The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1901-05-09

ceives of the south, is it's great lack
OF universal education. There are a
number of different reasons for this
state of affairs; however, the first
and paramount one beinga scarcity
of money for building schools or i'm
proving and charging those already
built. Another is natural conser-
,yatism and what is good enough
for us, F." spirit among good many of
the people, being directed against
many needed improvements, and
more advanced lines of education in
particular.
Why this should be so, is matter
for speculation. But one forms the
habit of specializing a great deal be-
fore becoming familiar with some of
the idiosyncrasys of the south.
To drop into slang, it is undenia-
bly, ''slow" in great many respects.
This appellation however, is not to
be applied industrially or commerce
ally; for here il is steadily pushing
into the front ranks of progress.
But pretains more particularly to all
things educational; and before it can
ever hope to attain prestige in the
world of art anG, letters, it must lay
the corner stone for a new education
al basis. When this shall have been
accomplished the movement of a
radical reformwill have begun, which,
if rightly directed, will promulgate a
new era in its history that will in
clude the fine arts.
So far the south has become pre-
eminent only in one art and that is
oratory In literature, music, paint
ing and sculpture, she can only point
to few isolated examples.
The dearth of liberal far-reaching
education is here again to blame; but
with this requisite essential it ought
to reach and surpass the rest of the
United States For to be born in
the southland is to be born in the
midst of all things beautiful. What
an inspira ton for the artist is this
land of eternal summers; while the
songs Of it's bird sand murmurings of
it's waters is music itself; and still it
is in it's infancy along these lines.
It is well to state here, however,
that lately the foremost educational
men and women of the country are
awakening to it's possibilities and
are using every effort to bring about
this much needed reform.
If they needed any incentive to
spur them on, the following poem,
copied entire from volumn of verse,
published at her own proper cost
and expense by a North Carolina
poetess, would be the only stimlas
needed to encite them to heroic
action, for the enlightment of such
glaring ignorance as is displayed by
this individual alone.
The poem is quoted in its entirety.
It is called, Il kissed pa twice after
his DEATH"
Il kissed dear pa at the grave,
Then soon he was buried away;
Wreaths put onhis tomb,
Whose blossoms soon decay.
1 lay down and slept after the burial,
had started to school dreamed;
But had left my books at home,
Pa brought them it seemed.
| saw him coming stepping high,
Which was of his walk the way;
] had stopped att house near by,
His face was pale as clay.
When he lay under a white sheet,
On the morning alter his decease;
| kissed his sad and sunken cheek.
And hoped his spirit had found peace.
When he was having commissions
He feared he would hurt me;
Therefore told me to go away
He had dug artichOkes for me.
Pa dug the artichokes on that day.
He never will dig any more.
He has only payed the debt we owe.
We should try and reach that shining
shore.
Again do we have proof of the old
Latin maxim regarding the birth and
non-construction of poets as trans
lated by go-a-head Sophomore
A poet is nasty and not fitten".
Truly the educators of the south
have a great work before them.
This thought leads up toa discussion
of her people.
The galantry and chivalry of the
southern man, is matter of history:
The cold, calm orthodox manner of
the eastern or western man is utter
ly lacking here. In it's place one
finds a hotblooded impulsiveness