The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-04
A NEGLECTED FEATURE OF OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A ForcibIe Writer and Clear Thinker
Calls Attention to Several Important

Calls Attention to Several Important
Matters.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
believe the children of farmers and
all other children who attend the pub
lie schools ought to be taught and
trained in the art of conducting and
assisting in conducting meetings and
conventions Of the people, for the
church and State both have use for
such things. At least half OF every
Friday in the public schools should be
COZ sumed in debates and conducting
meetings regularly organized under
the rules of parliamentary usage. 1t
would have a tendency to create inter
est in public eff airs and give to our
future citizens the assurance that
comes with training and the knowledge
of forms and customs, No doubt
many valuable ideas have been still.
born from timidity on account Of wan
of confidence in the power to properly
present them.
believe in public schools, that they
are a great power for good ard ought
to be made thoroughly efh If pos
si0le and the children required to at.
tend them. l am therefore in favor
Of compulsory education under STATE
laws.
Our school teachers as the educs
tors Of the State, as q class, l am salts
fed will compare favOrably with those
of any other State or county. The
recent speeches at Morehead, delivered
at the Teachers Assembly, were OF
the highest order and ref cted credit
upon the school masters and the talents
they possess. If the Constitutional
amendment is carried the more i'm
portant becomes education elorg ali
lines, for in 1908, as l understand it,
the educational clause will go intC
effect, and each voter who after that
time becomes Of age will be required
to qualify himself. It must be admit
ted that the own and cities have ad
vantages in many ways for their boys
over the farmer boy, who follows the
pillow, but who has IN fact time tut of
mind been the backbone and sinew
Of the country.
Col. w. J. Bryan, in his famous
speech delivered in the last National
Democratic Convention, asserted this
fact in a very strong aud convincing
way, and it Is true, but for the new
lie and vitality drawn from this source
the towns aud towns Of the nation
would fail in their ambition and the
| streets would indeed become gross
grown. New York City ls now consid.
ering and invesGigalin the ausee
which have diverted to some consider
able extent the grain trade to other
ports. II the proposition were not self
evident this would be a fact going tar
60 sustain it. However, it is fair to
| assume that nO one save q Vanderbilt
Or a H8vemeyer would have the tenor
ty to question the Importance the
| cIuGtry people bear to the nation auG
Us IifC-oeyOnd the feet that ih-y are
mere consumers and payers OF the
'reight. Tnen why should not TIE
| farmers end their sons receive the
great consideration that they are en-
u.ied 10 AMI meet with some favors in
shat calling,
During the campaigns, without an
exception, promises are made and the
farmers are cbj0led aud tatCeued and
iulled into u1suspicioas ease to have
the sam OLD story OF broken faith re
ported as many TINS b8tore. Tuey
are forgotten aud left oI5 III the cold
to awais tee coming Of another cam
paign, WHEN the willy and cuuusnz
| D. NsiCian IS permitted TO play upon
yhelr cra3ui~y, S 19oJh Things over
aad SCI one nore chaEca x do-whas
they h&v8 dJne D9fcrs-Eorga5 ahe
tRrmar and his needs. Now cons. der
ing iaoSs IS 54ey are is il not import
ant Cd teach the people TO remember,
and the Importance Of prcdElng by ex
perieUCe7 Too many fall oack on their
haurches, after discovering the de
ceptiOn that has been pracziced on
them, whit ie sticks, curse trusts, mo
nOpoIies and thu evils that oppres,
them and never see ina the fault lie
at their own doors
1t seems to be one of the chief faulto
of the individuals composing the hu-
man family to be always ready when
anything goes wrong to charge the
blame on come other fellow, when
frankness requires that candor with
self should O0vnru aud tho Soat ~ tho