The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-09-09
THE SCHOOL POLICY
Corn Cracker" Out Against
Too Many Districts.
Law Should Be Enforced. Nlne>tenths of the
Wealth Produced From the Sol! The
Result of Educated Brain,

TO the teachers institute, which began
at Shelby last Monday and continued five
days. The attendance was cool, about
40 teachers being enrolled, Of which
about so attended continuously as the
law directs.
But as the ones who don't attend at
all assume superior wisdom, get the best
grades and are marked favorites: a little
thing of violating school laws and the
path of office does not matter.
In fact, Prof. C. T. Coon, one OF the in
structors. assured us that the school law
is the only enactment on the statuta book
that a man can take an oath to execute.
persistently violate, and still be a deacon
in the church.
But we had a good session. The in
structors, DR.. ChaS. d. Mc1yer, Prof. c.
F. Coon and Prof. Gilbert Pearson are
too we'll known for me to enter into any
tributes or details.
DR.. McIver lectured on better houses,
larger districts. local taxation: all OF
which mean better teachers, longer
terms, and more general education.
Without these and all of these, popular
education will continue to langdish.
The worst enemy with which we have
to contend in Cleveland county is too
many districts.
We have $40 square miles, and SO White
and % colored districts. Last year. at
this time. we had 81 white and % colored.
SO it can be seen the work Of consolida-
ton booms serenely on. Of course the
board of education and county superin-
tendent are largely to blame. have no
right to charge them with sinister mo
tives. but they are too yielding. Teach
- o-l $500 or :, +;0,, ora ,,ph00I
cd, but a bankrupt merchant who fought
the local tax and is still fighting, can
always get a hearing. In township No.
s, where l live, we have SO sQuare miles
and u districts. One of these was made
last year at the irstigation CT people who
fought the tax, who avow their opposi-
ton to free schools, and who don't send
half the time to what little school we
have.
God speed the day, when an unscrupu-
lous demagogue or a cruel-bound sec
tartan shall not claim the earth, ard
dictate the whole school policy.
DR.. McIver said three times in address,
ing the institute, that we need but so
schools, and the same sentiment was
emphasized by Prof. Coon at least a half
dozen times. and DR.. Mebane OF Friday.
Right here allow me to say that | am
not a 'furriner'' who came here to ridi-
cule the customs Of North Carolina, and
dictate her policy. My views are in ac-
cord with those of Governor Aycock, DR..
McIver, Prof. Coon, DR.. Mebane. etc.
Moreover, the law is on my side, and
should be enforced or forever swept from
the statute book. In section %, we find
that no new school house can be legally
built less than three miles from one al
ready established, except for geographical
reasons. Because a merchant who is in
one and one-half miles of established
school house wants a new "deestrict,'
is hardly a geographical reason in con
temptation of the law.
I certainly desire the interest of this
State. | realize that we have, here, a
sturdy Anglo-SaXon population. who have
shown a spirit of heroism on every field
fought for the cause of liberty from
Alabama to A~ppOmattox. | further
realize that we have a salubrious eli
mate, prOpitiOuS seasons, a variety of
mineral, fish and forest wealth. 7 also
realize that by reason of our illiteracy,
we stand near the foot of the list as to
both poverty and ignorance. With from
but three to four months school term,
in a s4ualid novel, and about half the
chlldrcn never in school. these condi-
tons will never improve. Nine-tentn5
of the wealth produced from the soil is
the result of educated brain. An educated
man invented the turning pillow, a teacher
invented the cotton-gin-a the result of
q cultured WOman's idea, and | have
heard of no man in~venting a harvester,
a steam thresher or other farm imple-
monts who ridiculed education or clamor-
ed for more ''dpnCfrjptC - rTruth &c WITTY
all our fine oak, ash, and hickory timber,
we buy our wagons, buggies and all farm
implements of best make somewhere else.
In Vermont one man out of $50 gets q
patent on something, and in North Caro-
lima one out of every 25, 600. DIR. Calling
invented the gun bearing his name. and
has also invented a pillow. Doctor means
learned man, and had he been iIIiterate.
neither Calling nor his gun would ever
have been heard of. At present North
Carolina is a good place to be from. Tom
and Clarence Dixon left here to be de-
VelOpCd. and DR.. e. A. Alderman was
hoWled at till he went where he is an
prcclated, and his salary nearly trebIed.
For Gods sake. if we forever observed
the forgotten man let us give the
bread Of life to his offspring. We can be
great if we will improve the minds of
our children and develop our resources.
Those who pretend to teach. don't he
ashamed Of your business. Remember
the immortal Robert E. Lee was >
teacher, as was Stonewall Jackson.
know certain classes regard the ssfroo
school teacher as a harmless, coWardIv
incompetent freak, but he is coming like
an army, with banners to redeem North
carolina. To tho time-serving apologist
who waits for the mandate of "churcb,
or party" l say:
II that dallies is a bastard,
He that doubts is damned"
CORN CRACKER