The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-23

| ply it's own needs better than they can
be supplied by private corporations.
Supplied with pure and health giving
water, and with illumination for homes
and business houses, the next most i'm
| portant step that Monroe took was to
| declare that it was also necessary for
| the municipality to give education to
| all it's children. Monroe had nearly al
| ways enjoyed good school that reached
portion of the people, but under the
| broader Interpretation of the new Monroe
| doctrine it was determined to also make
| public education as universal and whole
| some as water. The vote in favor of it
was large and within the past few years
| it has erected a handsome brick graded
provements and equipment, worth
something like thirty thousand dollars.
| The progressive school committee was
fortunate in securing Prof e. G. Brooks
| as the first superintendent. He had
| graduated with honor at Trinity College,
| and had demonstrated his capacity as
| a. teacher and an organizer. He has at
once put the Monroe graded school in
the front rank of the best schools in the
best towns and cities of the State. His
teaching force is as good as the best
and every equipment and facility are up
to date. 1t was my pleasure to visit this
school and to look into the happy faces
in the class rooms, being led into the
paths of knowledge by an uncommonly
capable and attractive corps of teachers.
In establishing its public school system,
Monroe did not stop short of making a
perfect system. 1t did not say: "The
municipality will educate the little boys
and girls, but will require the parents to
send off to some other town the larger
children who wish to prepare for college"
Instead, they provided instruction all
the way from a-b-c's to entrance into the
University and all other colleges in the
State. Happy the fathers and mothers
who can keep their children in the home
nest during preparation for college! That
| is the period for most anxiety about
, boys, and the town that provides thorough
| preparation for college in it's own public
schools is wise in it's day and generation.
When the new Monroe doctrine, that
Union county ought to have magnificent
| court house on its eligible public square,
. was promulgated by former State Senator
Adams, there were those who shook their
, heads and doubted the wisdom of spend
Today there is not citizen of Union
. county who is not proud of that commo-
, dious and beautiful temple of justice. II
some public-sp;rited man, or some com
bination of generous men, would give the
county splendid public library upoI
. condition that the portion of the court
> converted into county public and cir
culating library it could be arranged
, to make an ideal library and reading
> room Already steps have been taker
n to provide public library in connection
o with the graded school and many volumes
have been obtained, but one of the frs
O essentials to the largest usefulness of {
o public library is that it shall be cen.
= trally located. If the county should bC
q unwilling to devote portion of the cour'
, | house to public lbrary-and there are
! objections that would doubtless be raised
| to such use-the next step in the loca
Monroe doctrine" of Progress is to built
U public library on one of the corners
fronting the public square. The day is
:, not far distant when municipalities viii
. provide public library just as it pro
- vides public schools, lights the streets
| furnishes water and maintains fire com
| pany. All are necessary public utilities
= of this progressive educational era.
- The churches in Monroe are in keepinl
C with the court house and the public
school. This is specially true Of tn,
n
v They are models of modern church build
p ings, each costing in the neighborhood o
o. twenty thousand dollars. The Methods
church has been completed during tn
, | present year. If there is more beauti
= full or convenient church in the State
Il have not seen it, though there are severa
6 that cost more money. The wisdom an(
generosity manifested in the construction
i, of such church edifices speaks strongl,
for the religious character of Monroe.
The architect has been here. The newe
homes built here are of the most approx
ed architectural designs and brick bust
ness houses have largely taken the plac
of the earlier wooden buildings.
Monroe has grown into town of 500
people chiefly through it's business en-
terprise, it's strategic point on the Sea
board Air Line, and its fertile bacl