The Tupelo journal., 1904-09-16
BUREAU
Under Direction OF KATE MARKHAM POWER

Now that September is really upon
us, we begin to feel that school is in
the very air we breathe, SUI enough
1t is a way most of us have to put
off till the last possible minute dis.
agreeable duties and unpleasant les
sons, hence as the last days roll round
before the opening of school the tasks
fairly pile upon each other, so many
do we find in need of our attention be-
ftSe we can with clear conscience
take up the great work awaiting US.
Nor are We all alone in our %quandary,
for we note that teachers meetings OF
various sortS-county institutes, farm
ers' Institutes. examinations, ETC., are
being crowded into these last days
and worked up with a vengeance.
Reports from these various meetings,
which are being held in all parts or
the State, are cheering. and convince
us that our teachers are lending their
utmost of time, strength and talent
to the work of preparation for the
great privilege that is theirs in be-
ing allowed to guide and teach our
youth. Some of the institutes have
been especially fine, and the attend
ance most gratifying. The good work
must go on until Mississippi, follow
ing in the wake of more progressive
States, will hold, in every county,
monthly meetings of her educators,
which will prove SO pleasant and IN
structive as to insure a splendid ct
tendance.
Nor are the teachers alone in the
present work of preparation for school
duties. The children, coming home
from mountain and from s~eashore,
from great plantations or from Just
the country" from Worlds Fair or
less %pretentious ways of spending
their vacation, fairly revel in these
too brief last days" and all the time
are gathering UP their books and max
ing countless plans for all the fun
and work that a long school year can
compass. Would that their plans
might all find happy execution and
their brightest dreams a sweet fulfill
ment and all the work their fresh
young minds take up but add, with
each new effort, to the perfection for
which together pupil and teacher SO
honestly labor.
OF course, each one Of the nun
dreds OF teachers who preside over
our boys and girls has his Tor herr
own plan for next years campaign
and will, perhaps, think my sugges'
ton superfluous. But it seems to me
that it would be al least a practical
il not a wise thing to teach your pu-
pills mo matter what their grade, nor
where they are in geography AL
about Russia. Korea, Manchurla and
Japan. This is the n time in your
life. and in the life of the children,
ir which to teach the geography III
these countries. 1t is a condition.,
and not a theory. Children OF any
grade that are old enough to study
geography will study these countries
now better than at any other time.
if you will just make up your mind
to step out of the beaten path, and
lead your pupils through these fas-
cinating countries, now filling the eye
and the mind of the world. A little
while back it was China of which the
papers were full and on which the
Worlds thought was focused. Then
il was South Africa, the Philippines.
the islands of the West Indies, the
Panama canal, and Colombia. Now 1t
Is Russia, Manchuria, Korea and ia
pan. If you will give this a trial, you
will. | am sure, find that the children
greet it with a vim and a vigor alto
gether wanting in the sing-song repa'
tition of the Capitals" boundaries,
etc.
Because We know that many a child
ish heart is needlessly and thought
lessly hurt, as was the little girl OF
whom the Journal speaks as follows,
we give the little incident to our read
ers:
Said a child to its mother, after
working over it's school tasks one
evening until IL O'Clock:
Mamma. do you suppose the teach,
err will say it's good?'
Doesn't she ever tell you SOP
asked the mother in return.
Not very often" said the child,
with a sigh, putting her book aside.
What a lesson for teachers in that
simple question. Oh, do not withhold
the word fifty spoken" Give it now.
A teachers heart should be overflow
ing with love and sympathy for those
irtrusted to her care.