The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-13
WILMINGTON. n. {
EDUCATION AND THE SCHOOLS.

EDrCATION AND THE SCHOOLS.
There IS no more important subject
nerhaps to engage the attention of the
people at this time than that of educa-
ton. The very excellent beginnings of
the opening schools of all kinds are
well calculated to arouse hope. OFTEN
the Messenger has essayed to awaken
greater interest in behalf of both popu-
lar and higher education. 1t has ap-
piled line upon line in this direction.
1T has insisted in editorial after edlto-
rial that there was a most urgent need
of an educational revival from Chero-
kee to Currituck. The statistics OF IL
Ineracy in North Carolina is absolutely
knocking, most disturbing. quite re-
Gently we were reading an excellent ar
ticIe on China by a Rear Admiral OF our
unit 1t was stated that there was
aot a Cooley, even the most ignorant
and poorest, to be found in all China
who could not read and write. 1t is
nuite probable that there is not a Chi
naman in the United States VINO can
moi read and write. How>many white
males in North Carolina over sixteen
years of age who cannot rean anu
write? The Messenger is not a crank
on. education, but it is a decided FRIEND
oS education. 1t would see allchildren
educated to the extent OF the primaries
and if possible in more stud
les To educate the white race Is more
important to North Carolina than to
cover it with a network OF railroads.
and to build 500 factories, and all other
prospective schemes of development.
The Messenger aims to teach as well
as amuse. 1t would do something in
behalf of the boys and girls of North
Carolina 1t wishes to see them ali
educated. 1t will do what it a from
time to time to shove on the great car
Of educational progress, and to cause
the blessed contamination OF universal
education in this state. In helping here
it contributes to the prosperity and
fame of our state, and in Strengthening
the very foundatio of civil and rel1-
gfous liberty. The great contempla-
tive poet, William Wordsworth, de-
cEs IS wisely, that
THE child is father of the man."
He borrowed the idea, we take it from
a. still greater poet, John Milton, the
sublime. He wrote before him, that
Childhood shows the man,
AS morning shows the day."
And vet we would not be without
the line Of Wordsworth. The most i'm
uortant period of existence are the Gays
OF childhood and early youth Then II
is that the mind grows with immense
strides, the essential habits are formed,
and such impressions made on the mind
and heart as are ineffaceable. In all
after life it will De found that those
impressions are really interviewer into
the very wool and texture of the soul,
forever shaping and coloring the whole
man. How very important then, that
8he period of childhood and youth-the
formative and receptive p~eriod-should
he wisely directed and sedulously
guarded. How very important that the
seeding time hould be a happy time,
and that the seeds sown should be good
seeds, free from poisonous plants, from
4ares, so that the guarantee of a crop
of virtuous deeds and principles should
be given. Every thing inoccuous should
be sternly excluded. The associations
should be pure, so all possible contain
Fnation should be completely shut out. |
How extremely necessary that the ex-
ample set before children is of such an
unexceptionable kind-so prudent, so
gentle, so truthful, so just, so consid-
crate, so v~irtuous and pure, that no
detriment to their young natures a
DE sustained by bad example and
ready copying!
The last two mornings we nave seen
the happy faces of youths-girls n
.boyS-as they were on their way to the
opening of the city schools-the schools
prepared free for children by taxation.
Their faces beamed with health and
and joyousness rang out in
their laughter and tones of voice. 1t
was indeed to old eyes beautiful to be- |
hold. It brought back the LEI long
ago, when we too with "satchel' and
shining morning face pursued with |
Joy our way to the school happy with
contentment and glee of soul. All,
those DELIGHTFUL days come not back |
again. When we see the dear. children
pushing forward to the schools to
drink of the fountains of education we
must think of the purity of those foun-
fains and pray that they may contain
no faint God prosper and bless the
schools of our city and state schools!