The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-23
GOOD ADVICE GIVEN.
Educational Workers Should Stick Close to the
Growing Plant.

To the Editor: The impetus given to
the movement for better public roads and
better public schools at the two meetings
held in Raleigh a week ago should not be
allowed to lag for one single moment.
These twin questions Of supreme import
ance to our State, linked together as n
natural consequence and christened as
an almost holy union by our worthy Gov
ernor merits the force OF organized eff
fort from one end OF the state to the
other. Every thoughtful North CAROLYN
ian of whatever class or calling must
have felt encouraged at the potency OF
these two gatherings The high charae
ter and lofty aims and purposes OF the
hundreds of patriotic, enterprising citi.
zens who comprised the two conferences,
the unanimity OF sentiment as expressed
and implied at each and every session,
the final appeals and addresses that go
out 10 the people with the unanimous en-
dorsement OF these powerful gatherings
in favor of better highways and better
country schools must result in great good
TO the State. Can we not see in these
movments the CLEAN of a brighter dawn
ing that shall drive out from the mind
of every child the gloom OF illiteracy?
May we not discern these in the rising
OF new sun whose rays shall dry up our
muddy highways? But the work must go
forward, the organizations must extend,
the crystalization of healthy sentiment
must expand and the people everywhere
made TO fall in love with their progress
sive ideas.
1t has been suggested that perhaps the
school organization began at the wrong
end. Maybe it would have been better
had the organization began at the rural
school house, but 1t didn't; now it must
go there. 1t will not be wise TO do too
much of the cultivating too far from the
plant. Let the great cultivators steer
close to the growing plants that are be-
ing choked in many instances by the
weeds of Indifference, lethargy and illit-
eracy.
The city schools are all right; our
graded schools are ornaments to the
State and do great honor to those untir-
Ing men and women who are conducting
them. The colleges and academies are
likewise alright and doing wonderfully
good work AS the old farmer would say
"all these are out OF the way of the grass
and have nothing to do but grow"
1t is the plants away out in the country
that need cultivation, and they must
have 1t. The parents, many of them,
need stirring up, the pupils need encour-
agement and opportunity. Big speeches
and forceful arguments are needed at the
country school house, more. yea, a thou
sand times more, than in the towns.
know the good people of Wilmington will
enjoy visit from DR.. Winston and he
Will thrill them with his logic and elo-
quence, but ! confess that I would have
been more gratified to have read an an
nouncement that DR.. Winston was going
TO speak at Rhamkatte school house be-
cause he is needed more there than at
Wilmington. | hope and believe that Dr.
McIver's band of teacher orators will
find their way to the rural school house
and plant about them these seeds of uni
versal intelligence and competent citi-
zenship. In this way the idea OF good
roads and good schools will grow where
they need to grow neighborhood organi-
cation will follow, united action on the
part of the rural citizenship will add
great force To the movement. petty jeal-
ouses and prejudices will disappear and
little neighborhood envies and chickering's
Will fade away. The country mansand the
country woman, many of whom are now
APPARENTLY Indifferent as to this all impor-
tant matter, will wake up and lend their
influence and aid not only in the direc-
ton of the education of their own chill
dren. but their neighbours children as
we'll Let the good work inaugurated by
the educational conference go on, but let
rot l. 30
the choking. starving plant.
f. r. ARENDELL
Raleigh n. c.. Feb. 90