Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-03-07

railroad company, telegraph department.
Due to several merited promotions he stands
next to chief in the department. He has had
months vacation afforded him, which he
will spend here MIR. Colliaower is son Of
Mrs $. M. Blrely and a grandson Of Mr..
Bernard Collifower of Graceham.
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Both Dead and Alive.
1t Is thought that Edward Wright, son Of
the late Mr.. and Mrs. L.: W. Wright, who
left his home in Middletown one night about
20 years ago, and who was supposed to be
dead, has been heard from.
Several weeks ago letter came to the
Mddletown postotfice, addressed to Mr.. and
Mrs l.. W. Wright. Postmaster Gardner
decided to forward the letter to VIM. F..
Wright, son of the deceased, who lives in
St. Louis, Mo, but before he did so he re-
ceved letter from Chicago, ad dressed to
the postmaster, Middletown.
The writer, who signed himself az Edward
Wright, wanted to know If Mr.. and Mrs.
L. w. Wright were stlll living here. and any
other particulars concerning the family lie
might know of. The answer waa to be d.
rected to Chicago, no number or street being
given.
Postmaster Gardner replied Immediately,
that both his father and mother and sister
had died since he had left Middetown (if he
was son of Mr.. L. w. Wright and that
several years ago the estate here was closed
up by the court which declared him legally
dead.
There is a law in Maryland which presumes
that party is dead when unheard of for a
period Of seven years, and this law was
availed of in the case Of Edward Wright.
His estate was administered upon and his
legacy from his fathers estate was distributed
among the other heirs. - Valley Register.
I'VE give place in our columns to the
following, accepting II as one Of the most sub
stantial utterances on the subject that has
ever come under our notice.
Evils Of SchoolroOm.
By DR.. J. M'Pherson Scott.
Address delivered before the Teachers Asso-
citation Of Washington County at its reg
ular meeting In Hagerstown, Feb. %.
AT the meeting Of the Teachers Associa-
ton on Saturday last. DR. ]. Mop. Scott de-
livered the following instructive address on
sanitary and other evils of the schoolroom:
Appreciate the opportunity you afforded
me of being present and participating in the
discussion Of topics which are Of Importance
to you and the community. They should
receive an increased public attention.
the system of popular education, known
as that OF the Public School, has become
one of the fixed institutions of our land, and
is therefore of constant and increasing inter
est. Founded upon the economic idea that
the State could better afford to educate the
child than have 1t grow to manhood in igno'
rance and become one of the electorate, inca
pdble by reason Of that ignorance, of proper.
ly exercising the great prerogative of the
American clizen-,hs system of public edu'
cation has been so diverted from its original
purpose and so broadened in its curriculum
that it is today the great avenue to knowledge
along which pass the countless thousands
who are to be not only intelligent voters, but
the leading, controlling masters in commerce
finance, craftsmanship, and, indeed, In all the
pursuits aud avocations that enlist the ener'
gies of the race.
Is it to be wondered then that this grea,
system of popular education is possessed OF
such overwhelming INTEREST,"
1t lakes of the citizen his money and his
child, 1t is our right then to expect that the
one is properly expended. giving fullest re-
turn for lis disbursement and that the child
precious beyond the power of words to ex-
press, shall be properly cared for, shall have
such surroundings as will preserve its health
and have its mental faculties so trained tina,
the future may be Il constant demonstration
of the wisdom of the State in formulating
this system and making these severe exact
ions upon the substance Of the people for ils
maintenance.
Pardon the depression suggested by what
have said, but burlesque it is upon the
practical realization of the economic idea, tC
which haye alluded, that while the State
holds up the taxpayer and takes of
his means to elevate citizenship through
education 1t does not concern itself
to place an educational qualification
a. al. M ,nla ata,,1
from that expression that approve OF dis
franchisemerl on account of illlteracy. Let
the qualification stand rs it attaches now to
those who possess 1t, but what farce tina,
during the life of the public school system in
Maryland with schoolhouses and opportunity
within reach OF every one, that the State has
concerned itself so little, that the child, as il
became voter, has not been subjected to ar
educational qualfica.ion-which is the prac.
teal embodiment of he principal underlying
public education.
In recent lecture On "A Study IN The
Problems of Democracy" DR.. Lyman Abbott
made some startling statements along this
line in reference to the exercise of the suffrage
Speaking specially Of the rights of the Negro
in the South, he expressed sentiment which
will be endorsed by every one who believe,
that the character and perpetuity of the
Great Republic must rest upon an enlight-
ehed citizenship: There should be drawn
not a color or a race line, but a character
line. Manhood must come first, suffrage
| afterWard." Then would come q realization