The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-07-14

in turn must toll and labar and rise to
the top in their old age. And so tht
mill grinds on. Only few we!l-bal.
anced families escape such vicissltude-
Our legislators demand of our State
institutions numbers in proportion t.
the dollars appropriated, and by the
law of political economy the demand
creates the supply-the institutions are
filled with pupils whether prepared or
unprepared to enter; and, overloaded
with material that cannot be digested,
the whole body suffers. When the de-
mand comes for better scholarship cur
institutions Will supply 1t. Bat tie
question OF tie hour is, how are we 60
ing to create this demand? The masses
are now being educated, indeed, they
are about to skip high schools and col
leges and go to the universities. To
be leader IN your community, you
must then secure better scholarship
than the masses. You must put aside
ease and extra7Sgance and grind and
grub, if you would attain learning, II
Is harder to-day to do this than ever
before in our history because it is hard
to find a place where one can grind
and grub, free from the allurements Of
ease and extravaganza. Then, too, en-
dowed institutions and gifts of the
wealthy are making paupers of the
masses. Education is now within
r.aeh OF ali at small cost. Free tuition
and cheap board is offered to nearly
everyone rich and poor. The dollars
of the boys are spent in learning ex.
travagance. When tuition costs the
boy nothing, the opportunities offered
by it have no value to him.
The amount of improvement a boy
gets is directly in proportion to the
amount OF mental work he does. Every
| facility pr,vided to relieve him from
work does its part in lessening his i'm
provement. Every dollar spent in ex-
travagarce is more than wasted. 1t
develops new wants. it furnishes diver
sion, it perverts the tastes. This evil!
of extravaganza is difficult o:e to
overcome. l once heard talented
and very devout preacher say that he
sent three-fourths ofshis salary to his
son at college, and supported his fam
lily on the other fourth. That college
son turned out failure and the other
son never went to college, but has
| been more successful than his brother
Both went to school to ne and the
college boy was lar more talented.
| What is the lesson to be learned
Give your son chance tor education,
bu: restrain his extravaganza. Let
him know that 1t costs you something
and that he must not waste his opp0r-
tunities; that he must meet a ed over
corne difficulties. not shirk them thai
he should seek scholarsh,p and moi
simply go to college; that the diff
cul: curriculum develops the mind,
and the course which requires little
work gives but little improvement
that his weak faculties should not lie
idle and waste away. Urge your sor
to study and apply himself with zeal
If he fails to do this,support the teach
er in his efforts to require it. With
boys the most popular courses OF study
and as for that, the most popular
schools, are those that require little
study, and make poor scholars. Sys
tematic study, systematic exercise an6
a nutritious diet are as essential to-
y%ur son as a WE'LL balanced ration II
for your COW. You experiment ant
consult scientific authorities for th'
develop ment of your COW; why no
use the eame care in sci In
the best curriculum for tie develop
ment OF your cons mind? Tie aver
age parent leaves the choice to hi
darling boy, who is without experience
foresight or wisdom or conscientlou
concern.
HaDNrp