The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-10-17
SOME EDUCArrONAE NEEDS.
81 IN. elRgsns And Wen c0ssa0erea
Eesss~ fro0 the County suReR'n.
sonAene q Public SehOOls.


Eesssv froa the County supeFin.
eenAene q Public Sehools.
EDITOR Cold LEAF-Dear &r@H you
will kindly permit e to use the columns
of your valuable paper, will endeavor
to cali the attention of those Of your
readers who are interested in the subject
of common school education, to what
think are some of the hinderances to its
progress in this, and I suppose, other
counties. The great, and / fear insur-
mountable, obstacle is the lack of funds
to enable the schools to continue each
year q sufficient length of time to induce
the Intelligent parents of the country to
feel that interest in them that will
prompt them to exert themselves in
seeing that competent teachers are en-
ployed, good and comfortable houses
erected, &c. In order to have good teach
ers employed it is necessary to have well
informed committeemen-men who do
not Judge the qualifications OF q teacher
alone by the order maintained in the
school room, and who are of the opinion
that any one can teach q beginner, not
knowing that improper instruction in
the mind of q child ia ike an old building
on lot upon which You wish to build q
ucW Ouc uS Olu OlIC ud6 W Uc I6uuOvCU
before you can erect the new one.
Another trouble with which the Educa-
tional Board has to contend is the loca-
ton of school rooms. They have notyet
been able to change the course of large
creeks, level the hills, nor raise the val
leys, and have come to the conclusion
that they win never be able to satisfy
some patrons Of common schools until
they can either do this or build good
school room at the doors of some half
dozen patrons in each district.
l am very glad to be able to say that
our last Legislature relieved US of one OF
our greatest hinderances to successful
teaching when they compelled the books
recommended by the State Educational
Board to be used in all our schools to
the exclusion of all others. And would
state just here that our County Board of
Education has instructed me to Sign no
voucher for money for any teacher who
has used any other book in his or her
school, whose school has commenced
since July LIST, of the present year. Pa
rents of the children complain land very
Justly too) that q change Of teachers ne
cessitates q change of books. Now there
will be no more changing, and teachers
can class their pupils as they may wish
and be able to give much more time to
each class, and with proper care the
books can be sold by the class going out
of them to others coming on at reduced
price which will make it better for both.
Patrons will doubtless complain Of being
| unable to buy so many new books. Just
let them make the same effort to buy the
books for their boy that they would to
buy q new set of harness for their mule,
or plug of good tobacco to crafty q
useless appetite, and the book will be
| bought.
| Our State Superintendent will send to
our county some time in the near future
an Institute conductor, whose duty it
will be to hold in Henderson q Teachers
Institute for the white teachers of the
county. Our Educational Board has
made the necessary arrangements for his
entertainment, but the people in the
county alone can give him theencourage-
ment which he will need and expect in q
county which has q reputation for hospi-
tality and intelligence second to none.
hope the people in Henderson and the
county generally will recognize in this In
stitute conductor a friend to the rising
generation and will come to hear him,
and by this means anable him to excite
an interest in the cause of general educa-
ton hitherto unfelt in our county.
L. r. CROKER,
County Superintendent.