The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-07-16

fAe BarHing Question Again.
In the last ISSUE Of Thu CAUCA-
SIAN read with pleasure All article
from the pen Of your very able COZ
respondent d. Il. Nicholson, Esd,
Oh the schools OF Clinton following
CLOSELY Oh the heels Of your own
article on the same subject, | ann led
tn the belief that all in,eres: in our
town schools is not sa dead but that
by u little judicious tanning, IL may
be brought To life again.
The subject Of education has its
truelms. One OF them il that the
life or State and the preservation
or her liberties depend upon tn.
courage, virtue and intelligence OF
her citizens. II follows, therefore,
that the education Of the people be-
comes one of the highest duties of
the State, and. consequently no sub
Iect Is more worthy the careful
consideration of the enlightened
statesman. What is true OF State
Is true also OF any community or
town in the State. And what is
true of the statesman is true also of
the citizen.
Clinton might be made the "seat
Of learning" for Eastern Carolina
Centrally located, sufficiently
moved from the malarisl district,
easy of access, social and religious
advantages unsui passed, College and
academical buildings already erect
ed which with the expenditure OF
few hundred dollars can be made a,
beautiful and attrictive Is any in
the State, there is nothing in the
way OF the contamination SO de-
voutly to be wished" except the
will Of the people.
Its in the memory Of some OF us
when there WAS not a church build
ing IN Clinton, the only school house
was room in the basement OF the
Ma onic Lodge, devoted TO that
purpose by the liberality Of the
Masonic Fraternity.
y few "men Of the world" moved
by commendable pride and liberality
united with the religious element OF
the community and built the first
church. This was the beginning.
In d year or two several thousand
dollars were raised by private SUBJ
scription and the Female Institute
was built, then the Male Academy
and then as if by the Magician's
wand, three more churches arose
aad pointed their spires towards
heaven.
There was life, there was enthu-
suasm there was public spirit abroad
in the land. Selfishness and lovo of
the "almighty dollar" have not
crushed the heart and palsied the
hand Of our people.
Who does not recall with a glow
of pride the halcyOn days or the
Graves and Grady and Mcleod
with one hundred and thirty girls in
the Institute and ninety boys and
young men in the Male Academy.
Our streets were lighted with the
beaming faces Of the embryo
"beauty and chivalry" Of our own
and surrounding counties. They
! g.Na life to tho town, oust.,na to tho
merchants and prosperity to ali.
But this was not all, the light that
radiated from our schools ilIummat-
ed the darkest co ners Of the county
and extended to distant localities in
the State. It's benign influence up
on our own and other communities
will never be lost?
l dwell upon the past only that
| may arouse our citizens from the
lethargy into which they seem to
have fallen and rckindled, peichance
some latent spark that may be left
Of thnt enthusiasm which so won
t the hearts and moved the hands Of
their fathers. 1t goes without con-
tradictiOn, as your correspondent
saws, that the schools or Clinton are
ina very unsatisfactory condition. !"
There must be cause for it. 1t is
vacation now. We have time. Let
us treason together" and II we
succeed in ferreting out the cause
let us find a remedy and with one
accord apply it.
TO my mind the principle cause
OF our trouble will develope in the
simple statement which l now pro-
pose to make.
We have a home constituency
sufficient, without any outside aid.
to support one first class male and
one first class female school. II will
require, however, the unity and
hearty co-or eration OF every family
in the community.
Let this be aroused, and experien-
| OIL fnr
within call who would soon restore
our schools to their former efficiency
and excellence, and command az of
yore the patronage OF the surround
ing country.
In years past schools Of high
grade have been opened here, and
Immediately, all around. have
sprung up side schools, in ut st
cases for primary branches only. In
private room and with less e1-
penses these teachers could afford to
cut prices and lower tuition. 1t was
a matter OF economy 10 patroniZe
them. Moral and pecuniary support
was withdrawn from the higher
schools. The teachers saw and felt
it, and at The cad OF the session
wisely withdrew from our schools
and an unapprct iative constituency
"Therc ras death i'll the pot Now
you can have primary schools all
over town. But when your chill
dren grow older, cease 10 be infants,
and need "higher education" you
will be compelled TO send them
abroad at an expense sufficient to
have pensioned the teachers who,
through your short sightcdness,
have brought about this Iamentable
stale Of affairs. Other schuol4 and
other towns will be built up and
enriched by your hard earnings all
of which might have been kept a,
home but for your infaatiIe economy
But this is not the only nor worst
| phase Of it. Other children in YOU,