The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1899-10-18
Howard Academy


most pleasantly and auspiciously
this school term and the pros
poets for bright, successful
scholastic year are more and
more apparent each day. Nearly
three hundred pupils have been
enrolled, with more to come in,
and teachers and scholars have
settled down to hard, earnest
work. Success must crown our
efforts, when we stick firmly to
duty and strive always to act
from right principles.
The principal and his assistants
are very grateful to the minis
ters, doctors and citizens Of
Ocala who have stood up so manfully
and offered 80 graciOusly their moral
support for the welfare and betterment
Of the school. Howard Academy de-
serves your sympathy and appreciation
and the writer feels that it can be
truthfully said that the teachers are
faithful, pains-taking workers. TO the
board of public instruction, and to the
trustees of the Ocala SUI district school,
we are especially grateful for seven
months school term, for charts, maps
and several additions and conveniences
to the school building, which help so
materially in the successful prosecu-
ton of ,he work. An attractive and
substantial bellfry, with a flag pole sur
mounting it, has been constructed
upon the east end of the building, so
that the large school bell can be rung
and the flag raised and hauled down di-
rectly from the office window. The
principals office has been handsomely
furnished with fiue roll-top oak desk,
chairs and a large wall clock, whose
wide-open, honest face and hands
marks the hours as they pass by SO
swiftly. At the west end of the build
ing q neat wood house has been at
tached which adds also to the number
Of conveniences.
Yes, hundreds of Ocala boys and
girls, good, upright boys and girls are
thronging the spacious halls and recita-
ton rooms Of Howard Academy these
October mornings, where they are
taught not only the lessons and princi-
Piles found in their text books, but are
given also practical instructions in good
morals and gentle manners, in truthful
ness and justice, in liberty and patriot
ism. Now is the time for sowing the
recious seed which parents and teach
ers earnestly hope and trust will yield
all abundant haIv st of noble charac-
tiers and upright citizens Of our state.
But therea are also nearly hundred
boys who stand around the depots,
postoilice and on the sidewalks waiting
to black the boots of a gentleman pedes
TRAN, or to perform 5 cent GRAND.
Many of these boys are coarse and vul-
gar in their language and behavior.
They have figured in the police court
and slept ia jail more than once. These
boys are wasting precious time that
might be spent in study. Where are
the parents of these boys, aud who IS
to blame for their not being in school?
What menace to the peace and quiet
of this community for these boys to
grow up in idleness and without an
education. The ministers and teachers,
together with many of the good citi-
zens, are uniting their influence to get
these boys from the streets into the
schools. Will not the mayor, city
fathers and policemen also give posi-
tive, vigorous, moral assistance to the
good people of Ocala who are trying to
improve the condition and environ
ment of these boys by compelling them
to vacate the streets of the city and by
directing them to the schools of Ocala
b. F. HARTWELI,, Principal.