The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
jackson, Miss, Feb. 2. 1904.

morrow depends upon the children of
today, It behOOves those of us who
hope great things of her future, to
be 'up and doing" that we may fit
these children for the exalted station
they must occupy and for the strenu-
GUS effort that will be required to
make nigh achievement possible. Our
State superintendent says, in his able
and exhaustive report, II hold that 1t
Is only the expression of a truis-n
to say that there can be no real al.
substantial development of the State
without first making better the oppor-
tunities for the education OF the chill
dren OF the State"
There will be found. happily. very
few within our now prosperous bor-
ders. to gainsay the above, and as the
voice of the people governs in Mis-
sissippi it may be safely believed that
every possible means for facilitating
the advancement of our children along
educational lines will be granted them
through the authorized channels. 1t
is with the hope of arousing deeper
and more widespread interest among
our people-parents and children alike
in matters educational, that this
bureau is established. By means of
this correspondence. published as it is,
in a large majority OF the county pa
pers. we will be able to reach the
reading public Of Mississippi: and
through our readers who are sufficient
1y interested to help US. we hope to
reach the public that does not read.
but which is most in need of sucl
information as we shall have to give
out, and such interest as We hope to
arouse in the effort to have better
state of things for teachers and chill
dren, etc. tor the State and the cOun-
try. To those OF us who remember
the !amentable conditions prevailing
during reconstruction times, and
who. looking back to the schools of
that dark day. with their superintend-
ents and teachers chosen usually. be-
cause cf political influe ace rather than
from any special preparation for teach
ing-;o the miserably furnished school
houses. the go-as-yO'-please classes
and books and all the other difficult
ties that attended the way to school,.
1t seems little short of marvellous to
contemplate the change that has talk.
en- place in Mississippis educational
system. which is today tthanks to a
generous treasury and few of the
best and most patient superintendents
ever given to a State, blessing and
Splendid as the system is. however,
and marvellous as has been the ad-
vancemelt within the past quarter of
a century. it is still far short OF wha:
it should be- and will be. if VIC. as a
people, will work together for the
betterment OF every phase Of school
life.
Where there is so much needed, it
is hard to know for what the first plea
should be made. Bat. as the child
could do precious l:ttle without his
teacher, and the teacher. in turn, could
do nothing without his training. it
seems wise to speak. first, of the cry
ing need OF a training school for teach
ers Much. OF cours ), has been said
alorg this line, but there is much to
be said yet. With the exception of
one other State. Mississippi stands
alore in the enjoyment of her unique
position OF having failed to make pro-
vision for the training Of that noble
army which is made up Of our rural
teachers. 1t is the opinion OF many OF
our leading educators that this is the
first and greatest need OF Mississippi S
educational system today. Such a
school. so equipped and conducted as
to meet the needs Of the rural teach
&rs would do more for the State than
even the most sanguine can fOTcSee.
Such an institution should be central
iy located and SO OrSa 1ized as to make
it possible for teachers receiving the
smallest salaries to avail themselves
Oh its privileges. It might be the case
that only few from each ne;ghbor-
hood could attend at the same time
but these would receive such training
IS would equip them for the positions
and enable them TO carry back to the
s'arious counties not only better schol.
Arship and professional training, but
their work would benefit largely by
the Inspiration and enthusiasm that
had come to them il the consenial sur
rOundlngS and from their association
with other bright and eager minds.
The teacher, along with her improved
methods OF work, would thus become
an object lesson to the people. as well
AS to the other teachers of the coun-
". Their schools would soon become
model schools, and the pride OF pupils
and patrons would be awakened 9th
er schools, eager to emulate this good
example, would make renewed efforts
and after due time this little leayen''
will have 'Ieavcned the whole lump
As a :esult of newly aroused inter
est (and. perhaps. a determination to
do as well. if net better, than any one
else> neat, new school houses would
soon replace the stuffy, box-l!ke rooms
that now do the best they can (but
it is mighty poor best) for school
houses. Better teachers would be re-
quired. and teacher would pretty
scol find out that she must do her
very best. Or slip behind in the pro
cession. The State should have a high
er standard for it's teachers, but it will
find that, unless it offers larger sal
aries and longer terms OF teaching
some of the brightest men and wo
men now i'll the ranks will desert fol-
more attractive and remua aerative
fields of work. When the training
school is established the dormitory
and mess system should prevail, sc
that expenses should not exceed actual
cost. This is requisite since some o1
1y1r Vnunp nnon1o with l,icuoct hv.o;x,e