The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-07-20
THE HEAD OF OUR SCHOOLS.
VI Al. SIDNEY VI. FINGER. stPT. OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
Under His Wise and Excellent Manage
mcnt Our Public Schools Have Grown
in Popularity and Efficiency.

| To-day We present to the readers Of he
STATE CHRONICLE picture Of Mai Finger.
present Superintendent Of Pablo InstIuc
tons in North Carolina. ana nominee OF
I the Democratic party for le "iaotief 10
/ the same Office Maj. Finger tad the
! compliment Of being rtnominated 81 at
clamation by the biggest Democratic Con
vention held n Raleigh since tie wa He
has becn 50 good an officer lhAt our read-
ers doubtless desire to know something Of
/ his history,
sidney Michael Finger was born in Lin
coin county, \. c.. on the cath Of May,
1887, and is now fifty-o year old His
father was a farmer and tanner and in
! both of these occupations he caused his
son to engage until he was eighteen years
old, sending him to school four months in
each year. His son worked assiduously
eight months and went TO school four.
/ Til, gave him physical and mental train
in-, and gave him the foundation for
future usefulness. His father was an
earnest supporter Of the public schools and
was nearly always a committeeman. He
GHEELtQ lI4uSt44 10 SECURE iIlt Dt-l ttACiltt
that could be had by getting private sub
scrptons in aid Of public schools, and
generally was successful in prolonging the
term to four months Fortunately for
Maj. Finger good teachers We're secured
from Catawba College and other institu-
tions that spraDg up in that section of the
state about 1880: and under these teachers
iii the PUBLIC SCHOOLS, in addition 10 the
| common school branches, he studied Latin.
Greek and Algebra almost TO the extent
of good Preparation for the Freshman
class in college,. Having thus obtained
his preparation and training from the
PUBLIC SCHOOLS he has good reason to be
friend TO the PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Apparently
little things not unfrequently determine
the course Of a mans life. Mai. Finger
says but for his fathers providing, indeed
at very small cost, for his getting in the
public schools a taste Of Latin, Greek and
Algebra, he doubtless never would have
found his way to collegiate education.
At the age of eighteen young Mr.. Finger
entered Catawba College where he 1e
maned as pupil and, part of the time
instructor in some of the lover branches
for four years He then went TO Bowdoin
College, Maine, and graduated with 4. B.
in 1sG1-(A NJ 1869.
He entered the Confederate army IS a
private in Co. |, 11th n. Q. Regiment
(Col. Leaventhorpe.) At the camp of in
struction he was made Quarter Master
| @ bo Io+ 10 Of f,o+
he Was promoted to Captain assistant
Quarter Master) and assigned to collec
ton Of Tax in Kind with headquarters at
Charlotte, and IN charge OF that, the 9th
Congressional District. In 1864 he was
promoted to Major and put in charge Of
the collection Of Tax in Kind fOt the whole
state Gn each Congressional District there
was a Captain Quartermaster in charge).
He was serving in this capacity, and max
Ing q faithful and efficient officer when
the war closed.
After the war closed Maj. Finger, il
partnership with Rev j. {. Clapp, con
: duoted Catawba High School at Newton
5 having charge Of the property Of Catawbs
College which had lost its endowment
during the war. III health necessitateC
his abandoning teaching in 1874. Thi:
vas 2 matter of the greatest regret fol
Mai. Finger, because Of his fondness fo
a teaching 1t was his profession and ht
e had made it success and he was reluc
D tant to give it up
o Just as he gave up his school work
o much to his surprise, MAJ. Finger wa
nominated for the House Of Representa-
5 tiyes Of the General Assembly OF Nortl
u Carolina. OF course be was elected by
: large majority. He was elected to th
. Senate from the counties OF CataWba anI
!. Lincoln ia 1876, and WAS again elected t.
The Senate IN 1891. As a legislator he wa
conservative, wise and painstaking. H
was especially interested in legislation tha
affected the school system, the sett!emen
OF the State debt, and railroad develop
, ments. No man more faithful to his siu
d ties ever had a seat in the Legislature. II
n 1874, when Maj. Finger quit teaching, b
II engaged in merchandising, and later. il
IS cotton manufacturing, devoting his per
n sonal attention to these branches Of busi
ness.