Statistics of institutions for the instruction of the colored race for 1881-Continued. Meharry Medical Department of Central Ten- Nashville, Tenn....... nessee College. Medical department of Howard University.......... Washington, D. C...... Total.......... SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB AND THE BLIND. Institution for Colored Blind and Deaf-Mutes...... Baltimore, Md.......... Total........... a For all departments. b For the years 1877-'78 and 1878-'79. 19 120 Summary of statistics of institutions for the instruction of the colored race for 1881. 35 Summary of statistics of institutions for the instruction of the colored race for 1881-Cont'd. Table showing the number of schools for the colored race and enrolment in them by institutions, without reference to States. a To these should be added 441 schools, having an enrolment of 21,573, in reporting free States, making total number of colored public schools 17,689, and total enrolment in them 823,945; this makes the total number of schools, as far as reported, 17,816, and total number of the colored race under instruction in them 839,938. The colored public schools of those States in which no separate reports are made, however, are not included. The school population of the sixteen States and the District of Columbia comprised in the table on page lxxxi shows an increase over that reported in 1880 of 180,569, distributed as follows: White, 54,639, or an increase of 1.4 per cent.; colored, 125,930, or an increase of 6.9 per cent. The enrolment as compared with that of 1880 shows a total increase of 36,866, viz: White, 19,203, or a little above eight-tenths of 1 per cent.; colored, 17,663, or 2+ per cent. While this gain in colored enrolment indicates a growing interest in the education of the colored people throughout the South and a more vigorous conduct of their school affairs, further examination of the facts reveals a somewhat discouraging view of their school status. In the States under consideration, with the exception of Delaware, Kentucky, and Maryland, the school funds are distributed without distinction of race; nevertheless the percentage of enrolment is much higher for the white than for the colored population in all but three of the States. In accounting for this disproportion the prejudices that formerly hindered the colored race in the use of their school privileges must be considered and the excess of the white above the colored population in the majority of southern cities, enrolment being always higher in the cities than in the rural districts. The chief causes, however, of the low percentage of enrolment for the colored race are the meagreness of the school funds and the extreme poverty of the colored people. The first condition affects the whole population, but the white people are able to avert its worst consequences. They supplement their portion of the school fund in various ways, and they are in possession of much school property that was accumulated before the war. The colored people, on the contrary, can contribute very little for school purposes; they have few school-houses and no funds for building. In many sections it is difficult to secure teachers for the colored schools, and in sparsely settled districts almost impossible to collect enough children at one centre to form a school. More school-houses and provision for the conveyance of pupils where population is most scattering are urgently required. In view of the low intellectual and moral status of the colored people, their relation to our prosperity and to our civil institutions, and the responsibility which we must admit with reference to them, it is important that the means available for their improvement should be fully comprehended. In considering the school funds it is not possible to distinguish between the two races, nor need this be done; it is only necessary to bear in mind that wherever the resources are meagre the colored people are the worst sufferers. The expenditure for schools in the section represented in the table was $13,359,784, about one-sixth of the total expenditure for all the States and Territories; while the school population of the specified section is very nearly one-fourth of the total school population. It has been asserted that the Southern States do not make such provision for the schools as they might, and unfavorable comparison is drawn between them and northern communities in this respect. It must, however, be remembered that whatever be the potential resources of the Southern States they have much less available wealth than other sections of the country, a fact which meets us at every examination of school finances. By reference to Table I, Part 2, appendix, p. 325, the amount of school income derived from taxation in the several States will be seen, and, by reference to the abstracts of State reports in the appendix, the rates of taxation may be ascertained. For a full understanding of the conditions it would be necessary to compare these data with the amount of taxable property in each State. Without going into all the details, it may be said in general, from the showing of the census of 1880, that the valuation of real estate and personal property in the recent slave States and the District of Columbia is less than one-fifth the total valuation for all the States and Territories, while the population in the same is more than one-third of the total population. A few specific statements may be added for emphasis. The valuation of personal property and real estate in the section under consideration is $3,560,380,175 for a population of 18,684,948; the valuation of personal property and real estate in the three States of New York, New Jersey, and. L Pennsylvania is $4,907,917,383 for a population of 10,496,878. Connecticut, with a State school tax not exceeding $1.50 per capita of school population and a local tax whose limit is 10 cents on $100, raises $1,276,667 for school purposes. The State school tax of Alabama consists of all the polls levied at $1.50 each and a local tax whose limit is 10 cents on $100; the amount realized from both is $250,000. From a State school tax of 10 cents on $100 and a local tax whose limit is 25 cents on $100, Nebraska realizes $786,963. South Carolina, from the polls levied at $1 each and a local tax not to exceed 20 cents on $100, realizes $441,110. Figures taken from a few States cannot be conclusive, but they serve to indicate the sort of examination which should precede positive statements of the comparative ability of the States to support their school systems. Without doubt popular education has to contend against greater apathy and ignorance in the Southern than in the Northern States; the tax levied is not so readily collected in the South; a local school tax is not always allowed, and where it is allowed is seldom kept up to the limit; but, on the other hand, the common school cause finds in the Southern States some of its most intelligent and earnest advocates. These men have already done much to increase local taxation and to secure the prompt collection and honest use of the tax levied, and they have been as faithful in rousing their own people to exertion as they have been earnest in pressing the educational wants of their section upon the attention of Congress. The spirit and method which they bring to the work are illustrated in the measures taken by Hon. G. J. Orr, State school commissioner of Georgia, to induce legislation in the interests of the school system of his State. Mr. Orr urges an annual tax of one-tenth of 1 per cent. on the taxable property of the State for the support of common schools, together with the remaining half rental of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, the former amounting to upwards of $250,000, the latter to $150,000. For the purpose of adequately bringing the facts bearing upon the propositions to the attention of the legislature, Mr. Orr made an exhaustive calculation by counties of the sources and amounts of school revenue under the present conditions and as they would be affected by the proposed legislation. As the estimates were made for the year 1881, the totals may properly be introduced here: Amount of the State school commissioner's order on tax collection. Amount of poll tax paid county school commissioners. $272, 574 91 172,450 20 Sum total of foregoing, constituting entire present school fund 445, 025 11 Present fund increased by remaining half rental of Western and Atlantic 700, 119 09 595, 025 11 850, 119 09 Present fund increased by both the foregoing amounts. The amount per capita of average attendance realized from the present fund ranges from $1.68 to $4.94. With the proposed additions the per capita would range from $2.50 to $14.66. The present funds are sufficient to maintain the schools upon an average 2.7+ months. With the increase the schools could be maintained upon an average 4.7 months. According to the census of 1880 Georgia ranks sixth among the recent slave States in real estate and personal property. The legislation urged by Mr. Orr would secure, it seems, the largest revenue for school purposes compatible with the financial condition of the State. The relative position which it would give Georgia among the States may be seen by comparing Mr. Orr's estimates with the data presented in Table I, Part 1, Summary A, and Table I, Part 2, Summaries A and B. From a careful examination of the reports and statements of officers and teachers engaged in school work in the Southern States, as well as from personal observation of the same for several successive years, I am aware that marked progress has been made in the education of the masses in these States. The free school system is better understood and appreciated by the people and the schools as a rule are more efficient than at any previous time. There are exceptions to this general condition. In some cities there is even open or secret opposition to the schools, and in some rural districts depressing apathy; the best argument that can be brought to bear upon these adverse influences is the practical one of good schools maintained in the face of hostility or indifference. This is the position assumed by those who so earnestly advocate national aid for common schools, to be distributed upon the basis of illiteracy. Illiteracy is more extensive in the South than in other sections of the country, and develops peculiarly alarming tendencies among the colored people. It would be impossible to repeat here all the facts and arguments called forth by the recent discussion of this subject; they do not present a more serious view of the situation than was embodied by the late Dr. Barnas Sears in his last report as agent of the Peabody fund. Dr. Sears, it must be remembered, had twelve years' personal knowledge of the southern field, and was not inclined, either by temperament or experience or years, to sensational representations. "With two millions of children," he said, "in these States still without the means of instruction, it becomes good citizens not to slumber over the danger of their situation. The mere neglect of a great opportunity may entail disaster upon them and their posterity, by suffering a horde of young barbarians to grow up to prey upon the peace of society. The peril, if once overlooked in the critical moment, cannot afterwards be remedied by legal enactments and penal measures. If men fail to take the necessary precaution by training the young to be useful citizens, they must expect to reap a corresponding harvest, and see around them a community distinguished for 'dwarfish virtues and gigantic vices.'" The opinion expressed by Dr. Sears is confirmed by the memorial of the trustees of the Peabody fund to Congress, by his successor, Dr. Curry, and by the agents of the several religious denominations that have contributed so freely to the cause of southern education. Realizing the inadequacy of the means at command to overcome the ignorance and degradation of the masses of the freedmen as rapidly as the interests of society and good government require, the representatives of these various philanthropic agencies unite in the appeal for national aid to education. It is worthy of note that the Senate of the United States has recorded itself in favor of the measure. On the 17th of December, 1880, that body passed the bill entitled "An act to establish an educational fund, and apply a portion of the proceeds of the public lands to public education, and to provide for the more complete endowment and support of colleges for the advancement of scientific and industrial education." It was not proposed to confine the benefits of the act to the Southern States, but the provision that it embodied for distributing the income of the fund during the first ten years on the basis of illiteracy would have secured to them temporarily the special assistance which they need. It will be remembered that in 1872 the House of Representatives passed a similar bill; it seems hardly possible that a measure which is supported by the most enlightened and patriotic citizens and which has been approved by the separate action of both houses of Congress can long fail of success. The total number of institutions represented in the table on page lxxxvi is 17,375, having an enrolment of 818,365. It will be seen that 31 of the 47 normal schools, 31 of the 34 institutions for secondary instruction, the universities and colleges (17), and the schools of theology (22) derive their support from religious denominations. The schools of law (3) and of medicine (2) are supported chiefly by tuition fees. |