The Journal of Proceedings and Addresses of the National Educational Association (Volume 23) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885. Excerpt: ... The first note of hope and cheer that I strike is this: that the most influential people of the South, of all classes and both races, are learning the true American way of education, by learning to help themselves. Every American state, city or little border hamlet must finally be educated by itself, in league with the educating Providence, as revealed to that locality. I always lose interest in our most eminent teachers of foreign birth, as soon as they entrench on the "genuine method," from over the sea. Of course, we need all that Europe, the rest of the world, ancient and modern, can give us. But we need all this, first and foremost, plus the Almighty God, here and now, to help us train American citizens with the fiavor of this new age and its mighty revelations in human affairs. I am glad that the North and the nation have given $50,000,000 to our brothers of the South within the past twenty-five years, as a friendly lift in the beginning of the great work of the education of the whole people. I pray that Congress, after the presidential agony is over, and men are again free to stand up in their places and say they believe in God and man and the Ten Commandments, may confirm the grant of S70,000,000 voted by the Senate to reinforce the whole country in its death struggle against our national illiteracy; that illiteracy being only the fine dictionary name for th new American barbarism which is the home devil of New York and New Orleans alike. But all this is only the friendly encouragement of that radical work of training the younger third of the Southern people for our new civilization, which they must and will do of themselves within the coming fifty years, and I go to these people and ask you all to go out to them with the power of your noblest sym...