The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-09-21

printing some very sensible and timely
editorials on the subject Of sending the
girls and boys of the state away from
home. or to quote the popular ez-
pession. "on TO school" every year,
when there are so many excellent
schools within our own borders. The
Meridian Star. always a valiant
fighter for the good of the State, urges
the injustice of sending numerous
special cars" laden with our boys and
girls to the schools of other States.
Ii says-and with truth-that the
millions of dollars sent from this State
annually to increase the wealth OF
Northern and Eastern colleges, would,
If kept at home, soon enable the
management of our Mississippi schools
TO build and beautify their schools,
as these beautifully advertised col
leges. seminaries, etcs are beautlled.
The Star Loyalty and truthfully asserts
that our schools are quite as good as
the average school out of the State,
patronized by our people, the only diff
ference lying in the extra amount OF
display which our million dollars an.
rually" enables them to make. We
cordially agree with the Star in all
that it says, but we go one step further.
In sending our children to Northern
and Eastern schools there may be the
advantage of change of climate (and
III is a great advantage to most young
sirls, especially So bad as the prae-
tice Is. in this instance we can see
some slight excuse. But when ii comes
AS in three-fourths of the cases II
does-to sending our children from the
sweet surroundings-the safe, sure
nome life. to any one OF the
numerous schools (many Of the
mushroom Variety that abound
il. adjoining States. we can
not see one single advantage to be
gained--not even in change OF climate
Mississippi has the finest Girls Indus
trial College in the world. Her A. &
M. College for boys stands at the head
of that procession. Our university
lacks but one thing to put it alongside
the best in the land-the loyal support
OF the people of Mississippi The
writer has intimate knowledge of many
of the schools around us, as well as OF
almost every one in Mississippi. And
while our schools have no such -four
Ish of trumpets at commencement time,
and spend something less than for.
tunes on their year books" catalogues,
etc, it is undoubtedly a fact that we
are paying more and getting less, by
the common practice, than II we kept
our children in Mississippi. Where, in
any of the church schools about us, can
we find a superior to Millsaps College?
And yet some of our Methodist boys
pass through their Capital City, seek
ing an education elsewhere. Where
are boys in better hands than those of
DR.. Lowrey at Clinton? And yet 1t is
not an uncommon thing for Baptist
boys to do their studying in other
States. The College at Washington, in
addition to other high claims upon
our people, has made and helped make
history along through the many years
OF its useful life. No finer buildings
and no more attractive grounds can
be found in this part of the country
than those of that splendid school at
Port Gibson, Chamberlain Hunt Acad-
emy-and there are Presbyterian boys
in Mississippi already planning for
their college days, who do not know
that such a school exists. But for the
fact that -ft.would I'll pages instead OF
columns, we would tell the story Of
Mississippis school for girls-Blue
Mountain, Belhaven, Whitworth, the
schools at Clinton, Meridian, French
Camp, Pontotoc-the big college for
Women, at West Point and several
others, all doing work as good and
some much better than is done by the
average school in other States. And
yet our Mississippi girls go each year
in "car load lots" to Tennessee,
Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Louis
lana. and, of course, to the Virginias,
not to mention the Carolinas, and the
score Of Eastern claimants. It Is
wrong. When we can get two articles
equally good-one home product and
the other foreign, we should always,
for reasons too many and too obvious
to mention, take the home product,
and stand by il. The Hattiesburg
Prozress urges that the schols are to
blame because they do not advertise.
There may be a good deal in this, but
we believe they will advertise-when
they get the million dollars annually
that enables foreign schools to adver-
tise so literally in Mississippi. The
Star calls upon the press, the pulpit
and the people to urge change along
this line, and we lay, Amenl
The Southern Express Company has
displayed great faith in the future OF
cur progressive little city of West
Point by erecting an Office building
there.
West Point is figuring on having a
winter chautauqua. Mr.. James Shaw,
Of Bloomington, ILL.,, is actively
engaged in chautauqua work, and he
favo.s t.ar, plan, ard is working with
the progressive people Of that ambi
dous town toesecure all the features
and attractions OF an up-to-date chau
tauqua during the coming winter.
The friends throughout The State