Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-06-04

day. 1t Is education that makes a
nation. The less education the more
vice and wickedness."
That's jest the way look at It,"
says the squar. II say education be-
fore everything else, but we've got
men in this town who differ with me.
You wouldn't think that leadin men of
town would be ag'in schoolhouses,
would youw
"They must be queer, sort of men.
Don't they want their children to know
who discovered American"
"Thats a mighty strong pint, mighty
strong!' says Deacon Spooner, as he
tunks his cane on the floor ana looks at
Abner Jones.
II reckon you're hlttin at me-" re-
plies Abner after whittlin away for a
moment, "and I've got few words
to say. I'd like to ask this stranger
here IL he knows who discovered
America"
"Why, certainly, sir" said the man.
Has 1T ever done you any good? Has
1t ever made any difference to you
whether it was Smith, Green or
Brown"
But it Is knowledge"
Eyes, it's knowledge, and that's a
strong pint" whispers the deacon.
Yes, it's schoolhouse knowledge"
says Abner, "but let me ask you sun
thin. What month In the year d'you
plant pumpkin seeds?"
Pumpkin seeds! Why, what have
pumpkin seeds got TO do with educa-
tionf"
quite little bit, l reckon. This
county ships huff pumpkins every
year to make 100000 10 cent pies.
don't believe ten farmers kin tell you
when America was discovered, but
they know when to plant pumpkins.
Which Ia tue best fur 'em? / reckon
! you kin tell what year George Wash
ington died in, which can't, but d'you
know whar to fasten rope when you
want to drive hog to market?"
"By lingo, but that's strong pint,
and Abner's got hIm!" shouts the dea.
con as he jumps up and down.
The stranger appeared to he sort OF
confused and taken down, but tried to
git out of 1t by sayin they were
triilin with the subject.
Tin one as isn't opposed to schools
and education" says Moses Plumber,
''but don't want too many of 'em.
I'm sayln that everybody orter know
how to read, write and cipher. but
nowadays they want to stuff children
with heap that's no good to any
body"
But what man kin know too much?"
asks the stranger. "But fur higher
knowledge how would we know that
the earth revolved on It's axis?"
But s'pose we didn't know? S'pose
wo flggered that the earth stood stlll?
wouldn't We have licked the British
at Yorktown jest the same, and
wouldn't the price OF wheat be the
same as today? was tallin with
young Jim Benson t'other day. He
could tell the distance to the sun with
In II mile but he couldn't tell how
many rails TO rod of FENCE. He could
give the names of all the stars, but he
didn't know that cuttin hogs tail of
would make him root the harder, prob
! ably hopin to fiud new one. He could
sSii WhSu eNtis otutc toihS lhto tiu
Union, but he didn't know that COW
kicked sideways instead Of straight
behind"
"By lingo, Moses, but that's oratory
and strong pint besides." exclaims
the deacon. In the face of them facts
can't see how we are to git another
schoolhouse."
"You have been III at some time or
other in your life?" queries the stran'
| ger OF Moses.
II hev. Three years ago l was down
with fever and everybody thought I'd
die"
"But you were saved, apd how? II
the doctor who was called In had sim.
ply known about fence rails, hogs
tails and the way cows kick. where
would you be today? He had gone
beyond readin, writin and figurin.
1t was his higher education that saved
your life"
"That's a strong pint as'in you,
Noses" says the deacon.
Yes, but didn't call DOCTOR grlps
Moses. MY old woman pulled me
through with herb teas and good nurs-
In. and you all know she can't tgger
the value of two dozen eggs"