The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-09-22
GOOD COOPERATION.
The Power Of an liea-A StcrY and
A Suggestion.

The Power Of an 11ea-A SterY and
A Suggestion.
David Excelmons Cloyd.
Over a year ago DR.. Walter II. Page.
editor OF The Worlds Work, delivered a
lecture at the State Normal School at
Athens, Ga, on the subject, "Tbe
School that Built the Town" On that
OCCASION One of the professors at the
State University, which Was located in
the same city, posted ON his classroom
door, a notice Diminishing his class for
the afternoon. One of his students
upon seeing the notice ON the door,
made inquiries cnncernlng the cause 81
the professors absence, and learned
that he had gone to attend Er Ta:e':
lecture. This student FASTENED on
foot, for more than mile, to the Nor
NAL School that he mig BIT share with
bic professor the benefits of the lecture.
The words Of DR.. Page made deep
impression upon the young mans
mind-the clear and forceful argument
that school should stand for the best
things attainable and in every possible
way should build up and enrich the
life about 1t; set him thinking as moth
ing else had done. He had attended a
country school ana had laugh. a
country school, but the idea had never
oeeurred to him that school could he
made to have influence Upon Tho lie
Of community as the lecturer had
conyinced him that it should have.
As he continued his work at the uni
vers.ty he logan planning to 20 back
to his old country school after grad1At-
Ing; aud TIERS to build school that
would uplift the country around about
him. His plans were not yet clear, but
the conviction deepened that some
thing could he done, aud that he was
the one to do it.
Then a body of eminent educators
caifie to aii-6ns and ksd a eonfc, ence
This same young man was silent and
unobsetved listener at the addresses and
discussions oi the conference. A great
deal was said about consolidating
schools, transporting pupils, introduce
Ing indus,rlal courses into the curricu-
ium. This " as tie neeced Suggestion
the young man saw the way open ~
before him. He would finish bis Nc (
at the university, get his degree, IL 4
then 60 back home and get charge I
his old county school and therc pat
into operation all these new ideas
Commencement was soon oyer, and the
young m an was back agaih at his
fathers country home. As he stood
next day thinking OF the problem be-
fore him, his eyes fell upon the rural
free delivery mail-box by the roadside.
and the thought came to him that
within a few minutes he could deposit
there notices that would reach every
patron in the two districts that he had
decided to consolidate. A meeting
was called and the plan for consolida-
ton was presented, committees were
put to work, SUBSEQUENT meetings held,
and the plans finally approved.
One school was abolished and united
With the school at Sandhill, a little vil=
lage of 200 inhabitants. Mr.. Williams,
the hero of this story, was made prin-
cipal of the school and two young
ladies, Misses jessie awope and Mamma
line Myrick, graduates of the State
Normal School at Athens, were en-
ployed as his assistants. A school wag-
on was purchased for the transporta-
ton OF pupils. A farm adj accent to the
school grounds was rented to cover the
extra expense of the transportation.
Five hundred dollars was raised by pri-
vate subscription to pay for the wagon,
to increase teachers salaries, and other
wise to improve the school, this meth
cd of raising funds being necessary be-
cause the state constitution practically
prohibits a local tax for school pur-
poses. Arrangements we're made with
tho patron living farthest from the
school 10 have his two oldest boys care
for the team and transport eighteen
pupils in return for. the incidental fees
for his 1--WE children. Later another
wagon with capacity for ten pupils,
was purchased and student engaged
to bring pupils from another direction.
Then four buggies were offered ior
use, each carrying four pupils, thus
making a total of six vehicles in the
service OF the school for the transpor-
tation of the forty-four pupils from the
more remote part Of the district. The
patrons became intesely interested in
the greater opportunities which they
were opening up to their boys and
girls school opened, and within few
DAYS the enrolment in this central
school was more than double what it
had ever been in the two separate
.~honle More than two hundred MI