The Van Buren press., 1872-03-26
Black Oak Grove School,
MIR. EDITOR:

MIR. EDITOR:
Will you allow me to add few words in
reference to the above Institution.
Sir it Is quite cheering To those oi us VINO
are forced To torego tile many privatlons IN
cident to living in 4 country sparcely settled
and mainly with aborigines, who have not
enjoyed the opportunity nor had the requisite
time to- obtain an education 10 attend an eA-
animation, where Ne can see the evidence
that boys and girls can be educated in the
wood, OF Craw ford county, even on rail-seats
and in log hut. In this school We find that
many OF the important sciences have been
taught to partial extent it2isI true, but
enough to show that by the indOmitable en-
ergy of Il fait,.ta teacher. and students who
seem to have imbibed the ein>piripgenterpri.e
Of their preceptor. mlc II ofthc bfck-woods
and rural green can be renewed, 1sven without
the outldt OF any means. Now suppose. Mr..
Editor. tnat we could arouse alEofUtIi' neigh
borhoous and men OF stamina upon this suU-
ject--how long. sir. would it require Arhan-
saS to throw OH and get +iJ of the opprobiUus
soubriquet ARKANSAS Hoosier."
But set ont to write something of what |
saw on the 9th. at Black Oak Gf6tr. Well
sir, at night saw about two hundred and i-
ty persons, suppose. seated on au, ,lSx2O feet
floor ar each covered n space Uf probably
three inches square, where their feet were
no larger rs think they We're loictd to stand
on one foot part Ut the time SO much for tae
accommodations of room In the County
School houses. But you need not doubt but
the eatables came up all right for while the
intellectual were sparkling. ;he rich riands
which loaded the table were OF the choicest
varieties. And with such go-a-head-a-tive
men Il. Mr.. j. NJ. Baxter, Tool, Lcnlcy. Wal
ton. Brudie, West and Shaber, with others
there /, no such word rs tail. And we must
not omit another individual who contributed
largely to the interest OF the occasion--l mean
\ young man from your town who went there
a stranger but made himsclInot only known
but felt and appreciated before the services
closed. allude to the young lawyer Is. A.
F. COLLINS. whose speeches upon the occasion
were appropriate, welltimcd and In the prop
cr place. His theme The Philosophy oftrue
greatness. " was sub-divded and treated un-
der different heads. to-w Wit: Truth. Virtue and
Tempcrance.-and the stunning effect with
which the speaker drove home the great i'm
portance to Young men of looking ~ Truth
us the pole-star OF their Lives. and Temper
ance rs the indispensable prerequisite to a
good name, or true merit, should have i'm
pressed all. But Mr. Editor, don't mean to
say that all who thought themselves great
ones that night. took the same vivw Of this
subject that Mr. Collins did. Judging from
what saw. heard and smet. Oh. bless me-
how much at fault our system OF education
seems to he. Why so important to teach the
young idea how to shout and not train the
young heart to feel and act. A great man
IAN old man. once said. Ave are only great
as we are geod." But. Mr.. Editor, have
heard it said some where, "Ysung folks
think old folks are fools, etc.
Yours truly, SPECTATOR.
The closing exerciees Of this shool were
concluded on Friday night the 22d and from
our special " we learn that all acquitted
themselves well. Our room i, too limtctNto
give full report l-EpIroR. &c.,. nr w