The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-06-11

tnb very pest pObSibl' pltp"'h''"'i w.
the work"
One cannot pick up a paper these
DAYS without reading an account OF
some public school commencement,
and IL makes good reading especially
between the %linesl.@ A few years 4
the CLOSING exercises Of the average
Mississippi school was a m~onotonous
affair. with its "Curfaw Shall Not King
Tonight style Of elocution, and Its far
from original essays, and the same
old program Of music CT, To-day
the program Of the average school
shows culture, thought and abilry,
and, above all, and better better than
all. originality, and it Ia a real JOY TO
attend, and to note the wonderful
progress our children are making In
educational work. Some Of the schools,
especially, show a grade OF work In the
various classes that compares favor
ably with the work In States when
have long enjoyed the great privileges
Of a splendid public school system.
A noticeable fact, in reading over
these many and varied reports, Ia that
me bttliHJlk Wultu hIt hlDhl't"'''"
by this high grade OF excellence nave
In their faculty one or more OF h
teachers who go each summer to some
OF the splendid summer schools pro.
yided for them. There they learn all
the new methods from the worlds best
teachers, and take in a full share OF
the enthusiasm all around them, and
which Is so necessary a part OF a
teachers equipment. II all the weary,
worn out teachers, to whom their
| blessed work Is growing burdensome.
would Just pick up and so to n OF
these summer schools. and study and
| mingle with the hundreds OF others
who are engaged in the same noble
service, for a few weeks, the gain to
| our children next year would be i'm
measurable. A child Is quick to detect
a lack of interest on his teachers part.
and we may be very sure that the
children will not do enthusiastic work
when the teacher goes through hers
a. though 1t were an unpleasant task.
Love begets love" IL a saying the
truth Of which is universally recOG-
| niZed. In equal measure does interest
arouse interest, and enthusiasm ere.
ate enthusiasm. without this to
| brighten and sweeten our work among
| the children, teaching very soon grows
to be nat" stale and Improbable
to all concerned. Let us then-thOugh
IL may entail some sacriRce-do our
| level best to get from the States gen
| erous gift enough of help and eOurage
to carry us well through the work Of
next year. Then, indeed, will our gen
erous law makers rejoice that the chill
dren are reaping a worthy harvest
from their generous sowing,
II gives us especial pleasure to note
that several graded schools gave a
prize at commencement time to the
best and most attractivcly decorated
room in the buildiHg-the visitors
making the decision; and it Is worthy
OF comment, that without exceptions
$50 far az / have lcarned) the prize
went to the little fOlks"-at least, to
no grade higher than the fourth. In
McComb city's splendid school this
was quite a feature Of the exercises,
and should be encouraged everywhere.
The love Of beauty Is born in the heart
Of a child, and that child Is cheated OF
his birthright, unless this love is en-.
couraged.
While It may seem, In a degree, I'M
fair to hundreds Of other splendid
schools in Mississippi, which, during
the session Just closed, have made
notably fine records, W cannot re-
frain from commencing thus publicly,
the unusually good work Of the Brook
haven graded school, under Prof.
Scott's able superintendent. The
graduating class-tbe largest in h
schools history, was composed OF
twenty young men and women, about
equally divided. This, In itself, IL en-
couraging, as 1t Is too often the case
that the graduating class Is composed
Of girls alone-the boys having a way
OF dropping out any time after passing
the fourth grade. This is a deplorable
state Of affairs, and Prof. Scott, with
his faculty, Is to be congratulated upon
holding 80 large a class through all
the grades. Unusual attention seems
to have been bestowed upon the public
exhibition, and this was backed up by
splendid records In the various grades.
A number Of handsome medals We're.
- - -