The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-15
Educate People from Il
to 70.
CONTINUED from First Page.y

people Of North Carolina have for get
ing information.
Still another use of the library was
to provide subject matter for wholesome
thought and conversation. People do not
think and talk about anything else, but
what they are brought in contact with.
The only way to make people do better
is to provide them with something bet
ter to do. Nearly all little contentious
that come before the boards of education
result from men not being able to live
outside of themselves.
Then the reading of good books ele-
waited the moral tone of a community.
He had noticed splendid results in this
connection. 1t also stimulates the study
of literature and history. A medal had
been offered in his county for the best
history of North Carolina by a pupil in
the public schools, and it had done vast
good in familiarizing the children with
the history of our State. The public
spirited gentleman who had given this
medal was Col j. Bryan Grimes, Secre-
tary of State
Supt Ragsdale dwelt beautifully upon
the effect on molding character and
making high minded citizens of the
reading of books. The reading by boy
of little biography might make another
Lee or Washington.
As to the extension of libraries, he be-
lieved that the Legislature ought to give
each county the privilege of increasing
it's number of libraries to ten.
Much applause greeted Supt Ragsdale
when he concluded. Every one present
felt that he had struck the keynote to
the whole situation, and haddled it with
a master hand.
Supt Henderson, of Caswell, said he
had found that two books were always
necessary and suitable in every library
One was the Bible and the other was the
daily paper. He spoke very earnestly
on the tremendous good that could be
brought about by the reading habit
Mr.. Bean called upon Col. John S. Cum
ingham, who was present, to give his
experience in getting a certain gentle
man to give of his means toward the
cause of public education.
Col Cunningham, amid applause, arose
and told of the contribution of over
$50 900 to the public schools. and over
$4,000 for school houses. This was
done at Colonel Cuningham's suggestion
by Col John c.. Terrell.
Colonel Cunningham then offered a
medal for the best essay on Public Edu-
cation in North Carolina. to be COM
peted for by the county superintendent.
This proposition met with great ap-
plause.
Colonel Cunningham then called atten-
tion to the fact that Person county had
a splendid school house in every district
and a fund of $4,000. In addition there
was an institute in the county, the
Bethel Hill Institute, started by Rev.
Mr.. Bean.
The idea of local taxation. he said.
was gaining ground all the time in
Person county and he agreed with Supt.
Ragsdale in his belief that the people
between the ages of q and 20 were the
ones that needed education.
The speaker closed with a warm
eulogy on the school governor and his
able lieutenants.
Supt. Joyner expressed the sentiment
of the conference of sincere gratitude at
his generous offer. He considered it one
of the brightest spots in the whole
movement that laymen. as it were,
should realize the Importance of the
work in hand.
SupI. OlemenIS,4 OF wake, Ine0 QlScuSS-
ed briefly 1.-THE School Law and Sug-
gested Changes" He said he favored the
changing of the constitution so that no
child should be placed upon the census
sheet until he was seven years old. This
sentiment met with considerable ap-
plause.
He was for having the board elect
teachers; if not, then committee of
three in the township, but never a COM
mittee in one district. This idea was
also applauded.
He approved of having one person take
the census, and paying him for it. Sec
ton 81, giving the superintendent the
right to hold private examinations,
should be revised. There were too many
private examinations Section Al, re-
quiring detailed district reports, he
thought, could not be complied with.
As to salary of superintendent, he
thought the per diem ought to be done
away with, and that stated salary of
not more than per cent of the school
fund should be paid
The section regarding rural libraries,
be believed, ought to be changed. The
number of libraries should not be uni
form. but should be apportioned accord
ing TO the number of school children in
the different counties.
Supt. Joyner did not agree with this
suggestion. He thought the larger coun-