The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-11
THE RURAL SCHOOLS SEE DOUBLE HEADERS
Strong Letter From {. C.
Brooks on Education
Mormons Make Converts in lIIiterate Districts,
Some Evidences Of the Good of
Consolidation.

Prof E. C. Brooks, Secretary of the
Executive Committee appointed by the
February Conference of Educators, has
issued the following letter, to be pub
lished in all of the county papers
throughout the State:
1T Is A CRIME TO NEGLECT THE
EDUCATION OF THE COUNTRY
CHILDREN"
"The Tarboro Southerner says: The
advantages of a good school are by no
means limited TO the student, but influ-
ence everybody in it's reach. You can no
more have an educated people who de-
|, pend on foreign schools for the training
OF their children than you can have pros
porous farmers who depend on foreign
markets for their food supplies The
larger towns have recognized this fact
and have established their graded schools
to educate all the children. The rural
districts are beginning to recognize it.
This one fact must be we'll understood;
only a few children that are sent away
from the country to be educated return
to live there and to bring the result of
their training back to their community
and to their associates; and the money
that is expended on one would almost
support a nine months public school. Is
it not better to give fifty children a good
common school education than one a col
lege course? Another fact must be rccog-
nized: the family can not be elevated
successfully unless all the children of
that family are educated. and this cduea-
ton will not remain permanent unless
their associates are educated.
IGNORANCE ENCOURAGES FALSE RE-
LIGIONS.
The newspapers of last week contain
some interesting items concerning the
Mormon church. Eighteen Mormon mis-
sionaries have recently been sent into
North Carolina, and a Mormon temple is
to be erected in the eastern part of the
State. These missionaries enter districts
that are most illiterate; here they make
many converts; here they establish their
churches and Sunday Schools; and here
they fill the mind with false teachings
because the county and the State of North
Carolina have allowed these people to
grow in ignorance unable to discern be-
tween the true and the false Is there
not some argument here for united action
on the part of the churches and all
friends of Christianity in behalf of bet
ter schools and diffusion of education
among people of rural districts? Should
no demand he made for a stronger school,
that the children and parents might have
the benefit of a strong teacher living in
their community?
NEEDS OF THE FARMER.
'fTha farmer noadc oonorouc cunnJv
of fresh reading matter that he may
keep in touch with the important events
of his country, that he may know the
supply and demand of the market, that
he may know of the latest development
in the field of agriculture; for his family.
that home may be made attractive, that
the people may be brought into contact
with one anoher. and that they may be
able to converse more intelligently. This
can be done to a better advantage where
two or more schools are brought to-
gether, or where the district is large
enough to afford a longer school term.
a good circulating library, and a strong
teacher.
WHAT IS BEING DONE.
"The people have recently consolidated
two districts in Vance county, and are
preparing to vote a local tax. News
comes from ten counties that the peo-
pie are arranging to unite their schools, |
and some to vote special taxes. One SUI
perntendent writes that the children,
who are now walking three miles to
school when before the consolidation they
walked only one-half a mile say they
would not want to go to school if they
had to return to the old school building.
They now have two good teachers, with
the work we'll arranged. The attendance
has increased over fifty per cent, be-
cause the new school is attractive. The
term has been heightened one-third, with
no additional cost; and the people are
now ready to vote a slight tax to in
crease the term to eight months Since
over sixty per cent of the people in the
rural districts pay tax on less than $500
worth of property, it is readily seen that
a small tax for the poor man is a pay
ing investment /"