The leader., 1903-07-15

'uOluS lOT 0ISlTs SCflOOlS Wildb MI.
Green is doing with the assistance
of his patrons and teachers for
the schools of Lincoln county,!
Show me another county that can
boast of SO good houses, so long
a term, so much interest and en-
terprise on the part Of its teach
ers, patrons and pupils, and I
will show you live, working
superintendent, man who is
willing to and does make personal
sacrifices for the cause of educa-
tion! At the same time l will
show you ten times five counties
whose superintendent might well
take several object lessons from
your own county and schools. In
working out the destiny of this
great State, there is a complexity
of conditions which no one section
or factor can successfully handle.
Every factor in civilization must
perform its function, and as little
as one may realize it, Lincoln
county's public schools are like
those of all the other counties, no
insignificant force to propel our
State onward in progress.
Mississippi is most fortunate in
having at the head of her educa-
tiOnal department a man who is
displaying his colors in the cause
of the foundation of this State,
in the cause for the children of
the State who are to be the future
citizens of the State. He rightly
conceives that whatever forces are
brought to bear for the better
ment of these children are direct
contributions to Mississippi's flu
ture usefulness, for they will aid
in making our people contribu-
tors of social, moral and intellectu-
al products to civilization, and nc
people who fail to do this are
strictly progressive people.
But with all his earnestness, zeal
and self-sacrifice, he will never be
able to accomplish much if he
h as not the sympathy and cooper
alton of his ubordinate officers.
These must not only aid him in
expressions of sentiment, but they
must also bring their influence to
bear upon their teachers and pa
irons. Public sentiment is very
largely in the hands of these re-
spective classes, and is to very
great extent, therefore, indirectly
in the power of the superinten-
dents of our various counties.
With judicious use of this power.
the county superintendent might
be the most potent factor for good
of all our county officials; but as
an actual fact, is this the case with
our counties? For man to be a
leader he must have the qualities
of leadership and these are
not laziness, Indifference, negli-
gence and sel6shness. This is
pre-eminently a time when the
missionary spirit prevails in our
educational work." said Supt. H.
L. Whitfield, "and whoever fails
to imbibe that spirit accomplishes
nothing for the cause" And his
idea applies admirably well to the
county superintendent. If the
end of his ambition is the mere
pittance of salary which he re-
ceives, with only such compliance
with the demands of the law as to
enable him to reach that goal,
then his usefulness is wholly cir
cumscribed. But, on the other
hand, if his heart is in his work,
if he is willing to make a sacri-
flee of his own comfort for the
sake of others, if he manifes is
this spirit of self-abnegation, then
his people know him and he has
influence over them! With the CO.
operation of such assistants our
State superintendent may conf
IDENTIFY anticipate Longer terms,
better houses and equipments,
more efficient teachers, better sal
aries, and better attendance. "
And it is from such counties as
Lincoln and such educators that
now comes this cooperation.
Being, myself a young man just
entering upon this all-important
work of trying to aid in the cause
of education by giving my life to
teaching, | am deeply interested
in the progress aud development
of my native Mississippi. And it
thrills me with pride to hear the
leaders of education in other
States say that mississippi is
the peer of any Southern State in
her educational system" To fos-
ter and encourage so far as l can,
this spirit of and for improvement
in our school matters, is the ex-
cuse l offer for writing this article.
Yours in the work,
P. D. L. McLAURIN.
University, Miss, July 10, 1908.