The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-09-18
Excitement and Activity Mark
Opening of Schools.
OLD AND NEW REGIME IS COMPARED
William Likes Curriculum of "Auld
lang Syne" When the Rod Was
an important Adjunct.-Some
"reminiscences

for their own. The books have been
hunted up, the faces washed and hair
brushed. The boys have a new suit
and the girls new school dresses, and
it looks like everything and everybody
is working for the children. Mer-
chants, mechanics, doctors, lawyers,
preachers and farmers seem to be
busy in their trades and professions,
but behind them all is the welfare and
happiness of their children. We have
but one scholar nova sweet grand.
child, who has risen to a higher grade
and has to strain her young mind TO
solve the mazes and mysteries Of Lat
in and algebra, but she will do it. Our
schools have good teachers, and with
help at home the willing pupil VIII
keep up with the foremost Yes, help
at home. I wish that every child had
it. In grade Of thirty or forty pupils
it is impossible for the teacher to give
more than few minutes to each one,
but sometimes give an hour to cur
little girl at night That is what an
old grandpa is good for. But it is
hard for even me to fall into line with
new books and master them. The first
Latin book I read was a simple little
one called "Historiae Sacra," and the
first line was Deus creavit caelam ct
terrain intra sex dies" God created
the heavens and the earth in si1
days" know the whole chapter now.
but that book is out of print and |
don't know the new ones. Just so
with algebra. Old jeremiah Day is
dead and now there is a new book and
new rules, and they are harder to me.
How we cid men do love to talk over
the good old ways OF fifty and sixty
years ago!
Captain Calhoun was telling yester-
day how old Beman mauled knowledge
into the brain through the shanks and
posteriors of rebellious boys. haven't
forgot some OF the licl1ings that good
old John Norton gave me, for l
was, full Of mischief. Professor Ron
aid Johnston is here now on a visit.
He taught here many years and most
all Of these young married men carry
his marks, for he is Scotchman and
has Scotchman's faith in Solomon
and the rod. In 1861 ne joired the
confederate army. and when the war
was over resumed his school and has
now been teaching over fifty years He
is a fit successor to Beman and Isham
and Touchie, but has gentled down
good deal, and loves to pet his grand
children.
| was Illuminating about these school
books and their cost. 1t took 81 to buy
four little books for the new grade
and | know it is too much, and re-
joice to see that a company has been
formed to publish southern school
books in a southern city and keep our
money at home. | rejoice that DR.. l.
William Jones has published a school
history Of the United States that is
acceptable to our people He is a
grand old gentleman without fear and
without reproach, and has done more
to preserve our good name and our rec
ord than any other man. His biography
Of Jefferson Davis and Of Robert E.
Lee should be in every household
Even Teddy, who claims to be a histo-
rian, ought to read that of Mr. Davis
and repent and retract and apologize
before he is set down as an arch ca
lumnitaor Of true patriot and no
bic man. This reminds me of that
brave girl Laura Talbert Gait who
refused to sing Marching Through
sov ~ hn
school, Blessings on her; she ought
to be adopted as the successor to Win
ME Davis, the Daughter Of the Confed
eracy. My good friend, Joe Brown
has written parody on that song, and
the last line to every verse is:
"As We went thieving through Geor
gia."
have lost some of my respect for
the city Of Louisville as a southern
city since that Infamous song is al.
lowed to be sung in their public
schools.
But | am comforted every day with
letters Of inquiry about the roster
that Georgia is going to make and
about Judge Walter Clark's books and
how to get them. Here is a beautiful
letter from Hon. p T. TURNKEY, mayor
of the city of Highland Park, Ills. He
is 81 years old, but does not look it in
his handsome photograph. He was
born and reared In Tennessee and
graduated at West Point in 1896
Stonewall Jackson was his roommate;
Generals D, r. Jones and William
Montgomery Gardner his classmates.
That is getting pretty close to us. for
d. r. Jones was our brigadier for q
while, and Gardner was our colonel
Mr.. Turnkey wants those books and
wish to say here that the books must
be ordered from M O. Sheriff. state
librarion, Raleigh, N. G. Send 81
and they will be sent by express, but
not prepaid. And here is letter from
G w. Nichols, Of Jesup, Ca, who also
sends his intarestin book. "A Sol