Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-07-07
superintendent whitheld's Appeal.

The department of public educa-
ton, through H. L. Whitfield, State
superintendent, has issued the fol-
lowing appeal to the people of the
State asking for cooperation in the
educational movement:
To the People of mississippi:
AS is doubtless generally known. for
the last three years | have waged a
systematic campaign for better
schools. A large number Of counties
and new towns have levied taxes for
better schools, and the state has
largely increased its appropriation for
education. While a distinct advance
has been made along all educational
lines, our schools as now equipped are
wholly inadequate to do the work OF
training our young people for success
full competition in this twentieth CEN
tury work.
In order that l might do my work
intelligently, | have carefully studied
COHulllOhS III othOA ot%&SSo'
AS a result of these Investigations
am convinced that unless we take de-
cided step forward our children will
not be prepared to compete success
fully with the children Of other States
where so much better opportunities
are given for their training.
We live in an entirely different age
from that in which our fathers lived.
1t is now the age Of complex machin-
cry, steam and electricity. Training
is almost everything, brute force
counts for hardly anything. Unless
we give our boys much better prepara-
ton than their fathers had they can
not hope to do one-half as well in the
fierce competition of this new age.
The building of the new capital at,
fords striking illustration of our lack
of that training necessary for the com
petition of this complex age. The
architect. contractor, skilled artisans,
artists. and, in fine, all those who did
the highest forms of work and re
ceived the largest salaries, were I'M
ported, while our people did the heavy
work for day wages.
The greatest problem Of the State
that which overshadows all others-is
the proper training of our children fol
the complex life into which they are
SO soon to enter Mississippi Is
State rich in natural resources and We
have the finest blood in the world
What we most need is to train this
blood for intelligent mastery over these
rich resources.
Our people are now hopeful for bet
| ter things, all desire better roads, I'M
proved methods of agriculture, diyersi
! fed industries, a higher Christian citi
xenship and all other kindred bless
ings. But how are we to obtain them
| The one great lesson we must learr
is. that they will not come of them
selves, that they cannot be cosijuret
into existence. that the enactment ol
legislation will give them to us, bu
| that we can only get them by tne
proper training of our boys and girls
The necessary basis of this training
| is good common schools, we not onl.
| need more schools but better schools
we must have better schoolhouses
| longer terms and stronger teachers
AS the head of the Mississippi schoo
| SYSTEM, appear W ehO f~~
pie of the State to give me their co
operation in this work. 1t is my in
tention to continue the agitation fol
better schools During the month o
August wish to have the various
counties of the State canvassed alont
these lines. and / appeal to the min
listers. lawyers, teachers, and to al
people who can do work of this kind
| to offer their help. | would be glat
to have citizens take local interes
| in this campaign; great help can D.
| rendered by making arrangements U
meet speakers with conveniences a
tile trains.
Please write me at once stains
how much time you can give TO thi
work and where you can meet en-
gagements.
wish as soon as possible to pre-
pare a complete schedule OF appoint
ments. Very respectfully,
H, l.. WHITFIELD,
| C,ooriptapdopt of E0ucatlOD