The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-01-11
A MESSAGE TO THR SONS AND
DAUGHTERS OF TaE SOUTH.

ton with which the peopleo of the South
have to deal is education. The proper
training Of the rising generation is q
matter of great Importance. Born and
reared in the South, naturally my
heart goes out in interest and sym
-pathy to our people; and as I have
travelled from one State to another,
and witnessed many things that both
sadden ard gladden., / feel like saying
words of cheer and encouragement
which are the result of careful study
and observation. Ny love for mankind,
however, is not bounded by my own
State, the Southern States, or the whole
Of the United States; it is worldwide,
and yet I feel a deep interest especially
in the welfare of own people who,
for many years, have been struggling
under 70 many Disadvantages and diff
culties. I believe that in the Southern
States we have the elements of strength
and power that will exert a wonderful
and blessed influence in the history of
the world throughout all coming gen.
citations. I believe our yeung men and
women have in them the latent q @
gies, which, if fully developed, trained
and directed, would make them, under
Gods. blessing, the noblest race that
ever inhabited the earth. I believe
that the best things r just before US,
and with you, I wish to aim and strug.
gle for that intellectual, spiritual, and
physical development that will make
us the highest types Of manhood and
womanhood.
In looking over the worlds history
in the past, it is encouraging to note
that, for more than sixteen hundred
years Of the Christian era and nearly
six thousand years of the worlds his
tory, the greatest authors, artists,
philosophers, and. indeed, all the mas
ter minds, sprang from South Europe
and countries whose climatic conditions
are exactly the same as those of the
South. Whom we contemplate the
noble literary work of Virgil, Cicero,
and Pliny, the philosophy of Socrates,
Plato, and Aristotle, the history Of
Herodotus, Thucydidts, and Keno
phon, the poetry OF Homer and Sappho,
the drama of Sophocles, the art of
Phidias, the oratory of Demosthenes
and the statesmanship Of Themistocles
and Pericles, how can we but feel that,
under fair conditions, even Igreater re
suits may be accomplished by the
proper training of the rising genera
tion9 Why should we not have our
Dantes and Michael Angelos7 Our
people are warm-hearted and magma
tive; they are sympathetic and are
quick to grasp ideas and to grow intel
lectualIy and every other way.
GOOD SIGN.
One Of the most hopeful signs of the
times is the careful and systematic
study of the Bible in our schools and
colleges. This is the great textbook
which should be not simply read but
studied in our schools and homes from
earliest childhood to old age. The ever
increasing number of gymnasiums, the
systematic and careful physical cul
ture, which ccmmences with the kin
dergarten and ends with the highest
university course, are cultivating and
helping to bring out the faculties of
mind, heart, and body that have not
heretofore been factors in our educa
tionaI work.
THRERFOLD EDUCATION MIND, HEART,
AM BODY.
Education should be threefold-mind,
heart, and body. Unfortunately, for
many generations, the intellect has
been trained at the expense Of the heart
and body. Young people are thus
made onesided. But with the three
happily combined, they grow into
beautiful and we'll developed men and
women. The time has arrived when
parents, before committing their chill
dren to the care of teachers, inquire
particularly in regard to the methods
of Bible study and plans for physical
culture. The teachers who ignore these
demands will be rapidly shelved, while
those who are constantly and earnestly
aiming for the threefold development
Of education will advance to the front
ranks. Many young teachers r max
ing splendid records, but I am glad to
say that among many of my acquaint
ances some of the most progressive
and successful teachers are well past
middle life. They grow from day to
day, are happy in their work, and are
helping to inculcate ideas and devising
methode Of teaching that will be far
rooohiDo in thar rosY1ltr