The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-02


ing to give one dollar to the first lis-
trict reporting nine dollars coliecteu.
Mr. c. W. Massey, of Durham,
sprung Il question that raised consid-
cradle discussion by saying that the
library movement in his county nad
been retarded by construction OF the
law which practically made each lib
rary cost the teacher of the district
ten dollars.
Superintendent Norvel, of Chero-
kee. explained that the law could be
easily construed >so that the money
might come from the contingent FUND.
Superintendent Ragsdale told of
basket party in his experience. The
teacher, said he was right smart good
looking' and there We're a good many
young men hanging around for the
auction. The first basket put up had
a lot Of paper trimmings on ii ana the
superintendent, to encourage Things
bid so cents. ''Ill give So said a
Young fellow on the next bid and the
basket finally sold for $11. Il never
felt so cheap in my life said MIR.
Ragsdale. 1.-The thing is not to have
basket parties, but to Get the children
Interested.
Ex-Superintendent Mebane, of Ca
tawba, said his county had eleven lib
raries and pledged the other, propos-
their counties to take up the balanla a
of the available libraries.
Mr.. j. NJ. Way, of Randolph, spoke
eloquently OF his work, referring to
the $4,000 school house at Randle-
man.
Capt. w. T. r. Bell. Of Rutherford
ton, spoke of the disadvantages of a
county with large districts which had
10 call for the second 100000" to
{..-s - II
His county, however, had built and
modernly equipped thirteen new
school houses.
In accordance with Mr.. Mebane's
suggestion, the role was then called,
each Superintendent pledging himself
as to the number of rural libraries his
county would agree TO establish.
Whereupon Mr.. Johnston, of Macon,
raised laugh by rising and saying
gravely: "Of course, / understand
that if we take these pledges were
not bound for them"
Nearly all the libraries were Sub
scribed" in this way, Halifax, at the
end. agreeing through DR.. A. 5.
Harrison TO take all that We're left"
The Night Session.
The night session of the County
SuperintendentS Association was one
full Of interest. The Senate Chamber
was filed for there was present not
alone the county superintehdents of
Public instruction, but many friends
of education from Raleigh and from
over the State.
Among those present "a the night
session were pupils and members of
the faculty of Peace Institute, of the
City Schools of A. and NJ. College. DR..
Charles ID. McIVer, president Of the
State Normal was there. Hon. John c.
Scarborough, president of the ChoWan
Baptist Female Institute: Prof. NJ. G.
S. Noble of the State University, Prof.
j. b. Carlyle. of Wake Forest College,
DIR. George T. Winston. president of
the A. and NJ. College and other
prominent educators. The Hobbies
were filed.
1t was an inspiring scene and as one
gaZed at the men who as DR.. Mclver
later said: occupy the strategic po-
sitiOnS' in North Cardinals Opportun-
ity for a successful campaign for edu-
cation. he could but be impressed:
Young men We're there, men who had
just taken hold as County Superinten-
dents and who have vast stores of sur
plus energy to give to the cause. men
in the prime of life sat side by side with
older men, the black hair of young
manhood and the mingled gray in
juStapOSitiOn, While the silver locks
of older men showed that all ages
were at interest in the great cause
which has as its great champion the
Educational Governor" The meet
ing was one to gladden. the heart
DR.. stevens or Nature Study.
State Superintendent Joyner pre-
scented as the first speaker of the even
ing Prof. F. L. Stevens. OF the A. and
NJ. College. whose theme was Mature
Study" The speaker received close
attention as he spoke OF the scope, the
object the feasibility of nature study
i'm the public schools, telling of the
aids for this, and expatiating upon
the value of a society which has been
organized in North Carolina TO pro-
mote nature study in the schools, ana
telling of the prizes offered by it.
Dr. Stevens address was not a dry
lecture With the skill OF one in love
with his subject he told of the value
of the study of nature by the youth
of tho land ard with ant illustration.
pointed out how the County Superin-
tendents could push forward this
work. He talked of lessons to be
learned from the trees, the leaves, the
soil, the rocks, the rains, the winds
and said that this was not a subject
to be ''poked into the child but it
was to be so presented that it would
be a delight, an inspiration, subject
for which material abounded AS in
this State it was not as in the crowd
ed tenement districts Of the North,
where a child could not even find a
blade of grass from which to learn
the truths of nature.
In closing he called particular
attention to the fact that the study of
natural objects quickens the observa :
ton, trains the Judgment, aWakenS in
tereSt in the home surroundings, and
enables the child to Interpret other
scenes in terms of his own environ
ment. The introduction of Nature
Study into the schools. either inform