St. Tammany farmer., 1900-12-01
THE VILLAGE SCHOOL.

THE VILLAGE SCHOOL.
The following article from one Of
our valued exchanges ID applicable
To COvington just at this time:
In connection with the appeal
Of our Superintendent OF Public
Schools for aid in enlarging our
school building, I want to enter my
humble but earnest protest against
the notion prevailing in the minds
OF some lhough.less people that we
must look ~ the larger cities for
the .'ideal scilO-l" and that ''any
old thing" is good enough f,r the
crossroads school or even the
schools in small towns There
never was . more fallacious ides
than this is Not only that which
is good. but the very ''best Of the
good" should enter into the make
up Of the village school. its teachers,
books, buildings, grounds, and
moral surroundings. The ideal
school to my mind is the one that
does more to lmplant in the minds
aud hearts of the youth OF the land
true principles u manhood, justice
and bonor, and lays wisely and well
the foundation for all xfter-learning.
It is during tue tender years Of
youngest childhood that the most
enduring impressions are made
upon the mind, wiseacres and scien-
tiiic sapheads 70 the contrary not
Notwithstanding, and there is not .
true man living to-day, be bis station
in life great or small, who will not
say that he acquired the best part
Of his training from some patient
pedago2ue in = little o:d-fashioned
country school, wher. the reader,
the blue-back speller and the
geography and arithmetic oonstitu-
ted the only "curriculum" known.
Some OF these men have since At
tended high schools, and colleges,
and even universities, and have
risen to positions OF trust and honor,
but among them all we venture the
assertion that not ono can be found
who will say other ttan that the
solid first grounding 50 well given
1t the little log school house has
proved 70 be lis most valuable ac-
QUESTION, despite the bitter-sweet
reflections associated with the man
ner OF its requirement, the sluggish
brain being often stimulated by the
persuasive power OF = board or an
old hickory paddle, or . well season
ed switch reluctantly cut and
"peeled" by the urcl,in upon whose
anatomy it was most frequently
used.
Our State boasts OF several noble
institutions OF learning, in which We
all feel . pardonable pride; bat in
ad miring their grandeur, let Us no,
forget the half paid, overworked
but ever-faithful toilers in the small
er schools, who take the little tota
and plant in the soil Of their fertile
brains the first seeds OF learning,
the first ideas Of right and wrong,
the first simple lessons so fraugh'
with good or evil for all time.
In conclusion, let me repeat
nothing is too good for The elemen'
rarY school. God forbid that the
poorest, least promising child in
this parish should be deprived Of
the benefits OF our glorious free
school system BY reason Of the lacl
OF room In which 70 teach him!
Surely. with good crope growing
al around us; with dollars being
made where dimes were earned be-
fore; with thousands upon thous.
ands OF dollars lying idle in bank
vaults, the paltry SUM Of five hum
dred dollars asked for BY our school
superintendent will be forthcoming
II "too busy" to attend to II other
wise. give your offering 10 either oi
the gentlemen named in the Super
intendent's communications, or send
direc: to this office and due ac-
knowledgement wi! I've made. :
Ruston Leader.
The Jackson. Miss correspond
on. Of tbs Picayune saws: