SR_DPI_DNE_Special_Subject_File_B18_Croatan_Normal_School_Reports

General [begin crossed out]To the State Board of Education:[end crossed out] S Since the first of January ^(1907), I have given most of my time and thought to the interest of the [arrow pointing up to the comma above?] three State Colored Normal Schools and the Croatan Normal School. I have visited these school ^(frequently) [begin crossed out]several times[end crossed out], observed the work of the teachers, and made [begin crossed out]several[end crossed out] talks on civil government, the duties of teachers, etc. Many interesting and some perplexing questions have arisen in my mind during this time. Sometimes I have almost concluded that this appropriation was unnecessary and had not and was not accomplishing much good. Still, I am assured by many intelligent and close observing white citizens in Elizabeth City, Fayetteville and Winston that most excellent influences have gone out from these Normal Schools, that they have had a most salut^(a)[begin crossed out]o[end crossed out]ry effect upon the ^(Colored) citizenship of these communities and sections. while they have not sent out as many well qualified teachers as should have been trained during the years these schools have existed, yet there are many evidences that great good has been accomplished.

[written in pencil on side](Teachers) According to instructions from your Honorable Board, I have examined the teachers that stood for re-election [begin crossed out]of Winston and Fayetteville[end crossed out]. Not a single one of the former teachers in the[begin crossed out]se[end crossed out] schools ^(of Winston and Fayetteville) passed such an examination as would entitile[begin crossed out]d[end crossed out] them to [begin crossed out]to[end crossed out] first grade certificate^(s). [Begin crossed out]T. M. Kennedy, at Winston, made the highest average of any one. Indeed, his examination was most excellent on nine subjects - all except one. He made a failure o[begin crossed out]n[end crossed out]^(f) North Carolina History, having never studies it ot taught it. His averages on all other subjects were from 95 to 100, but his low mark on history brought his general average under 90. Quite[end crossed out] ^(S)[begin crossed out]s[end crossed out]everal of these teachers that had taught in the^(se) school^(s') two or three years, made such low averages that they would not have been entitled to receive ^(e)[begin crossed out]a[end crossed out]ven a third grade certificate.

At Fayetteville ^(in 1907) on account of the low averages, I did not recommend the re-election of any of the faculty, except I wrote the local board that I would not oppose the election of one - J. G. Smith - if no better teacher could be found. [begin crossed out]He had made the[end crossed out]

-2-

[begin crossed out]highest average of any of the K Fayetteville teachers. The principal, E. E. Smith, has assured me that J. G. Smith was very helpful to him in the general management of the school. For these reasons, I concluded it might be well to keep J. G. Smith in the school.[end crossed out]

^(Some) [begin crossed out]On or two[end crossed out] of the teachers at Winston fell short of the required average, but their deficiency was on subjects they do not teach and will not have to teach. So by agreement with the local board they ^(were) [begin crossed out]will be[end crossed out] continued on probation.

^(At Elizabeth City all of the teachers passed satisfactory examinations,) It is absurd to me to think of having normal teachers, who are expected to train young men and women how to teach, when these normal teachers, so called, have not scholarship enough to pass a creditable examination on the common school branches. I dont think the local boards are responsible for these incompetent teachers ever being elected in these schools. These boards have heretofore necessarily depended on th4e recommendations of the ppincipals of these schools. The principals never examined the applicants, but recommended the election of such teachers as they knew personally or were well recommended to them. I, therefore, think your order that all teachers in these normals should stand a satisfactory examination under the Superintendent of the Colored Normal Schools before they could enter upon their duties an excellent requirement, and already it is manifest that such a requirement will soon eliminate all incompetent persons from the faculties of these institutions. It is my determination, if I remain your Superintendent, to drop all these teachers next year that have failed to stand a satisfactory average examination this year, unless they do better at the next examination. Teachers who do not know how to think themselves cannot train their pupils to think.

I give a few samples of questions and answers: ^([Question: ???]) Use the following words correctly in sentences : great, grate, awful, offal, alter and altar. Ans. 1. The offal was at five o'clock. 2. The alter was draped in white. 3. She will alter her dress.

-3-

4. ^(")The semi-colan is used for a full pause, or change of thought.^(")

The following answers were made to questions in history: 1. Give date of Jefferson's administration and principal events. Ans. "Jefferson's ad inistration was in the years 1776 and principal even[begin crossed out]g[end crossed out]^(t)s were decliracation of indepandence and the great war between the English and Americans. " 2. Questions: Name four Americans who fought in the Mexican War that afterwards became famous through their connection with the Civil War. Ans. " Four Americans that fought in the Mexican war that afterwards became famous in the civil war were, Washington, Lee, Greene and Abraham Lincoln." 3. Name the last royal Governor of North Carolina. Ans. "Governor Charlie Reynolds. " 4. Name two Cabinet officers from North Carolina, and during what Presidents' administrationd did they hold Cabinet positions? Ans. "Governor Charlie Reynolds in McKinley's administration, and Gov. R. B. Glenn in Roosevelers administration." 5. "Who was the "War Governor of North Carolina, how many times elected? Ans. "George Washington was the "War Governor" of North Carolina and elected four times."

These were only a few samples of ridiculous answers to simple, fair questions. If I do nothing else, I am determined to see that ^(more)[begin crossed out]nothing[end crossed out] but competent teachers are allowed to teach in these schools hereafter. [begin crossed out]Some, as stated, will be continued this year on probation and given a chance to improve themselves.[end crossed out] It is surprising the kind of appeals that have been made that I should favor the election of certain teachers in these schools. The following is one of the ridiculous appeals. The neg^(r)o[begin crossed out]r[end crossed out] undertaker and his friends urged that the negroes should buy all their coffins from him. One of the negro teachers in a lodge meeting advised the negroes to buy coffins where they could get the [begin crossed out]pe[end crossed out] best prices, etc. He gave

-4-

good advice, but that did not seem to me a good reason to have him for a teacher in a State Normal, when I knew he was not educationally quqlified.

In 1881 and 1882, I was county superintendent of the Wake County schools, including the Raleigh schools. I examined all public school teac[begin crossed out]j[end crossed out]^(h)ers, and at least 75% of the colored teachers stood better examinations then than they have this year in the Colored Normal Schools. Why is it that negro teachers have made no progress in these twenty five years ? I think the reason is that then most of the colored teachers had been educated in Shaw University and St. Augustine Normal School, and these schools were then taught mostly by we^(l)l qualified white northern teachers. The principal of the best colored graded school we had in Raleigh was a highly educated white woman. I am informed that all the public school teachers in Charleston, S. C., are white. The Charleston public schools are considered among the best in the South. I am not advocating th^(is) policy, but it is a question that is worthy of serious consideration. A great deal of the objection to negro education arises, I believe, from its defectiveness. ^(end?)

At Winston, I found there was a superintendent of the farm and that he was paid $500.00 for his services. I learned also that the income from the farm and dairy was only $1,097.00. I made inquiry and ascertained that this superintendent had been educated at the Hampton Institute and had graduated in the Agricultural and Mechanical Department of that school. I, therefore , recommended the local board to elect him, P. J. Williams, teacher of agriculture, requiring him to teach three hours a week, and continue as superintendent of the farm ^(without any increase of salary). I have also recommended that the board of pupils be increased 25 or 50 cents a month at Winston, and that this increase[begin crossed out]d[end crossed out] be used to help pay the salary of Prof. Woody, Business Manager. Prof. Woody is a very valuable man, but a good deal of his time is given to the boarding department of the school, and I deemed it nothing but proper that the boarders should

-5-

help to pay his salary and not let the whole salary be paid out of the State appropriation as it is now being done. Prof. Woody keeps the books for all departments of the school, and I think it right to pay a part of his salary out of the State [begin crossed out]b[end crossed out] funds, but not all of it.

I examined all the 4th year pupils at Winston, 17 in number, and 13 of the 17 passed satisfactory examinations. The dormitory for boys was in bad condition, and needed considerable repairs. This building does not belong to the State, so I advised that it be rented for $150.00 a year, and repaired at once, and that the amount spent for the repairs be credited for rent until the rent equalled the amount spent. This has been done.

As you know, 25[one half sign] acres of land, known as the Woodard tract, had been bought at Fayetteville for the Normal School. Objections were made by some white citizens to the school being located on this land. The local board thought it was not advisable, owing to these objections, to erect the normal buildings on this place. After examining several other sites, it was finally decided to buy the Bruner place, belonging to John S. McNeil and to [begin crossed out]sec[end crossed out] sell the Woodard tract. This was done. The Woodard tract was sold for $2,500.00 and $3,500.00 paid for the Bruner place, but certain colored citizens took ten acres of the Bruner tract for $1000.00, leaving the state about 40 acres of land, on which ^(there is) a good dwelling, ^(an) [begin crossed out]or[end crossed out]chard and about twelve acres in woods. The State, therefore, now has this 40 acres od land, etc., having made 9[begin crossed out]50.[end crossed out] $950.00 on the sale of the Woodard tract, $1,550.00 having been paid for the Woodard tract, $1,000 of which was contributed by the colored zitizens of Fayetteville. So the State now has 40 acres of land, a house, but no mule, and has paid out only $550.00. An architect has prepared plans for the administration building, to cost, if made with brick veneering, $6,000, or about $7,000 if built of brick. If the $10,000 appropriated by the Legislature for buildings, etc., be divided equally, Fayetteville will recieve $3,333.00 of this amount that will be available before Nov. 30th, an[smudge] I suppose another $3,333.00 will be available after Dec. 1st.