The Mena star., 1899-05-11
WHAT WAS DONE AT GENTRY.


 Rev. C. J. Greene returned last night from visit to Gentry where hc went to learn what he could regarding the Hendrix Academy located at that place. In response to request Mir. Greene has fur nished the Star with the following statement of facts that will prove of interest to our readers. Mir. Greene says:
 spent yesterday at Gentry where school similar to the Hendrix Academy projected here is in successful opera tion. Some facts and observations in regard to that town and school deem to be of interest to the people here at the present tune.
 Gentry has about 500 inhabitants. About d year ago the townsite com panv made a proposition to build the Academy upon the same terms and un- der the same management now pro- posed to Mena A citizen told me that when the matter was put before them every body went to selling lots They bought, themselves, and sold to friends in the surrounding country, and in two weeks enough lots were sold The contracts for the buildings were let at once and school opened in September. The school building is two story brick with four lecture rooms and library on the ground floor and study hall on second floor. There are also the necessary cloak rooms etc. The presidents home is a we'll built two story frame house large enough for the president and his fam fly and twenty-five boarding pupils
 The library consisting of about l, 400 volumns, is of very great value to the work and the students. While it is not very large it was selected with great care and with special reference to the grade of students in such a school.
 Special attention is given to history and biography. Each pupil has ac- cess to a number of the authors on these su objects, and the teachers see that the books are used. They have about fifty works on teaching. and the twenty or more public school teachers who have attended the school will car ry from contact with these books in- spiration and broader views to their work in the surrounding school dis tricts One voung.man said he would not take $500 for what the library mad doue for him this year.
 Notwithstanding the fact that there are six or eight schools in the sur rounding towns competing for the same grade of students. not fewer than sixty students were brought to the Academy from territory outside of Gentry. How many could be brought to Mena?
 The school is co educational, and while they do not claim to do college work, practical education IS given those who complete the course. They do four years work in Latin, three ID Greek, aud other subjects in proport- lon. Tuition is given in music, art and elocution.
 I made special inquiry into the bear ing of the ia, | that the institution is under denominational control l was assured that it had no influence upon the patronage of the school or the satisfaction given. There were board ing with the president Baptists, one student for the ministry, Methoc:sts, Presby terians, Catholics, members of the Christian church, and those who did not belong to any church. The president told me that while the tone and teaching of the school is strictly moral and religious, he does not know the church relations of many of his students. and though there is fine selection of religious books in the library, none Of them donominational.
 The citizens of the town told me that the school had been great financial help to the community, and the work and management had been highly satisfactory
 The capacity of the boarding depart ment was taxed this year, and they are looking toward enlargement and increasing all the facilities.
 What Gentry aud her school are doing admirably. Mena can do grand ly and on much larger scale. We have much larger territory to draw students from. a town widely known, and local students enough to make a great success.
 It would seem from the above plain statement of facts that all the people of Mena should give this project their hearty and unit cd support. We ought to be able to do as we'll here in the purchase of lots as the people of Gentry. Now is the time to strike and to .rrrb