The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-01-21

was leased for a period of ten years,
and an additional house was built,
thus furnishing three good rooms.
Mr.. Clement 0. Meredith, a grad
uate of GuilfOrd College, and as the
winner of the Haverford scholarship,
a graduate of that institution also,
WAS elected principal, He attended
a course on graded school work at
Cnautauqua during the summer so
came we'll qualified to his position
here.
Miss Mollie Roberts also a grad
uate of GuilfOrd and a teacher of
several years experience, and Mrs
Lee 8. Smith, a teacher of much ex-
perienoe and very decided ability in
her profession, were elected assist
ant teachers.
There are in the district about 14O
pupils of school age. Many of these
are day students at Guilford College,
some attending school out of the
State. Nearly all the others are in
the graded school, which now num-
Ders 81, with every prospect OF
reaching 100 next term.
The establishment of this school
has had a most marked effect upon
our neighborhood. Several pla 90
have changed hands and at greatly
advanced prices. Every house for
rent is occupied, and many persons
are prospecting for homes within the
district, where tho small children
may attend the graded school and
the older ones Guilford College. It
Is inc eed a most desirable locality,
six miles from the pro 'perous and
growing city If Greensboro, on the
railroad leadtdg TO Winston-Salem,
in a quiet, thrifty, wholesome COM
munity, settled and still mainly GO,
cupied by members of the Society Of
Friends. The Methodist Church has
quite a following, and Muir's chapel,
their time honOred place of worship,
is scarcely two miles away.
This is, we believe, the first rural
graded school in the State. The one
mentioned some time ago in The %
server had not started, while ours
was in actual operati IN, being opened
on October 14th. Such a school with
the conditions induced in large part
by the school is a far more potentin
centive to people Of other cOmmuni-
ties than all the educational theories
and advices which can be advanced.
If the Peabody fund is to ad vance
the cause of education in the South,
what better way can open for it's use
than to assist suoh voluntary local
effect as this2 The uccees of one
suoh school will be a practical lesson,
a living inspiration and incentive to
other communities.
The majority of our people are
agricultural and extremely little, if
any, bentft has been received by our
rural population from the large
Gums expended on the CITY graded
schools. Therefore, every local
eff rrt suoh as led to the establish
mont of the Guilford graded school,
ought to be encouraged, and should
receive aid from any public or bene
aoiary funds that NAV exist for euoh
purposes. Farmers fod it difficult
TO make much money on our poor
farms, and find it necessary to save
every dollar they can. They are
Q Dntidera g, and often naturally
TO seek new things; but if they
see shat these schools not only edu
cate their childrs n, but increase the
value of their land and multiply
their sources of income, they will be
more willing 80 vote the insignificant
necessary to accomplish so desir
able an end. The graded school here
is a practical application of all these
matters.
AVOID DEBT.