The Russellville Democrat., 1878-07-18
Educational.
Editor DEMOCRAT:

It is an admitted fact, that nothing adds more to the interests of town than good educational facilities. The first inquiry made by those con templating q settlement in a place is, "What arc the school adyan- tages?' Now, thas our town has the promise of increasing prosperity we ought to be looking closely to the most important element in our fu- ture prosperity. Though we nave heretofore had some schools, yet theIr success has not been perma- nent, because the people have been divided in sentiment, and their ef- forts have not been bent in the same direction. There must be q concen- trated effort, if, in place the size ol this, the school interests are built mp, and remain with any pcrmanen- ey. We are glad to see that there is now less dissansion on this subject than there has ever been in the his tory of our town. It occurs to me, that now is the time for us to act
 with q united effort. Prof. Doggctt has just closed q five months session. His closing exercises show that his operations have been satisfactorily and successfully conducted. He is an experienced teacher, one who has studied and practiced teaching as q profession for over twenty years. His former reputation, the satisfac- tion he has given in other places, the rcluctancy with which his pat rons have relinquished his services, and the success and acceptahlencss with which he has conducted his operations, for the past five months, should convince us that he is suited for the position he has taken. He has settled among us with the hope of being able to remain permanent, and conduct Q school, suited to the demand of the place.
 It docs seem to me, that there is nothing in the way to prevent us concentrating our efforts and aiding the Prof. in the enterprise which he, in his advertisement, proposes to inaugurate and conduct, viz; q per manent school of hIgh grade. One that will not only afford a thorough training in all the practical, business operations of life, as well as the or namental accomplishments, but also, one which will supply need our town has, for some time, felt; and that is, q school at which cur boys and girls may have q special, sys- tematic training to prepare them to enter on Q college course, with suni- cient mental developments, and sta bility of habits, to enable them to appreciate and improve their advan- tages. Such q school the Prof pro poses to conduct, such system he proposes to inaugurate. And to thls end, as he says in his adver- tiscment, "as our State University justly merits and receives our pat
 ronage," he proposes to conform his course of instruction, as it regards text books and arrangement to that institution. This will give to those gong from his school superior ad- vanta0es. But the advantages of such school will appear more from other considerations. 1t will not only enable those who go to college to be better prepared for the course, but it will enable parents to keep their children longer at home. under their special care, and thus not only save the expense of sending them from home for one or two years, but what is of the most important con sideration, they will not be compel- ed to send them from under their control, until, by mental discipline and parental training, they are pre- pared to withstand the temptations of youth, and appreciate and improve their advantages. The sad record of colleges, as 1t regards their pre- paratory school, ana even Freshman classes, should admonish parents against sending their children of too early. Not more than one-fourth of those vino entcr these classes ever finish the course. The remaining -tourths fail to improve their advantages, and many are led of ,u { hn os.travo0pUpqa of fla and ftlrpi