The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-17

sion, and that at least occasional alter
nation was but fair
Many Eastern teachers felt that
they would be glad to have another
opportunity of spending delightful
vacation of several weeks at small e&-
pense among the incompatible noun
tains of their own State.
I'm view Of all these things, the spe-
ciaI committee consisting Of the Pres
ident, Secretary and First Nice-presi-
dent, appointed by the Executive com
mittee to select the next meeting place
of the Assembly after careful cousjd-
Grafton of the advantages and disad-
vantagcs Of the various available
meeting places in the mountains and
by the sea-shorc, and after CORES
pundence with many of the teachers
i'm all sections of the State, with
view to asccrtaining their preference,
unanimously decided to hold the 18th
annual session of the North Carolina
Teachers Assembly in Asheville, the
Queen City of the beautiful Blue Ridge
Mountains.
The officers and Executive Commit
tee have spared neither pains, time, nor
reasonable expense to make this q
most interesting and helpful meeting
for every teacher in North Carolina.
A glance at the official program here
i'm published will reveal that cues
tiOns Of momentous importance to
the educational, industrial. and mater
ial development of our State and to the
best advancement of our profession
will be discussed by men and women
of established ability and known fit
ness for the discussion of such ques-
tions. Such discussions of such ques-
tions by such men and women can not
fail to prove a benediction and an in
spiration to every aspiring teacher
and every patriotic citizen fortunate
enough to hear them. As can be read
lily seen from this program it has heen
the aim Of those having the matter i'm
charge to make this meeting, first Of
all, meeting of teachers for teachers.
Let the teachers Of North Carolina
come and make it their meeting, come
and enjoy the feast spread for them.
come and rally around their State or
ganization, and make it indeed and in
truth an honor and an ornament to
the teachers profession, an inspira-
ton to the cause of education.
There is no place in the true teach
er for selfishness. He desires to do
all the good that he can to all people.
1t would be an unseemly thing, there
fore, should the teachers not invite all
their friends to their feast and extend
tothem their privileges. Let these
come, let them all come, we will do
them good but let them remember
and let us remember that they are the
guests and we are the hosts.
Teachers Of North Carolina, for the
honor of our profession and the pre-
.servation Of our self-respect, let it not
be said at the close of the next Teach
ers' Assembly that the friends were
there but the teachers were not.
This is a crucial period in the his
tory Of our organization and in the
history of education in our State.
Questions of vital importance to both
will demand the careful and thought
ful consideration of the teachers in
their next annual gathering. Impor-
tant financial matters, materially af-
fecting the future of our State organ
ization must be disposed of, the future
policy, which may mean it's life or
in school legislation were made by
the last legislature These changes
may vitally affect the educational in
terest of our State The educators of
Tie state who are most deeply inter
es.s0 in these matters, and who are
presumably best az ruainted with the
educational condition and the cduca-
tiOnal needs Of the State, and, there
fore best prepared to counsel in such
matters. ought to take counsel to-
gether in convention assembled and
prepare to guard sacrcdly the inter
ests of the children of their State of
which they are the special custodians.
They have been listened to in the
past by the lawmakers in educational
matters, they will be listened to in the
future, provided they unite and have
such an organization behind their
committees as to entitle them to a Dig
nified and respectful hearing and give
weight and force to what they say.
In an hour like this is it not the
duty Of every teacher that loves his
profession and his State to make an
earnest effort to be present at the
next gathering Of the educators OF
his state.
There is everything to make the
approaching session of the Teachers
Assembly a grand success-low rail
road rates-t the lowest ever given our
teachers, cheap board, the cheapest
ever given them, an exceedingly at
tractive meeting place among citizens
over our coming-one of
the most interesting and profitable
programs ever offered to North Caro-
lima teachers but all these things,
cannot make the meeting a success
unless the teachers themselves are
there, and they are coming. Already
the Secretary is receiving letters of
inquiry and assurance of attendance
from teachers far and wide. The
are coming, you cannot afford
to stay away.
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