Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-08-04

EDITOR BEACON: : la vOur notes Oi
LAST week upon the East Miss, Teach
ers' Association" | notice that in re-
terrlns TO my essay upon the subject.
Public Schools nh Auxiliary 10 u
tinued Sessions" YOU express wish
to see same in print
As this is u subject which ! have
long ~cndcavOrcd and still desire 10
bring prominently before II people,
realizing that, when once brought TO
consider it in all its practical bearings,
they will avail themselves of the adj
yantages il offers, | herewith submit
the manuscript used last week, 10 be
used as you see proper,
With thanks for your kind mention
and best wishes for the Beacon and its
editor, | am Yours truly,
T.. A. PACE.
W.. President, Ladies ond Gentie.
meR;-
Years ago. the the public school
fund was limited TO \ very small INN.
distributed statcdly through the agen.
cy.. OF local boards to the teachers of
common or country Schools. This
amount seldom exceeded oae.fth and
often was no more than Oae.t.aM the
small salary paid country teachers
AMI was known ~ interest on the 10th
section tund.. The origin Of these
funds il. no doubt, familiar to most of
you. When the public lands in the
State wprc sold, the government set
apart the sixteenth section in each
township, the proceeds ..hom the sales
OF same to constitute u fund whose in
trrcst was To he applied stately to
tho support of the schools in that
.~w" nip, hrnco you a easily see
even this small amount varied with
the value of the lnnd ihe i~ndiri""e.ns-
or tho managing board &c, With
this insignificant assistance, our c0un-
try schools were kept in session usual
" ten months. Now. with the mid OF
our common school fund. which pays
the full salary OF teachers from four TO
five months each year, our sessions are
but half M long. Why ia this? This
and similar inquiries have suggested
the topic am appointed to discuss,
viz, Public Schools an Auxiliary to
Continued Sessions" by the term
continued in the topic, allusion ia not
intended TO session without break or
dlscontinusncc from beginning to
close, but rather to the length of same.
i. e.,s,O sessions of eight, nine or ten
months, the only term calculated TO
satisfy the necessities OF even a prscti.
cal business coursc, for tho pupil who
receives a training in schools carried
on for less time, il seldom fitted for
the rOmnOncst duties of life. Much
OF the dissatisfaction expressed at the
working VI our free school system
would BE- changed to words of com.
men taiiOn, II orr tsrIIs could only be
made longer and some other evils
prominent in the selection of teachers,
indifferent houses, &C., therefor avoid.
ed.
Within the last two year, great pro.
Yrew has been noticeable in tho ,rlec.
tion OF competent teachers, instead of
such as were rotated to our local trus.
Or such, pcrchAncc, xs had n claim
upon the sympathy Of n community,
This much desired cpd has be en-
brought about largely by the incrca..
vigilance exercised in granting Ger.
TO applicants, has been among
The first fruits Of those Annual Exam.
lnntl0ns' concerning which We have
and yet hear 20 much said.
While II is not pertinent to INV
nor is il my intention to say
more upon this point, il would seen,
hut the common sense view OF the sit.
to take advantage Of the pro-.
xre's thus made and 20 on u step fur.
llIcr In the samc direction. BY increas.
the length of our terms 40 tina,
Dur school work may begin to show
forth n hsrxht. THAT. will .ee. .'s?st ST:
lclsm aud turning the voice of ccnsnr.
to that Of praise. How can this be
or course II il already appa.
to all of you, that my reference il
10 our common country schools, and
not to those INCUR. towns or more
favored localities, where sessions of
le.s than seren, and often of ten
months are enjoyed. The old field or
log cabin schools, no We are all well a.
ware, constitute not less than nine.
fcnths the schools of our country "A,
now organized, hence, il we would do
The greatest good TO tho greatest
NUMBER" We must direct our efforts 10 1
li'rm and their workings. No doubt. !
The question just asked, how can this ,
be done" finds ready answer with I
ZONE In the extension OF our free i
term to the required term, to
not less than eve months each ycnr {
lhi',..nhcn practicable, is indeed a t
yoo'r solution OF the problem, Lu, I
me very difficult, II not impossible to
DC reached..by n majority OF counties c
u our Stale, rs matters now stand. &
Tact, 50 far rs my knowledge cx. I
ends, no county in Mississippi.is 50 r
'Itnaled as to carry on her tree schools 3
ohgrr than live, or, n; the outside, six C
months each year, and the number n
whose free term exceeds four or five q
months ia less than that of those !
where II falls short OF that time. So I
I 10 evident that s0mc more practical '
'laIl must be devised, some WAYS and G
means found out which will be o
general. o far.reaching In il. re-.
.ults. Ia not this plan. with its stten. n
liant good results, within the reach Of 4
people themselves, within Inc v
each Of tho patrons o. almost eycry II
white, and OF many colorel schools In I
he State. ami are not those patrons )
cady to avail themselves Of any suy. h
properly made BY those 10 II
vhOm they naturally look for suyvra. v
on this subject? To nv mini Il
he answer. Influenced by the obscrya. a
and thought OF several wears, IL h
"Ips' and Ia IN h. .. n