The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-09-27
Education the Vital Question.
An Interesting Symposium for Gold Leaf
Readers.
for Gold Leaf
The Education OF Our Boys and Girls the Paramount Issue
Promises Made the People Must be kept
Necessity of Better Public Schools
and Longer Terms.

not live to see his ideas embodied North
Carolina had her university and her col
leges with splendid academies scattered
over the State. But they did not bring
the blessings OF knowledge to the homes
OF the poor. In spite OF them, when they
We're at their best. one out of seven of the
! white persons under twenty years of age
could neither read nor write From the
time that Jeffersons idea took shape in
the Free School for every neighborhood
the increase in ledge began The
university and the college languished
until the spirit OF education was diffused
among the masses of the people by the
neighborhood school. What a blessing
these schools have proved. il is impos-
slble now to estimate or Measure The
Graded Schools of our towns. the pride
and glory of the people. are only develop
ments OF the Public School OF the country
districts
What shall We do for these schools
There is no need to multiply them For
tunately they are to be found everywhere
throughout the borders OF our Common
wealth. The duty OF the hour is to make
them more effective. The house should
be made comfortable and should have
hood can give. The teacher should be
aided and encouraged. The men and
women who are engaged in this work
are preachers of the gospel OF intelligence,
are bearers OF the light of knowledge to
minds that are darkened, are prophets of
civilization and enlightenment They
deserve more than the salary which they
receive. They are worthy of all honor
They have right to expect the sympathy
| and cooperation of the parents while en-
gagged in teaching the children.
But teacher and the equipment amount
to but little unless the children attend
| the school. 1t is shame to the State
that there should be any need of law
| compelling the parents to send the chill
dren to the school which is furnished
| them without charge and at their very
| doors
There is such a thing as talking up an
| institution or enterprise, and there is
such a thing as talking it down Not
| long since | was present in ii group of
| men who Were discussing their neighbor-
| hood school They We're busy talking it
down. Not one had Il good thing to say
| of it. They We're publishing their own
shame. Such men are enemies of their
neighborhOod and of their State
1t may be we'll to mention another
| matter III this connection. Cooperation
| with the Supervisors and the other county
| officers Is OF great Importance. They are
| profoundly interested in the work en-
| trusted to them. y talk now and then
| with the patrons OF each school will
greatly help the cause Of education
j. ID. HtFHAM
The schools OF Vance County have
opened their doors to the young folks
This is an important event. 1t marks
| the beginning of many children's exper-
fence with the world, and great world
the school is for the boys and girls who
| for the first time in their lives are placed
under other than parental authority.
| The Importance of this transfer can not
be over estimated. 4 mothers watclful
eye has guarded that son and that
daughter from the moment OF birth. A
| mothers love has entWined about them
the garlands of purity and truth. The
| father, solicitOus for the future success of
his pets, has pictured to them the goal to
| which men and women attain who per
form faithfully every task assigned
them.
| Both he and the mother are aware of
the fact that from now on new influences
will begin to shape for good or evil the
| delicate nature of their offspring.
| This realization is II tremendous thing
| to parents.
Their hearts may well throb with sick
| enng effect under the intensity of emotion
as they kiss their little ones a new and
strange goodbye.
But hope strengthened by sincere
| prayer OvercOmps the struggle OF many
days.
| Then, too, there is the encouragement
given the parental heart 10y the wonder
fui confidence which all OF us place in the
| public school.
Here the parents are confronted by q
thing whose tangibiIity is as real as the
forms of their young ones.
Stability, integrity, wisdom. Justice.
| liberty are the foundation stones upon
| which the public school is built. Every
one of these attributes may and should
| become actuatng principles in the life of
| the child who enters our schools. The
| percentage of those who will not attain
to the eminenc" SCI before them by these
| attributes is enthusiastically small. There
fore in every home from which has pro-
| ceeded a new volunteer to the ranks OF
| those who battle against ignorance,
| which has been called the curse OF God,
there will be happiness and higher aspir-
atlOns before the present term has ok
pired.
What ii compliment is this confidence
| to tn" teachers ilNOur schools. Next to
the children. these devoted sons and
daughters Of the republic are the present
and future hope OF the nation. Their
noble self-sacrificois inspiring: their ideals
are uplifting.
This community and those that Join ii
are blessed with exceptionally able instruc-
tors of our Graded School. The standard
Of efficiency is HIGH and the systems used
in it are the VERY BEST. Every detail
from til" lowest to the highest grade. j.
under the supervision of a principal who
has long since proven worthy OF the
great responsibility imposed.
Viewing the subject OF Public Schools
a. we may, granting the existence OF
weakness here and there and remember
ing the constant efforts that are being
made to bring about improvements. We
are forced to the conclusion that the
fathers and mothers OF Henderson and
Vance county, in fact. the whole of North
Carolina. will maintain the confidence
we have always felt in our schools and
rejoice in the coming Of the day When
they may bring their young to the altar
OF liberty and dedicate them there to the
service Of God and their country
FRANCIS 4. MACON.
1