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Story
December 11, 1909
The Gazette
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
What is this article about?
Article highlights educational neglect in Alabama, citing 1906-7 data: only 386,478 of 731,599 school-age children enrolled, with stark racial disparities; 400,000 children largely ignored amid debates on prohibition and race.
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OCR Quality
92%
Excellent
Full Text
THE SOUTH'S REAL PROBLEMS.
How Our Children Are Robbed of Educational Opportunities—A Staggering Recital of Facts and Figures.
Alexander City, Ala.—There was, according to the last census, 731,599 children in Alabama of 5 to 20 years of age, inclusive. The total school enrollment in this state as shown in the report of the department of education for 1906-7 was 386,478.
Of those enrolled, and this does not imply average attendance, there were 258,998 white children. There were 133,618 white children who did not even enroll, there being 392,616 white children of school age.
Of the 338,980 Negro children of school age there was an enrollment of 127,480. There were 111,500 Negro children who did not experience an enrollment.
In this county, Tallapoosa, the department report states that the school population of whites is 7,273 and blacks 4,196. The total is 11,469. There are enrolled 4,319 whites and 1,655 colored. Total enrollment, 5,974.
The average attendance of whites was 3,557 and colored 1,238, the total being 4,788. The average length of white schools was 130 days and of colored schools 85 days.
There are many counties in Alabama with the average length of white schools being lower than 100 days and some as low as under 80 days. Of course this low water mark applies with even greater force to the Negro schools.
Of the real attendance, the average attendance throughout the state for, let us say, 100 days in the year it would be a liberal estimate to place the number of both races combined elsewhere about 300,000. This leaves 400,000 children in Alabama who are neglected and most of this number growing up in ignorance.
In this, while there is the red hot crusade over prohibition and the extremes of the one side and the other Then there is the ever present "the Negro question." While the rascally politician grows into heated argument over the liquor discussion and rends the air with epithets hurled at the Negro race, while this is going on, ere we have the real and the vital problems, problems that go direct to the hearts and the homes of the people, overlooked and forgotten.
JOSEPH C. MANNING.
How Our Children Are Robbed of Educational Opportunities—A Staggering Recital of Facts and Figures.
Alexander City, Ala.—There was, according to the last census, 731,599 children in Alabama of 5 to 20 years of age, inclusive. The total school enrollment in this state as shown in the report of the department of education for 1906-7 was 386,478.
Of those enrolled, and this does not imply average attendance, there were 258,998 white children. There were 133,618 white children who did not even enroll, there being 392,616 white children of school age.
Of the 338,980 Negro children of school age there was an enrollment of 127,480. There were 111,500 Negro children who did not experience an enrollment.
In this county, Tallapoosa, the department report states that the school population of whites is 7,273 and blacks 4,196. The total is 11,469. There are enrolled 4,319 whites and 1,655 colored. Total enrollment, 5,974.
The average attendance of whites was 3,557 and colored 1,238, the total being 4,788. The average length of white schools was 130 days and of colored schools 85 days.
There are many counties in Alabama with the average length of white schools being lower than 100 days and some as low as under 80 days. Of course this low water mark applies with even greater force to the Negro schools.
Of the real attendance, the average attendance throughout the state for, let us say, 100 days in the year it would be a liberal estimate to place the number of both races combined elsewhere about 300,000. This leaves 400,000 children in Alabama who are neglected and most of this number growing up in ignorance.
In this, while there is the red hot crusade over prohibition and the extremes of the one side and the other Then there is the ever present "the Negro question." While the rascally politician grows into heated argument over the liquor discussion and rends the air with epithets hurled at the Negro race, while this is going on, ere we have the real and the vital problems, problems that go direct to the hearts and the homes of the people, overlooked and forgotten.
JOSEPH C. MANNING.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Education Neglect
Alabama Schools
Racial Disparities
School Enrollment
Child Ignorance
Prohibition Debate
Negro Question
What entities or persons were involved?
Joseph C. Manning
Where did it happen?
Alabama, Alexander City, Tallapoosa County
Story Details
Key Persons
Joseph C. Manning
Location
Alabama, Alexander City, Tallapoosa County
Event Date
1906 7
Story Details
Recital of census and education department statistics showing low school enrollment and attendance for white and Negro children in Alabama, resulting in 400,000 neglected youth amid focus on prohibition and racial debates.