The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-01-22

charge do their duty we'll. But it is
too often the case, that you pay your
share of the educational fund when
the tax collector comes around, take
your receipt and suppose that some
body will see that it is properly spent.
1t is your duty to yourself and to the
best interests Of the community to see
that your money is properly applied,
and if you don't do it, you are want
ing in the better elements that go to
make up true citizenship. You have
promised to help your brother, and
would it not be the highest service
you could render him to assist in hav-
ing a good school right at his home =?
Quite a number of the Sub-Alli
ances have reported fourishing orders
strong in members, &c.,-but have
your homes been benefited ? Have
you a-Retter SCHOOL, in your community
this winter than ever before? If not,
your Alliance is weighed in the bal
ance and found wanting. Even ad-
hitting that the prime object of the
Alliance is to save money for the poor
down-trodden farmer-knowing that
money judiciously expended is money
saved, have you done your duty-not
in advising your legislators in high
sounding resolutions, nor in heated
discussions concerning the probable
benefits of the Blair Bill g.? Have you
a w~ell-defned idea of a good school
and of good teaching? What do
you want a school to do for your
child Our great object is to teach
him to live for a high and noble pur-
pose. You farmers will discuss the
question of how to keep the boys on
the farm. One announces that he has
the panacea-make home attractive,
keep books and papers for them to
read-I say, this alone will not do;
you must go farther back than that;
you must wake up a desire, a thirst
for knowledge in the child, and then
he will love a good book. This can
all be accomplished through your
schools by a competent and faithful
teacher. Pay your teachers a salary
that will justify preparation for the
work; let them make a business of
teaching and devote their whole time
and energies to this grand work.
Many of our teachers are engaged in
some other calling all the year, except
a few months in winter. AS a rule,
such teaching has but little heart in it
and consequently does not inspire
much effort in the children. The
common school teacher should make
teaching as much a profession as the
college professor. For really is there
not as much, if not more, depending
upon them for the uplifting of the
State and Nation? l fear that many
of us only try to make our pupils
study merely for the sake of the
knowledge gained-a higher aim
should actuate the teacher, to develop
mold, direct and make the most out of
each child in mental growth. You
want your teacher to take your girls,
and,
standing where brook and river meet,
WomanhOod and childhood fleet
by the influence of the school lessons,
make her think, and thinking, truly
Rve.
I have an idea that in some indie
Enable way her home duties in after
life will be better performed and that
she will be more the light and JOY of
the home circle by reason of those
school lessons.
And remember my friends that the
great majority of country boys and
girls never 60 to college, but get all
of their school learning in our common
schools.
Let is teach them every day so they
can say at the close of each day:
"To-morro do thy worst;
Ihave lived to-day"