The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-16
The Schools at PaIatka.
! Correspondence PalaJ,a NEWS.

Special Correspondence talaUsa NEWS.
Whenever this subject is mentioned
the people exclaiIn against the suyine
ness of Palatka in regard to it; well,
wfao is to blame? Is not each one. to
Some degree, responsible? fear many
whom have heard cry shame that the
Public Schoo! should be held in such a
dilapidated building, have never thought
for q moment of raising anything more
than an objection, never helping hand.
II every one would feel and show some
interest in this branch Of public i'm
provement, doubtless strides would
quickly be made. In Gainesville, four
years ago, the Public School was held in
a rented chamber, which was turned
over, without furniture, 20 the one lady
employed at small salary to teach the
few children who attended. Now there
| is comnodious building, well furnished,
and five teachers are employed at good
salaries, and they find their duties no
sinecures, for all classes are represented,
even the very best.
The East Florida Seminary was burnt,
and the town was bonded to erect an
| other building in brick. In the beauti-
full and thriving town of Melrose
! found an excellent school building, and
| al the town seemed to feel pride and
resporsibility in having it well furnished
and provided with comforts for teach
| ers and pupils.
Let Palatka do likewise. For the pr
vate schools there has been the same apa-
| thy in this city. There are girls and boys
enough il Palatka 10 fill every school to
its utmost capacity. l hear OF young
ladies of sixteen saying they are too old
to go to school, vet confesSing their need
OF education. ! fear they do not want
IL. There Is now every facility offered.
Those who do not like one mode of
teaching can find another. IL is only
the spirit of improvement which is lack
| ing. The beautiful kindergarten system
is open TO your little ones. st. Marks
offers whatever yon need. Eiocution,
music, art, foreign languages are at your
beck. What we want is that some of
the people who have money and leisure
shall set the fashion in these things.
Fashion Is a powerful lever, and can be
used for good or evil. Let such Us I
have mentioned form a class which Ill
promote love of literature, and incite
others to join them, thus inducing a
taste for " the good, the true and the
beautiful" What more beautiful amuse-
ment than dabbling in art? How many
ornaments can be made for homes by
even little learning.
Let ladies not depend entirely on the
needle for their fancy work. / have no
doubt there are crochet mats and tides
enough in town now to mop up the St.
Johns, but don't do il, dear ladies, it is
so Beautiful. Try China painting, form
literary societies, in which you will find
education and music important adj
iuncrs You will soon see YOU are in
fluencing the rising generation, and that
influence will spread indefinitely. Peo-
pie entertain so little in Florida that the
natural gregariousness of the human
family is apt to turn into churlishness.
Let it, instead, flow into literary chan
nels. What resort for amusement have
the young men who come among us as
strangers Revive your literary society
and your circulating library; encourage
your young people that they may study
to appreciate and enter into these pleas
ures, and your schools will be full. build
ings will be erected for educational pur-
poses, and the Gem City will have its
worthy polishing and setting. A. Nj.