The leader., 1902-02-26
A Plea for the Education of
Our Rows and Girls,


confess that my cry for education is
seemingly uncalled for and unneces-
sary. But do not fancy that am an
educational crank, devoted to an edu-
cational hobby, for | know that there
are many other topics of equal i'm
portance. and that many other people
realize the value of education. This
is all true, for all Mississippi is
aroused to action in behalf Of its pub
lie schools, and the State administra-
ton contributes fund for educa-
tional purposes, comparatively larger
than any other State in the union.
Accompanying this general interest.
the individual efforts Of districts aud
towns is also highly commendable; for
here and there along the main lines of
travel. one sees schools in process of
erection, buildings being improved
and general tendency to better the
facilities and increase the opportuni-
ties of education. There is seem
ingly, therefore, no need of urging
upon the attention of the public con
sideration of education.
Truly the interest of the State is
real, and the people are alive to the
Importance of giving the children
every advantage. Nevertheless, may
it not be true that there is some need
of saying a word for the boys and
girls, who are striving to make true
men and noble women of themselves
May it not be possible that some OF
our people do not fully realize, or may
be even ignorant of the essential i'm
portance of giving the youth of the
land every educational advantage that
can be offered: With our free public
schools, do all of our children have
the benefit of a liberal education
Surely it lies in the reach of every
child, you say. Then how can we ex-
plain the fact that children can be seen
upon the streets and elsewhere, during
the hours that the schools are in ses-
sion: We will say that they are i'll, and
must needs be relieved of the strain OF
sitting at the desks in such long con
fnement. For surely for no other
reason would the parents allow them
to be absent from their classes. Such
little idlers We can not call truants.
for the State requires no child to at
tend school, and therefore they cannot
be considered transgressOrs Of any law,
or of doing anything but that which
may be expected of a child. And yet
ours is State striving for the general
enlightenment Of its citizens, and con
trbuting large sum for the liberal
education of its youth.
On the other hand, what attraction
is there offered to the boys and girls,
who are attending school, to induce
them to desire development in school
and university? The general senti-
ment of the students is that school is a
bore and their life spent in it is a
grind, which the sooner it is ended
the better will be their condition.
Chatting under the burden of their
studies, how many are there who re
main in the schools long enough to
finish the entire number of ten grades:
The average age of those who do grad
uate, is from fifteen to seventeen. At
that age the boys complete their edu-
cation to become business men" and
the girls take their diplomas to become
school teachers" Is this business
man" prepared to cope with the world?
Is this school teacher" prepared to
train minds and develop character:
these schools that boy should enter
from the grade into the university,
and for this reason the grades are said
to be affiliated with the university.
But how many take advantage of this
privilege? What encouragement is
offered, what incentive is presented,
what enthusiasm is aroused in the
boys and girls to make them eager and
anxious after the advantages of the
university? The desire for the high
est possible development should be
come a consuming fire in the heart of
every boy and girl before he and she
have finished the high school The re-
suit would be that every one would
make an effort to get into the univer-
sity, and instead of the number in the
university being three or four hun
bred, it would swell into the thousands.
With only this casual glance we see
that there is not an overwhelming de
sire on the part of the students to take
possession of educational advantages.
How can this paucity of numbers in
the university, this dearth of interest
and ambition be explained? For it is
generally true that the ambition of
young students can be easily fired, and
aspiration will spring up under slight
nurture. The ideals and examples
set before the students, determine
their ambitions and color their aspira,
tionS.
Surround them with instructors and
professors, who have for their ideal
the highest good and for their goal the
most perfect physical, moral and
mental development, and you will have
a body of students, whose work is both
IA pleasure and consecrated effort
and whose life is an earnest endeavor
to become enlightened, unprejudiced,
broadminded men and women.
A plea for education is never I'M
called for or unnecessary, so long as
there exists the necessity of growth
and development Of boys and girls
into men and women. The pleading
for their education will never cease so
long as our hearts burn for our boys
aud girls, and our hands go out in-
stinctively to help them. Wherever
we see them in need of Il guiding hand,
not knowing which way lies the light,
stumbling in narrow path, not dream
ing OF The wide fields of thought lying
before them, not realizing the power
of knowledge aud their possibilities of
possession, then there can be no 81
Ianna E'op tho oh Ia ran ,,rn 70 l,a . ha