The Forrest City times., 1893-04-14
oUi< SCHOOLS.

way If Forrest City's advancement and prosperity during the past four or five years has been the lack of good schools. and one of the most potent factors in this unfortunate state of affairs has been the absence of a suitable public school building Other causes, how ever. have operated in contributing in the retrograde movement. It is not the purpose of THE TIMES to criticise anyone too severely. or to place the blame where blame does not belong; but the opinion IS unavoidable that mismanagement lras existed This is partially accounted for by the fact that the school board has not had the moral and material support of the commu- nifty as a whole. Certain clements have conspired to foment discord and to crystaliZe opposition to every propo- sition of advancement uttered by the board and advocated by the more pro gressiye portion of the community. The board has been derelict in it's fail are to seize one horn of the dilemma, execute the work they deemed for the best interests of the schools and let their actions stand or fall on their merits. Tue schools should have been abandoned for q reasonable time and the funds used i'll the construction of suitable modern building, or the schools should have been operated and main tained at an efficient standard. But neither has been done The district has seen it's money spent for house which in not one particular meets the requirements of the case: and in con- templating the faculty. the unwelcome admission is forced upon us that the principals in charge have not met ex- pectations. On the contrary. ineffi- eiency has been very marked in this important posltion-a defect which has rendered the public scho0ls Is we'll nigh worthless as places of instruction Children have come to regard the schools as d resort Of amusement in- stead of i'm prOyement. Discipline has been so lax as to be almost undeserv ing of the name. No progress has been made save in the cases of very few naturally ambitious students, who have advanced in spite of rather than because of school management, and the money expended Ill the mainten- ance of the schools has been practi- cally wasted.
 Something must be done to alter this condition of things and the necessary steps to accomplish it must be taken speedily. The district needs new schooihouse. In fact, this is indispens- able. The schools can no longer be operated without it. It would De bet ter to abandon the schools for a year, or even two years, and erect build ing which would provide tue necessary facilities for the successful operation of the different departments. When this question was sprung year ago, THE IIMEs opposed the suspension of the schools Tor the purpose of turning the school money into d district build ing fund, but circumstances have com pelled us to recede from that position With the present lights before us, and in view of occurrences of the past year, We are forced to the conclusion the best thing for the community, if it should develop that the money now available, together with whatever con tributiOnS U that might be received would prove insufficient for the pur- pose, would be the temporary suspen- sion of the schools and the erection of the building. The existing conditions amount to d virtual abandonment of the schools. and total abandonment would not be much worse. With d suitable building-one equipped with all the necessary accessories-a good school could be maintained and the pupils made to take proper interest Ill the matter of acquiring an education; but they will never do this with their present surroundings.
 We believe public sentiment IS with us in this matter, and we hope the school board will not delay in making a start in the right direction. Forrest City has already suffered greatly from the present state of affairs. Desirable immigration will not halt in neighbOr- isoads uDpro>ifed with good schools, .,nd we have iuSi much m this regard, 5nsay naii ing If l.~ etfet, ul"n the