The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-28

ern Educational board and who visited several counties in our state. On says; 'Aat ----, a typical rural school was found away out in the backwoods, at least one-half mile from any dwelling no good play ground, water inconvenient lighting poor. seats uncomfortable; in fact, the surroundings were very dis- eouraging. Here longed for some books. some papers, some ideas to give these bright boys and girls, whose minds are being dwarfed by coming in contact with no such influences
 Rural Schools.
 "Again: These schools are often held in what serves for church also. The remote situation and accompanying graveyard must have anything but a cheerful influence. Once when I was ob- serving the utter desolation of such a place. l asked a passing youth why all the doors and windows were left open. 'Yes'm," he replied, they aint nothin in there to git hurt" And when l went in, l realized what he meant; there was It. erally nothing in the way of equipment except one table and few benches fas- tened at one end to the wall. Here l was ashamed that I could not say all that I wished, for the interest was pathetic in its eagerness An association was or ganlzed that pledged itself to relieve the bare grounds with native vines and trees; besides this, the trustees promised to finish the building. put in glass win dows and aid the association in securing a small library
 "A Little Gem"
 Another: In the morning, I went to
 Here l expected goodly num- Der, as the trustee had answered my let ter and said the meeting had been well advertised and that he was doing all in his power to make it success. I saw him on Tuesday before this meeting, and he felt assured we would have q fine crowd. The school house, he said, had recently been painted inside and out and was "a little gem but ohl horrors The "lttle gem" to my utter astonlshment, was painted bright red and trimmed in a bright blue; the floor was painted black, and the ceiling dirty white. The desks were homemade ones and painted the same color as the school house. Truly, there was nothing here to admire unless it be that patriotism prompted the red, white and blue scheme
 "Still another: At --, MT. - said that he was tired of poor schools and that he was also tired of sending his children away to town, and that he wanted a better school at home; he gave SlO0. and $20O more was raised on the spot As a result. they will have two teachers and nine months school this year.
 'The reports of these visitors, together with reports of rallies, consultations, To- cal tax agitations and library literature were put into the hands of every public school trustee in South Carolina. You have heard of the old negro who was frightened by a boy with white sheet over him in a graveyard. He ran a mile and slowed up. Another boy similarly attired suddenly stepped out from be- hind a tree and said, Didn't we run, though? The old negro said: Yes, bless God! But you aint seed no runnin' yitP hope that within the next year you may see some forward running in educa- tional work in South Carolina. The his tory of South Carolina in the early 3Vs and also in the cos will indicate that she has aspired to a leadership among south ern states in the past; she led her sisters into secession and thus out of industrial bondage and feudal conditions, and she is anxious to lead in educational pros- perity.
 South Carolinians Alert.
 "Our people are alive, alert and pro- gressive; very few of them are like the 'papoose. who strapped to the back or a souaw. never secs the world until 1t is past we are proud of our history and of the achievements of our fathers, but our faces are turned to the future and we are working for the welfare of our children Come in April of 1905 and meet within our borders, In our beautiful cap ital city, the prettiest place in the world during the last week in April, and let the Palmetto state show her leadership in hospitality In fraternal greeting In educational development in all that per tains to the glory of the new south and of a united natlon We have been visit ing the Conference for Education In the south in our neighboring states for sew eral years and we want you to be like the Irishman when the doctor presented him a bill for s27. Pat remonstrated and asked for an itemized bill. The physi- elan made it $2 for medicine and S2o for visits 'Faithl' says Pat, I'll pay for the medicine, but I'll return the visits 1 have been giving you the medicine for fifteen minutes and I hope you will re- turn the visit next year. And may the spirit of our conferring become the spirit of our whole people: may your people be my people. my people your people, and may naught but death come between us. Qong applause).