The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-05-27
DIR MINERS ADDRESS

we cheer1ully Yield a portion OF
our editorial space today in order
that we may give a fuller synopsis OF
the excellent and very practical ad-
dress delivered Saturday night,
before the gradu ating class Of the
City Graded Schools, by DR.. Chas D
McIver, President o. the State
Normal and Industrial School, a
gentleman who d.servedly stands in
the very front rank of North Caro-
lina's progressive educators and to
whom the State is largely indebted
for the stimulus that has been given
in recent years to the very import
ant cause of public education.
After a few preliminary remarks,
which are referred to in our account
of the commencement exercises, DIR.
ject of the hour and said, in part:
"The most hopeful sign of these
times is the passing away of so many
misconceptions IN regard to the great
subject of education.
The adage that knowledge is
power'-never true except in the
sense that sledge hammer is power,
that is, when it is applied-has, in a
measure, given place TO the practical
truth that all knowledge is but
sounding brass and tinkliBg Gym
bal if its possessor has no ability to
use knowledge.
OF many so-called educated men in
the past it might truthfully be said !:
He hao every talent save that o
using his talents.
ing and industrial education into
nearly all progressive schools today
is tardy recognition of the fact
that it is better to know fewer things
and to do something than it is TO
know every thing and to do nothing
The old idea that erudition or
learning was, Synonymous with edu-
cation forced the logical conclusion
that education was not a necessity
but an Communication of the mind
and q luxury for the nobly born and
the we'll to do. Practical education
means that training of the mind,
soul and body which will give pro-
ductive power. 1t means culture and
it means wealth. Praperself reliance
and general usefulness depend upon
it, aud no human breathes to whom
it is not necessity, both for his owD
good and for the public good
Education is no longer GO be con-
sidered purely private N tier bur
is the most important public con-
Germ. LII education means self reliance
and productiveness and ii it teaches
an individual as i1 should, love OF
Justice and right and respect for
law and order, then all life ano
liberty and property are more secure
and more valuable where all the peo
pie are educated.
Education is costly, but so is
physical food and clothing And
after all education has the quality
peculiar to all necessities. Ii costs
more not to have it than it does to
pay for it. Ignorance is more costly
than education.
Eaterprising people are leaving the
country every day and going to the
towns simply because they intend ii
possible to give their children good
school privileges and they do this in
spite of the fact that their taxes on
poll and personal property will often
be greater in the town than the tax
on q large plantation in the country
Thus our towns are growing, partly
at the expense of the country, and
the country district cannot stand
that drain much longer. just as
individuals on account of ambition
for their children are fOrsaking their
- - tsa<L