The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-20

for a good time with the other boys. Such
a boys college life is then and there
ruined, and it may be his whole after
life is ruined. There is nothing that Il
parent takes so much risk in as in send
ing his son to college too young and I'M
prepared to grapple successfully with his
studies at college. And the colleges are
to blame for allowing such risk to be
taken.
CARE OF THE EYES.
The care of the eyes was made plain
by DIR. X. Ii. Lewis. of Raleigh. The
address was practical and scientific. 1t
contains many points of interest. He is
easily one of the brightest takers as
well as one of the most accomplished men
in the State.
X-RAYS = EXPERIMENTAL APP
PROACH TO THEIR DISCOVERY.
Was the subject of lecture before
the Teachers Assembly tonight by Prof.
John +. Lannean, of Wake Forest Col
lege. 1t was fully illustrated by series
of experiments. A large and appreciative
audience greeted the lecturer. He en-
phasized Sir Joseph Listers estimate of
the astonishing character of the discov-
cry; sketched the interesting circum-
stances of the discovery by Prof. Roent-
gen, of Wurzburg, Germany, on the Sth
of November, 1895; developed the fact
that it was in no sense accidental, but
the elimination of a long series of i'm
vestigations as to the nature of the
electric spark-especially as modified in
its passage through more or less high
vacuum. The initial experiment on the
simple spark, as performed by Michael
Faraday early in this century, was re-
peat ted. also the immature nghtlng Hash
produced by a powerful Ruhmkorff coil
A series of experiments followed, show
ing the strange, varied and beautiful
notifications of the spark when passed
through Geissler, Hittorff and Crookes
tubes-through tubes of low and tubes
of high vacuum. 1t was pointed out that
Crookes, in his high vacuum tube really
produced Mays twenty years ago, but
failed to discover the strange, invisible
rays. That honor was reserved for the
astute and patient Roentgen, whose good
fortune it was to observe in darkened
room a small bright spot near his covered
tube. His patient genius resolved the
mystery-traced the phenomenon from
effect. the bright spot to cause.-the in
tube-X-rays. The room was darkened
the current turned on-nothing was Wis
ible The lecturer placed his chemically
prepared screen in front of the covered
tube and 10! the screen was luminous. A
hand between the luminous screen and
the tube was plainly visible-the bones
within the flesh! 1t was an instructive
lecture and demonstration.
MISSION OF THE ACADEMIES.
The departmental work of the assem-
bly, is a source of no small interest and
large amount of valuable work is be-
ing done in the various departments. In
the Academy and High School depart
ments the exercises were especially full
of interest yesterday. The address of
A. b. Justice, principal of Winton
Academy, was highly complimented. The
subject of his address was THE True
Mission OF the Academy in North Caro-
lima Today" His was an excellent pa
per. He said, in part:
If it is true that, in the educational
system of North Carolina the academy
can be said to have a mission, it might
be said to be threefold.
First The academy has for its object
the preparation of the pupil for entering
upon the higher courses of learning pur-
sued at the colleges.
Second. The fitting and preparing for
the duties of life the vast numbers Of
boys and girls who from pecuniary or
other inability either never enter the col
leges or if permitted to enter at all, re-
main only for a few months.
Third 1t would seem that the mission
of the academy in North Carolina today
is, more especially, to furnish honorable
employment to that class of worthy gen
tlemen holding high-sounding degrees
from our colleges and universities who
in this busy, hustling, rustling genera
ton have been cruelty crowded out of
other and more lucrative professions.
Only recently, if indeed now, can the
academy be said to have attained spe-
cific place i'm the educational system of
North Carolina The common schools by
reaching up little and the colleges by
reaching down little managed to cover
the whole scope, leaving the secondary
school to force it's way unlimited into the
domain of educati ton.
During the first century and half of
the history of North Carolina the pro-
gressive development of education was
slow. The history of education shows
that the preparatory school of whatever
grade is not the precursor of the college,
but its product. There is no law of evo-
luton by which the primary or secondary
schools can grow into colleges. The col
leges and universities must exist, first
having for their legitimate outgrowth
secondary education. The higher educa-
ton of the few does not depend upon the
lower education of the many, but, on the
contrary, the lower education of the
many does depend upon the higher edu-
cation Of the few. Hence, the secondary