The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-06
IT UPLIFlS The PEOPLE
COUNTRY SCHOOL FOUNDATION CT ALL
What has Been Done in tIeriog's township,
Sampson County, Can be Done in
Every Township in the
State.

State.
Clinton, \. c., June 2.-(Editorial
Correspondence -There are commence
ments and commandments. In the big
is hired. a distinguished orator is in
vited, and the graduates, after listening
to his address. are given their diplomas
upon the stage. each making Il formal
bow. That's all there is to it.
At the big colleges in North Carolina,
the tendency is all in the direction of
following the example of the city col
leges, and making the occasion one OF
brief. formality. / say tendency ba-
cause, in the main. The North Carolina
colleges still proceed upon the theory
of making Il commencement occasion
one of deep significance in which the
graduate takes the principal part He
is still made to feel (and his family to
share the feeling) THAT graduation
marks new era in his life, and the
investment Of the new dignity is made
as impressive as the change of life
from boy to man is important.
But, while the commencement of the
big colleges are occasions Of Statewide
interest which are fully reported in the
dailies, they are chiefly interesting be-
cause they are the cap stone, so To
speak, of the educational structure. The
graduate has i'll Il small preparatory
school first made his reputation by
speaking with grace:
You'd scarce expect one OF my age
TO speak in public on the stage
Then at a higher and more famous
preparatory school he has added to
his fame by his capacity to put
to rout his competitor in the
debate: DO we derive most
pleasure from the pursuit of an
object or its possession?' Having fin
ished the course at the lower schools.
he enters college with the faith of his
teachers and friends THAT he will make
a new record and surpass all former
students. When he graduates, his sue
cess is seen or noted not only by the
gathering at the commencement, but all
his former associates who did not 90
higher than reading, riting and rith-
he met their high expectations, and the
father and mother. in their humble coun-
try home, watch to see how well their
boy has acquitted himself in his rirst
encounter away from his own hearth
stone. And when his name leads all
the rest" the fond old parents count as
naught all their sacrifice and economy
and toll made necessary to keep the boy
~ * bnt al
lege commencement so significant and
full of interest.
The readers of the daily papers, see
ing the reports only Of what we call
the colleges or finishing schools, are apt
to forget that these schools and colleges
and universities would be impossible
but for the foundation of public ana
private preparatory schools upon which
they rest. While the reports of the
commandments Of twenty of the higher
schools get in the papers, nobody out
side of the neighborhood hears of the
exercises Of the hundred and thousand
schools that are doing more to educate
the people and make them better citizens
than all the colleges i'll the State. Com
paratively very few of the boys and
girls ever enter q college or university.
They are totally dependent upon the
schools that are at their doors. If they
are efficient and progressive, the Intel
lectual life Of the people is quickened
and the youth stirred TO higher ambi
ton and fitted for greater usefulness.
81
No county in the State has in the last
few years felt the stimulus of educa-
ton more than portions of Sampson
In various parts of the county strong
and tlourishing academies have been cS-
tablished and after few years they
work revolution in the section where
they are planted. The men who are
in charge of them are animated by De
sire to make them fill the needs Of the
people. and the prime idea is to have
them teach such branches as will best
equip the students for life-Work, with
preparation for entrance upon college
for such as look forward to college
education. Sampson county is boins
blessed more by these schools than by
any other agency i'll its borders. and
under their benign influence the youth
are being trained TO become good and
useful citizens.
1t was my pleasure on Friday last to
he present ut the commencement 2Xcr-
cises of Glencoe Institute, in HerringS
township, Sampson county. There We're
thousand people present and it was Il
typical North Carolina neighborhoo
gala day Everybody brought baskets
and bountiful dinner was served to
the large company present all ages