ng the knowledge
of the dominant race or of becoming citizens except in name only. In
addition to this attitude there remained in the South the traditional
idea that education was the peculiar privilege of the favored few of
the white race, and, except in its lowest reaches, a non-essential in
the life of the masses. At the close of the Civil War free public
schools were unknown in that section.[209] When it came to the
question of educating the Negro, all of the teachings and practice of
the South stamped it as a dangerous risk. To offer him the higher
courses of college and university grade was indeed an absurdity.

The North, on the other hand, looked upon the slave as a sufferer
released from an earthly torment and, because of his long period of
involuntary servitude, deserving of recompense of every kind that the
nation could bestow. As to his mental capacity, the North believed
that in order to rise from his degraded state and to take his place
among the races of civilized men the freedman awaited only the same
means of education that the Anglo-Saxon for centuries had enjoyed.
Whatever may be the judgment of history concerning these two
conflicting views, it is clear that the South had neither the
inclination nor the means to enter upon the task of educating the
Negro whereas the North was abundantly supplied with both.

Here, at any rate, was a situation offering the greatest opportunity
for the exercise of philanthropic zeal, both in the way of financial
aid and personal service. And to this call the North responded,
pouring out treasure, labor and love in a way that stamps the whole
movement of educating the Negro in America during the first half
century of his freedom as one of the most heroic examples of true
missionary zeal of all times. Those who took an active part in the
movement, including founders and teachers, seemed imbued with no other
idea than that of giving the best and in the largest measure. They
went to their tasks and took with them their ideals of human equality
and brotherhood. Every effort was bent toward raising the unfortunate
race to the level of their own standards of intellect, of society and
of morals. They, therefore, applied to the solution of the problem the
only educational machinery that they knew. Experiments in education
would not supply the immediate need. No man was to be limited in his
opportunities for intellectual development. Only his own desire and
capacities were to d