The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1885-07-29
DURHAM's GRADED SCHOOL.
We Think It has no Superior
SOME FAMILIAR CHAT coNoERNGNG

| We anticipate u Wlli yet pei lonS
time before our State will prcyid,
SO beautifully for the educatiosiof 1T
youth as the necessity demands, sbu
great strides are being made in til,
right direction, and the Gfadet
Schools that are springing up in oul
towns show thatthe people are awak
ening to a lively sense Of the duties
and responsibilities Of the hour.
As an illustration we refer to tht
graded and high schools Of Durham
When opened in the tall Of 1882 il
was with a roster Of about $50 stu
dents-now the rolls embrace not fal
from 500 names.
THERE WAS PLASTIC MATERIAL
to be operated upon and to be mould
ed into form. The system was new
so far as this community is concerned
but teachers and pupils alike entered
upon their tasks with an energy tina,
augured we'll for the future--how
well, the high degree Of efficiency
since attained bespeaks; it also illus
trates how admirably Prof. +. w
Kennedy is adapted for what he has
chosen as his life work.
The school was instituted by the
the following gentleman acting as a
Board ofEducation: E. C.Hackney,
(then Mayor, Chairman; B. Fuller,
Eugene Morehead, j, D. Whitaker
T. C. Oakley, VIM. Maynor and ID
G. Gunter. The Board as constitu.
ted at the present time is: Eugene
Morehead, Chairman w. H. Rogers
Secretary; Jno. L. Markham, Treas
urer !; s. F. Tomlinson, Hon. G. B
Green, Col. II. +. Webb. ~e- g..
Under Prof. Kennedy as Principal
the school was organized upon modern
methods, and in that work Of organi
zation as in subsequent efforts he ha.
been ably and heartily assisted by
the Board of Education, by the teach
ers and by the press. The pupils
too, have been efficient co-workers
and we are informed that there has
not been a case of misdemeanor
among the older students since the
school opened. a~-
So far as regards Prof. Kennedy's
eminent fitness for the post he fills w
can scarcely do, better than quots
the words of one who writes Of hin
in connection with the Normal JUS
closed at Washington. He says: "Ir
organizing and conducting the Nor
NAL, Prof. Kennedy has displayed
Judgment and executive ability o.
the highest order. Notwithstanding
his arduous duties as Superintendent
he has found time to give us lect'
ure every morning on English Lam
guage and other interesting topics
His talks on Grammar have been full
of originality and thought eyincing
thorough acquaintance with the Eng
lish Language and leading many o
the teachers out OF old stereotypet
ruts into new fields of thought"
Durham hopes to have new aut
commodious graded school building
soon. At the last municipal election
q vote was taken upon the question
ofissuing bonds to the amount $50,
900 for the purpose oferecting needet
and suitable buildings, but we believ,
the lawyers have not yet determined
whether or not the question carried
In either case there is no doubt tina
at an early day Durham will have I
graded school building in keeping
with the growing importance of TIL
city. We spare no efforts to attrac
limmigration-w0 boast, and will
! every reason, too, of the efficiency o
our schools (for there are none bette
10 the State) and possessing the man
uiacturing and commercial advanta.
ges Durham does, it is not strang,
that its citizens should desire to max,
is educational adva ltages a promi
nent feature, whenever advocating
the claims Of the city.
| We may say, too, that our peopl
are now united in the desire to max
the Graded School as efficient as ]
possible. The good results that hav
already flowed from the system adop
ted-the rapid advance made by pu
pils-the thoroughness with whicl
schools are conducted--all these mat
tiers appeal 10 our pride-we feel tina
Durham, one Of the youngest and O
the same time one Of the most pre-
pressive cities Of the State, can as
families to locate here, assuring iher
Of unsurpassed educational advar
tages for their children.
The Board OF Education
thoroughly in earnest; however th
members may be divided on mine
points, they are united in the detel
J mination TO make the Graded Soho,
Of Durham an honor to the. city an
q pride to the State. Care has bee
taken 10 secure such teachers O
would act in hearty sympathy wit
the Superintendent and Che Boar,
and, from our personal knowledg
gained by jaily intercourse with q
teachers, by critical observation
methods employed In the school room
. and from the evidences given by u
!. pupils themselves, we cannot refral
!. from saying that the schools al
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