Americus times-recorder., 1904-01-21
To the Sumter County Board of Edu-
cation, Americue, Ga:

To the Sumter County Board of Edu-
cation, Americus, Ga:
Gentlemen;-As q citizen Of this
county, have been deeply gratifed at
the progress and development which
your Board has made in the matter of
facilities for the education of the
masses in our rural districts. I have
for long time been a student of edu
cational matters, and the more I inves.
tigate and consider the more profound
becomes my conviction that the great
est need we have in Georgia today is
the providing of better educational ad /.
Vantages in our rural communities.
This is especially true of south Geor-
gia. The fertility of our soils, the
healthfulness of our climate, and the
general desirability of our section of
the state as a place for comfortable
homes are attracting people from all
sections Of the country. The one es
sential thing which we now lack to make
our section more attractive and to draw
to us that class of citizenship which is
most desirable and most helpful to all
our institutions is a good school sys-
tenn, and L must congratulate you upon
your appreciation of this fact and upon
the wisely directed efforts you are max
ing in this direction.
Without reservation and making no
exceptions whatever, the right educa
tlon OF the young is the most important
OF all the questions which concern man
kind today. OF its importance the o0-
servant,sre me- re thoroughly convinced
each day. Its value is more clearly
seen every hour IN all the departments
of life. There is not an individual nor
an institution whose power and eff-c
tiveness are not increased by the force
OF an educated brain and heart, The
Individual is by it better fitted for the |
discharge of his duties as social crea-
ture, and without it he can never exer-
else the highest and best influence
upon the social life with which he
comes IN contact. The men who are
leading, the world oyer, in all The ave
nues OF business and in all professions
are those who have received the advan.
tsges to be had in the schoolroom.
There is emphatic4lly no relation il
the individual life wh,ch is not broad
ened and strengthened and Frightened
by proper education.
In government like ours the W
safety and perpetuity of the govern
mental fabric del eads up n tn, ind, |
viduaI understanding of the p.were.
the du les aud limitations of c,t.z n.
ship and upon the ah'l'ty t. intelI,.
gently and honestly exercise the CHI
of suffrage, Only by education NAV
we expect to have the undiscover, d
and undeveloped resources of our gr. a,
section brought to life. By it ell the
people will better understand he su-
periority of the government uDde.
which they live; by il, and by it only,
Will they be able to realize the exhaust
lessness of our resources, the un-
surpassed richness of our soil and
the mighty possibilities which lie open
to those who fit themselves for the CON.
hicts of life.
While 1t would be hard to magnify
the Importance of education 10 the in
dividual and It's importance to the na-
tion, yet in my Judgment at this par
ticular stage of our development il is |
In the rural districts of our country
that the value of education rises to its
greatest height in dignity and impor-
tsnce. We have but to reflect upon
our past history and present conditions
TO become convinced of the positive
need of turning our highest and bast
efforts to our country schools. III we
go back to the boyhood of the men
who have done most in the balls of leg.
in the executive functions of
in the realms of literature
and science and art, in all the walks OF
life. commerce, trade and prCfessionp
We find that those who are Leading had
their training IN the country and drew
heir inspiration from the rolling hills,