The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-06-26
A LONGER SCHOOL TERM.
Superintendent Whitfield Issues an Id
dress to the People.
jackson, Miss, June "a, 1902.

Jackson, Miss, June "a, 1902.
To the People of Mississippi:
You have doubtless learned through
the public press Of the systematic
movement now being made throughout
the south for the betterment of its ru-
raj schools. It has for some time been
apparent to our thinking people that
the south has not taken the position
OF power and influence, in the union
which her great natural resources and
her Anglo-Saxon blood made possible !;
and the one reason now given by
those who have given study to the
question is, that we have not provided
the opportunity for the proper mental
development Of the great masses of
our children; and that when we pro-
vide the facilities for developing the
power of each individual, then, and
not till then, will the south take her
rightful place among the states Of the
union. Mississippi is no exception to
the general condition that obtains in
the south. 1t is true that for the last
few years there has been an apparent
prosperity manifest throuhgout the
state. Our great resources are attract
ing the capitalists and skilled work
men from other states; but behind all
this lies the question: Are our. people
the greater beneflciaries Of this new
activity that is now characterizing
our industrial life? Is it not fact
that because OF lack of proper train
ing, our people, in the main, gather
up the raw materials, receiving there
for the smallest rewards, while the
superintendents, skilled workmen, and
those drawing the best salary, come
from distance? The chief essential
basis for we'll trained people is good
system of common schools. Are our
rural schools satisfactory? Are they
giving us the desired product? If
not, what is the remedy? How can
our common schools be made more
effective? The one thing needed in a
large majority the counties is longer
terms. Schools that are taught for
only four months year and pay only
twenty fiye dollars per month, cannot
keep that high grade Of teachers who
are needed to do this great work; and
the short time is not sufficient, even
with good teachers for our children to
get the proper kind Of training. A
longer school term is necessary be-
cause better equipped teachers can
then be procured-th those who will
have entered the profession as a life
work--not merely to teach year, or
until something better turns up.
Such teachers will have the means
and the time to study the great prin-
ciples that underlie human develop
ment, because they can devote their
full time to the work. The people
should demand that those to whom
they commit the eternal destinies of
their children should be men and wo-
men not only of greatest moral worth,
but possessing scholastic and profess
sional training, experience and execu-
tive ability, tact and common sense.
| submit that the services of such peo-
pie as teachers cannot be secured per-
manently when they are employed but
for four months in the year, and then
only on mere pittance of salary.
Especially is this true now, when
there is SO much activity in every field
of endeavor, and the services of our
brightest young people are sought at
a much higher compensation than our
schools offer.
The teachers Of our rural schools
are greatly to be commended for the
progress they have made and the SER
vice they have performed during the
past few years under circumstances
and environments SO unfavorable to
themselves and to the advancement Of
the children whose educational inter
ests are committed to their charge.
While as rule they have devoted a
large proportion Of their time and
money to fit themselves for teaching,
yet I think few people will deny that
the returns on their investment Of
money and time spent, have been sad
| " smaller in proportion than those Of
almost any other Of the learned cal
lings.
The proper training Of our children
depends on our being able to offer in
ducements sufficient to attract and keep
at least part Of our brightest young
men and women as teachers. The
question is 80 important that wes cam
not afford to temporize with it. Those
states which today possess the wealth,
technical training and pontical power
of the union, are those that first or
ganized public schools and have liber-
ally maintained them. The amount