The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-02
SHALL WE HAVE A GRADED SCHOOL 1?
This Is a Question That Must be An
swered at the Polls Next Monday
Some Reasons Why You Should
Answer in the Affirmative.
Communicated

1t has been recently stated from a pub
lie platform, read from carefully prepared
papers. that North Carolina ranked near
the lowest among the States of the
Union for illiteracy-that four hundred
thousand OF her people could neither
read nor write. Ii this be true can there
be any necessity for the question at the
head OF this article? Itwould seem to be
more important to ask the question:
How can this state of affairs be most
speedily remedied? While these condi-
tons may prevail, it is consoling to
know that many of the leading minds
OF the State have suggested that
the most effectual course lies in pub
lie education; nor have they stopped
at mere suggestion, but are using all
their power and influence in the interest
OF public schools. There has never been
time in the history OF the State that
such a deep interest in the subject of edu-
cation was felt as in the past fifteen
years. Public sentiment has been quick
ened and general desire among the peo-
pie to improve upon the past As one of
the results OF their efforts the Graded
School has come as q higher development
of the public school system. 1t has pass
ed the age OF experiment, and in all of the
Graded School has become a necessary
fixture
We will not discuss the question of the
necessity OF the education of the masses.
nor OF the duty of the State in the matter,
Tor all who have given the subject any
thought freely admit thatif the sovereign
ty is to be left in the hands of the people
then we ought to have enlightened SOW
erelgns, and to aid this enlightenment the
State ought to be pledged to use it's
power to that end. But the great Amer
lean question arises: Does it pay?-does
1t pay town to run Graded School?
comparisons are said to sometimes he
Odlous; if SO, they are also instructive.
Take the mostimportant towns of today
and by examination you will find their
public schools fully abreast with their
and commercial interests
ana the reason is not far to seek. In the
hrst place. there can be no city or town
without population. and to get popula-
ton some inducement must be had, and
the city or town that offers the most in |
ducement (all things being equaD gets
the larger per centage of this population. |
VI course it is admitted that manufac- |
lures that give employment to labor,
commerce that offers q better market,
churches in which people can worship. |
railroad facilities, are all Inducements: |
but with them good schools arc a neces- |
slty: not only good schools, but good |
public schools. where all the children of |
all the people may go and receive instruc- |
ton tree. This inducement has carried |
men with their families to those towns |
that nave them: they would not have |
gone without this inducement, and every |
FAMILY that goes to Il town makes de- |
lnand tor houses to live in, hence the |
owner is benefited, for his prop
property can be valuable only in proper
ton to the demand. This man and his
family must eat, hence the grocer is bene-
nted; they must wear clothes. shoes, hats,
&c hence the merchant in all lines is
benefited; some of them may get sick, and
the services OF the doctor are required:
they must take medicine, hence the drug
9ist must be helped; in fact it touches all
all men III all avocations. This is the
FOUNTAIN, now If you wish to dry it I'D,
then cut of its supplies and stagnation
'ohoWs. ana your town soon gets too
dead to skin.
Ii these benefits thus extend to men who
own real estate, who are members of any
profession or trade. how much more and
lar reaching must be its benefits to the
children whose parents are not fully able
to give them an education without the
AID due them from the Commonwealth
In Republic like ours, government
that permits no titles to nobility, that
recognizes no law OF primogeniture and
entail, where all men are supposed to be
rec, 1t is almost the rule that the sons of
poor men become the statesmen. the
financial magnates and wear the judicial
ermlne. But these great men were those
who recognized the power of education
and with their Gods given genius snr-
mounted all difficulties and went to the
ront ranks in life with the help of an
education
Henderson is not behind in taking adj
vantage offered by Graded School. Its
Up to date citizens have been for some
lime conducting school that is the pride
d the toWn-a school that has attracted
many people to its limits All are proud
u our town with its market. its mer-
'hants. Its manufacturing establishments
Is churches. but the brightest star that
,iazes and sparkles in the crown of Hem
ierson is its magnificent Graded School.
1et Us preserve it, protect it. foster it. so
nat It's influence shall be felt i'm the pene-
atlons Vet to come
J. T. B. HOOVER.