The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-29
BY MRS. J. M. DE coTrEs.

Why" he echoed. "don't you examine them in Alabamaf'
 l I could only stammer and murmur and turn the conversation by asking him to please tell me all about it."
 | He proceeded to say that no one could be an applicant for the position of Super intendent until he had taken the pre- | scribed examination and ''passed!' All the while he was explaining he was "eyeing'' me very suspiciously, as if he thought possibly might have a "pohti- cal job'' up my sleevei
 | tried to look as iunnocent as I felt. and finally his look melted into one of | pity. How I did writhe under that pity, Then he said: We are hustling, over here in Mississippi; we are helping our selves by means of good laws, while you seem to be looking to the Southern Board ! for help-you and Georgia! O that's all right! I'm not scorning the helps neither am I envious. I'd like to see pr Butt rick help some things in Mississippi-but the people of a great commonwealth l must manage their common schools for | themselves. They must understand this: f: they must have the .common sense to make laws that will foster these schools: l that will rigidly ex anime any officer to be placed in comhat3 NSf even one of these schools. "This Vigilance will bring its own reward: conpetent men; and a great and enlightenA Sthte. Knowledge | is power,' and this cant be built up on any other thing educational than the we very yo6ss best pan ffrtF place and favOrs
 You, yourself-are working under the l operations of, ouEs Professional Reading Course.' Here is6omething new that we are going to put into operation this sum- mer: Every teacher who expects to teach l for the State of Mississippi next year must either attend the summer course of normal instruction to be provided at the l University of Mississippi, or else attend the three weeks normal institute to be | held in each County, in August or Sep 1 tember. This hits every teacher of every sort of school supported by the public money. every County Superintendent. city superintendent and even the State superintendent himself. Each must be able to show his or her certificate of at- tendance or take the consequencesw
 In regard to the Professional Reading Course,' I will say that 1t Is in success full operation. Some of the country teach CTS drive eight miles through awful mud to attend the reading" The books speak for themselves. This is just the begin ming of this movement. More difficult works will be attempted later, when the teachers have grown to it." Of course the teachers can arrange their reading circle to suit their convenience in getting to the place of meeting. For Monroe County, however, all the teachers prefer to come into Aberdeen, so our meeting is held in the beautiful chapel of our school building the fourth Friday of every school month.
 The County teachers fin Mississippi are paid by the month.
 Having told you so much of the general school work of Mississippi, want to tell you of my own special work now.
 This is a quaint old "ante-bellum' town full of memories of the past" and the full flavor of the old regime. yet just as full of business energy, progressiveness and prosperity as it is safe for 1t to be.
 Iris queer to see the man flowing foun- tains"-artesian wells-that bless and dec crate the many streets! Why, bless youi these people don't any more mind digging a 600-foot artesian we'll than we do hay ing the dear plumber come and attach us'' to the city water works! So the gut ters here run crystal streams that give the air a chillness in winter. but are most delightfully."- cooling in the hot months. The town has but one school building. DuI it ID o DChuLiAul OIlct very ldl Be anu commodious. It comfortably shelters the eight grammar grades. the two high school grades (girls and boys all together as God intendedD two music rooms and an art room. Then the chapel Is such a blessing! What a lesson I received the first day of school! Instead of each grade not knowing what its neiGhbors were do- ing they were all marshalled in orderly array, marched to chapel-Jew and Gen tile Catholic and Protestant. Here the ministers of the city were assembled with many representative citizens-and all the Board of Trustees.
 Then everything opened its mouth and praised its Creator. Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow" and Lead Kindly Light" sent a wave of sound up to Heaven. Truly "'twas good to be there!'' Now this Is no country schoor' performance, and 1t is the strictest busi- ness, the most work. I've seen in years while progressiveness and thoroughness are the watchwords.
 The different sections of the school--pri- mary, intermediate grammar and high school, have their appointed time for fur nishing instructive entertainment for the rest. My work along that line has just closed. The sixth grade joined US in eel ebrating Longfellows birthday. I en- close you program made by each of the grades, so you can compare the indi- v1dual work of each. It is marvellous to see these well trained little chaps hand ling so deftly their pencils. ink and pen, charcoal or brush and water-colors! It has been such a delight to me to "as- sist" in this work And then to hear them sing! (Why, they read their notes far more readily than l. their teacher.) Their three parts and four part songs were beautifully rendered. And I feel sure that did Longfellow hear them he could not fail to appreciate their singing of his exquisite "Snowflakes" and Stars of the Summer Night" Then their rem dering of his ship of State'--well. 1t made one glad one was an American and privileged to "inhuence' the minds of young Americans toward such high pur- poses."
 Do not think have been won from my allegiance to Alabama. Nay, I love the old State so well that whatever of good I gather elsewhere is but to be laid at her feetl A loving tribute from her de- voted adopted daughter to whom she has been a dear and beautiful more than fos- ter motheri
 You have beguiled me into writing an inexcusably long letter! But your own enthusiasm is so contagious. So I will say goodbye and God bless you in your work Your friend,
 Toccoa Cozart.
 A LETTER FROM MRS. NICE. My Dear Sunshine Presidents:
 When l consented to accept the Presi- dency of the International Sunshine So-