Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-09-12
PROF. EVANS
Has Something to Say to Parents
And School Children.

day. Public school work is pro-
vided for those who have not com
pleted the common school branch
es, and Marion also provides free
what but few towns in the State
offer, even for money-a high
school course for three years be-
yond the common school branches.
Every parent and thinking boy
and girl in this vicinity believe in
the value of education; and no
community of people have proved
it better. Attendance is the great
proof of school interest, and last
year there we're not over six loaf
ers about our streets. | make a
distinction when | use the good
word "loafer" between the boys and
girls of school age who are out OF
school with good excuse and the
loafers who have none.
Let us this year keep the child
rem in school, We have a chance
with the child in school, but with
the careless attendant none; and
when in the end satisfactory re-
suits do not come out of non-at-
tendance at school the parent is to
blame.
There is a great mistake being
made yearly in this county, and
in this town of Marion. so says
enlightened public sentiment, in
that out of classes of % to 40 fin
ishing common school branches,
10 to ID only enter higher school
work, and out of those 10 or 10,
only ) to 8 are supported by self
or others to complete higher
work.
There is disposition on the
part of some to think the teacher
is talking shop when he calls this
serious mistake, nay, a blunder
in life that works regret, weakness
and disaster.
So my friends l quote few
words from Forward" the best
edited young peoples paperI ever
saw, and every word l quote is
but an echo of kindred sentiments
by men and women of
every where. IT. says:
There is a time in a boys life,
in many cases, when he begins to
be impatient about going to school
Especially if he lives in big man.
ufacturing town, where opportuni-
ties for a job are plenty, he is like
ly to say, at about fourteen or fif-
teen years of age, or even young
or, Il want TO go to work
what's the use of going to school
any longer?' He is so sure that
there is no use of it that he falls off /
in his interest and his studies and |
the result is that his parents often
yield to his wishes, and Jim or
Tom or Harry goes into machine
shop. or a factory, or a mill, and
stops his education, as far as the
school is concerned, from that day
Perhaps he thinks he is wise, just
then; but anywhere from five to
ten years thereafter, he begins to
find that he was foolish, and he
usually repents it more or less
strongly, for the rest of his life.
For education is very precious
thing, and we must get il in youth
Or make mistakes and lose oppor-
ever afterwards for lack of
It.
"Of course the reason a boy goes
TO work at fourteen is to make
money. Otherwise he would just
As willingly stay at school. Now,
statistics prove that the Tennessee
boy leaves school three years ear
lier than the Massachusetts boy.
The average annua! amount of mo-
ney to each inhabitant Of the Uni
ed States, man, woman aud child,
Is about fifty-6ve cents day; that
IS, if the value of everything pro-
luced each year in this country
we're to be divided among the in
labitants each would receive that