The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-01-31
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Poor Mans Friend, the Rich Mans
Opportunity.

In the message of Gov Scales and
the inaugural of Gov. Fowle, special
attention is called to our Public
schools and in their behalf it may be
urged as DIR. Morgan shows in his
lengthy address.
ID They are the poor mans friend.
They bring to the cottage life's great
est treasures, -knowledge and wisdom
The mass ofpeople are, and ever have
been, poor. Life for them is strug-
gle. Education is a boon, because it
puts the poor mans son into poses
sion of power. It lifts him from the
low plane of ignorant animalism, de-
velOps his reason, and enables him to
begin life more nearly upon terms of
! equality with the rich mans son.
Education levels up.
(2). They are the rich mans OPP
portunity. One of the greatest priv
| ileges of wealth is the opportunity
to help the poor. 1t is more blessed
| to give than to receive" The best
gift possible to an earnest, ambitious
boy or girl is an education, whereby
he may help himself. The surest
preventive of the evils of poverty is a
practical education, that renders an
individual independent and self-reli-
| ant. 1t is better to build school
houses than almshOuses. There is no
better scheme or utilizing wealth,
| and of giving it the widest possible
| distribution, than the public school
| system.
The socialism of culture is the
panacea for nihilism and anarchy.
(3). They are the safeguards of
liberty. A free people must be an in
telligent people. Ignorance and free
dom are incompatible. ga govern
ment o: the people and for the people
| and by the people" cannot be main
tanned long without universal educa-
ton.
The public school system of Amer
vised in the whole course of human
history for the education of the whole
| people. They are for all-not for a
few. No other system ever did reach
the masses-and no other ever will.
If the people are to be educated, the
people must do it. If our republic is
to endure, it must be by the benef-
icent work of the public schools.
| a.. They are the nurseries of q
genuine democracy. They are the
peoples schools. In the public schools
no caste is known, no class distinc-
lions are recognized, except those
that arise from merit and scholar
ship. In the school all meet on a COM
mon level,-rich and poor, high and
low, the aristocrat and the pauper
All races, creeds and social classes
enter these halls on the same plane
The honors are to the meritorious;
merit wins. Equality is the watch
word that is at once a spur to the
rich sluggard, and an encouragement
to the humble child of poverty.
| 60 They are American. Nothing,
perhaps, is so distinctively product
of the soil as is the American school
system. In these schools all speak a
common language; distinctions give
way to national characteristics; mu-
tual respect and esteem take the place
of class hatred and suspicion; old
country traditions are displaced by a
new patriotism The pupils may en-
ter he terogeneousaliens- emerge
homogeneous Americans Individ-
ualism, freedom, culture, are agents
of wondrous Transforming power
CO.. They are nurseries of charac-
ter. A broad intelligence is the fOun-
dation upon which they build, but in
telligence is only a foundation. The
public schools foster industry, order,
neatness, punctuality, regularity
thoroughness, respect for authority
and obedience to law. These are OF
the essentials of school life. They
develop a love of truth for truth
sake, and insist on fidelity to truths.
They awaken self-respect. indepen-
dence of thought, and beget the habit
of regulating the life in accordance
with reason and conscience. They
call out respect for the rights of 9th
ers, and regard, not only for the
rights of property, but also for the
rights of conscience. They awaken
love for the true, the beautiful, and
the good; reverence for law, justice,
God. They develop thus, robust
manly characters, and fit their stu
dents for lives of honor, happiness
and usefulness.
Winston, January 90.
County Sunday School Convention.
By order of the State Executive
Committee, a called meeting of the
pastors and Sunday school superin
tendents of Winston-Salem, was held
iu the pastors study, at Centenary
M. E. Church, Tuesday night, Janu
airy Goth, for the purpose of arrang
ing a program for the Forsyth Coun
ty Convention, which will convene
Friday, February 22d, at 10 o'clock
| in the Reform Club room in Winston
The following program for the day
was adopted:
Ten a. M, temporary organiza
tion-F. H. Fries, President; M. D
Stockton, Secretary.
Devotional exercises, led by Rev
HI. A. Brown.
Enrolling delegates.
Permanent organization.
Objects of the convention, statet
by r.. r. Crawford.
Reports from individual schools.
Song and benediction.
In the afternoon, at 2 O'Clock =
Selection of delegates to State Con.
vention.
Topics for discussion What cal
we do to Advance the Sunday Schoo
Work? Discussed by Rev. w. E
Swain and r. A. WOmack.
Possibility and Advantages of Ear
ly Piety. By Rev. E. P. Davis ant
: E. A. Ebert.
The Great Value of the Early Stud,
of Gods Word BY Rev. w. C.. Nor