward these
ends by—(1) leading the young people
to a more thorough acquaintance with
their own locality, its past records, and
present opportunities; (2) providing
chances for farm experiment among the
young people; (3) furnishing recreation
and such amusement and fun as young
folks require; (4) helping to direct the
activities of young people so that their
energy will not be frittered away in
useless endeavors.
The associations have no political com
plexion. Any person interested in rural
life may become a member. Every boy
and girl of proper conduct is eligible at
the age of 13 or over. There is no fee
except for supporting members.
The associations award prizes for rural
activities adopted for competition such
as plowing, soil preparation, gardening,
cereal production, etc. Their organ
the Journal for Country Youth. The
associations enjoy a liberal State sub
vention.—P. H. Pearson.
what the common schools afforded, he
went to an academy, and his father paid
for his board and tuition, or he worked
his own way through.
In 1880 we had about a thousand high
schools. In 1890 we had 2400. We are
more than doubling every ^n years.
No\^ we have 13,951 high sqJiooIs, and a
new one is born every day.
These schools require 81,035 teachers,
all of whom are paid out of the proceeds
of taxation. Fifty years ago we had
just a few academy teachers, living out
of the proceeds of tuition which the
fathers of the children dug out of their
farms.
The old method cultivated in the
student a sense of values which the
present method does not always produce.
The boy who lifted his small trunk up
to the back of the stage and kissed his
mother goodbye, and who depended for
his tuition on his father and' on his o^yn
earnings for his pocket money, was
likely to know the worth of jvhat he
was getting.
But the present method is intended
to bring the advantages of all the i edu
cations which the -average boy or girl
will take, within the easy reach of that
girl or boy.
And they are going to high school.
When about six Weeks ago, the high
schools of the country opened, not less
than two millions of boys and girls en
tered their doors and took up their work
wjth more or less enthusiasm.
It costs more than the tax-payers ever
supposed they were likely to pay, but
there is no money which they spend
more willingly, and not much that is
better spent.
Education comes high, but we must
have it.—Wm. E. Barton.
NO MONEY BETTER SPENT
federal are 9,003 instead of 2,600 in'Jersey, mandatory state laws require
1910. Here’is the largest ratio ^of in-1 the building of county or county-group
crease in the state—247 percent. ' hospitals.
A DECENT START IN LIFE
Out of 100,000 pupils in New York
public schools alone who have to repeat
their work yearly, 50,000 have defective
eyesight. In a school in Detroit, Michi
gan, 600 children ^ere graded by men
tal tests. Of the 100 with the highest
rating 44 were without any physical de
fects. Of the 100 with the lowest rating
only 17 did not have such defects. In
Omaha during the last school year 22,-
249 school children were examined. The
total number of physical defects found
was 18,882. Through the knowledge thus
obtained 46 percent of those' examined
were relieved of the defects and started
on the way to successful life. Statis
tics show that pupils with good teeth
make better grades in school than those
with poor teeth. Likewise they do bet
ter work when they get into business.
During 1917-18 th^ Health Depart
ment of the Cityof New Yorkestimated
that about 20 percent of the children in
the public schools were suffering from
malnutrition. Of 59,000 children ex
amined in Detroit recently 19 percent
were ten pounds or more underweight
and nearly 7 percent were 15 percent
or mSre underweight. Will such condi-
. tions add to our future- industrial and
I commercial efficiency ? More than fifty
Education comes high, but we must
have it. We are likely to have
of it and to pay more for it. We are
creating one new high school for every
day in the year.
In 1870 the United States had not
more than 500 high schools. Before that,
if any one wanted education beyond
A GLOOMY PROSPECT
A town that never has anything to do
in a public way is on the way to the
cemetery. Any citizen who will do
nothing for his town is helping to dig
the grave. A man that “cusses” the
town furnishes the coffin. The man who
is so selfish as to have no time from his
business to give to affairs of the town is
making the shroud. The man who will
not advertise is driving the hearse. The
man who is always pulling back from
any public enterprise throws bouquets
on the grave^ The stingy man who is
always howling hard times preaches the
funeral and sings the doxology. And
thus the town lies buried from all sor
row and care.—Mebane Enterprise.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT.
Every community has its spirit. With
some it is a spirit of honor and integrity
and progressive intellectuality. With
others the spirit of greed, gouge, re- •
pr^ssion and retrogression predominates.
The first attains its aim in life, while
the lal^ter aims no higher than that
which h; attains.
This community has its choibe. We
more ^.^n progress with the march of time,
or we can procrastinate while time
marches by. This is an age when men
do things, or they do nothing. The
community that has the will to gi’asp
its opportunities also has the power to
make them.—Morven Sentinel. •
. OCCUPATIONS IN NORTH .CAROLINA IN 1920
Based on the 1910 Census and Press Summaries of the 1920 Census.
Increase in population 352,836; decrease in workers outside the home 52,218.
The ratio of total population engaged in gainful occupations fell from 43 to 35
percent. The ratio of workers fen years old and over fell from 60 to 48.6 per
cent. Similar -detdils show for the United States as a whole.
The figures cover both races and sexes, ten years and over, engaged in gain
ful occupations outside the home.
Department of Rural Social Science, University of North Carolina.
Occupation Groups
' 1920
1910
Ten Yr;
Inc.
Pret.
Inc.
1. Agriculture and forestry
477,543...
. 611,567..
-134,024.
..-22
2. Mftre and mechanic industries..
211,019...
. 136,844 .
. 74,175.
.. 54
3. Domestic and personal service..
56,534...
. 67,223..
-—10,689.
..-16
4. Trade and banking
52,931 ..
36,607..
.. * 16,824..
... 44
5. Transportation
36,331...
25,083
.. 11,248.
.. 45
6. Professional service—doctors,
teachers, lawyers, preachers...
29,749...
17,213.-.
. 12,536..
.. 73
7, Clerical occupations — cashiers
bookkeepers, stenographers, can
vassers, etc
20,509..
10,249..
.. 10,260.
.. 100
8. Public service —office holders
9,003...
2,600..
.. 6,403.
.. 247
9. Miners and quarrymen
2,002...
952..
.. 1,050.
. 110
Grand total of wbrkers
895,621...
. 947,839,..
..-52,218.
.. —6
Population of state
2,559,123...
. 2,206,287..
.. 352,836.
.. 16
Ratio of workers to total popula-
tion..
85...
J3..
-8
Ratio of workers to population '
ten years old and over
48.6.,
60.
-11.4