The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-18
CORRESPONDENCE.
NEWSPAPERS AND SCHOOLS.

The Two Great Co Operative EDUCATORS.
correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
Can it be o strongly impressed
upon the farmers and the citizens or
the rural districts that it is all import
ant, that they shall take the papers and
keep up with all public matters and
teach their children to do sof AN
teachers and educators Of the land
know full well that the brightest chill
dren in the schools are those who are
taught to read the newspapers. They
are better readers, and I believe bet
ter thinkers-certainly more accurate
thinkers. We become educated or
trained thinkers from associations
with the best and most learned people,
/ O., trained people, and from books
our friends who always please US,
and when they cease to interest US DO
not complain If we give them up. Be-
fore the war the South largely inhu
enced national legislation, and l be-
Iieve it was the result Of the conditions
and training the Southern statesmen
received. Many Of them we're raised
in an atmosphere of culture and under
conditions which caused them to inn
bibe and absorb the best thoughts OF
past ages, and I believe when we OBJ
serve the same methods our 5outhern
standard will again WELD the same In
fuence Notwithstanding the fact that
the States and the inhabitants have In
creased in number. There Is nothing
that will Withstand the power OF proper
culture and training. When our PEG
ple embracing all classes realize this,
and take UP the AUS with q fixed de
termination that our citizenship shall
be second to none, half Of the battle
will be accomplished, and we will be
on the road, with success assured. You
may soy it is easy to say these things.
/ know it isl realize that it will re-
uuire some action and determination
on the part of the older heads to pro
mote and give the movement the
proper impetus, but are we without
the manhood to go into this work, and
give il the support that will in all cases
lead to SUGGEST Our people have
demonstrated to the world that we are
capable Of any sacrifice, and l believe
when we make it a labor OF love that
we can uphold at any sacrifice the
teachers of the land and assist them by
words of encouragement, and by sup
porting every movement, the tendency
of which will be for the better condi
ton of the schools in making them
more efficient along advanced lines.
We should insist upon the attendance
Of the children, and endeavor to en-
courage both pupils and teachers 10
every way possible. Let them feel and
know that they are not lost sight OF,
and that the earnest desire is to pro
mote their best interests. There is a
power in kind words and words Of
praise that is not properly appreciated
by the average man, but they r cleo
trical in results. The teacher may be
discouraged and out Of sorts, yet see
how quickly the eye and action will
respond when the musical tones Of
kindly words reach the ear You may
easily note hope rekindled and the de,
termination to take hold with renewed
interest. Try it's magic power, my
friends, and see the results. These are
some of the means to the ends wished
for, and we have them within our con,
troll. Shall we use them to better our
The answer is with you.
WIN. J. LEARY, SR.