The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-04-29
NOTED EDUCATORS
ADDRESS CITIZENS
State Supt. Whitfield. DR.. W. I.
Lowery and Prof. J. N. Pow
ers Make Speeches.

On last Saturday, according to pre-
viouS announcement, the following
noted educators addressed the citizens
of Grenada county in the interests OF
the public schools and in behalf OF
lengthening their term: State Super
intendent of Education III. l.. Whit
field, DR.. w. T. Lowery of MiSsissip-
pi College, and Prof. J. n. Powers,
superintendent West Point City
school.
DIR. Lowery, man long identified
with the educational life Of MiSsissip-
pi, and of fine Christian character, an
able educator and now president OF
one of the leading colleges of the State
was the first speaker. He began his
address with a bit of pleasantly, but
soon launched out into the heart of
his subject by showing the necessity
of early mental training and how every
citizen, be he rich or poor, should be
interested in the strengthening and
maintaining schools where every boy
and girl in the land could obtain
equipment for life's problems and
preparation for. properly diScharging
the duties that good citizenship in
vOlve.
DIR. Lowery was followed by State
Superintendent Whitfield in an ad-
dress of about one hours length, which
met a hearty response from the entire
audience. Mr.. Whitfield emphasized
the points presented by the first
speaker. He congratulated the state
upon the work already done thOrugh
public school agency, and said he was
proud of it. But he said that there
was great field yet undeveloped-a
great work yet undone; that it would
not do to be satisfied with four OF five
months of public school term and then
expect a full developed man or
woman: that the school term should
be heightened in order to properly
maintain country life and to avoid the
necessity of compelling families TO
break up country life and move into
the towns to obtain educational ad-
vantageS. He deprecated the fact
that there had already been too much
of this for the good of the state, and
said further that if a nine months
ALSO the proper thing for the country
schools. He said that about forty
counties in the state had already
voted an additional tax levy to length
en- the terms of their schools. aud he
asked how many in the audience would
agree to assist him in the work OF
getting an additional levy for Gren-
ada county, when almost every hand
in the house went up asserting TO his
proposition. Mr.. Whitfield made fine
impression on the entire audience and
showed himself full of zeal and
thoroughly alive to the present school
demands of the day.
It was left to Prof. Powers to en-
bellish and put the finishing touches
on what the two other distinguished
speakers had said and we'll did he ex-
ecute the part assigned him. With
flowing words and pictures of flowers
he painted the future greatness of his
state and urged united front i'm
pleading for an extended school term
that will benefit the poor boy and girl
and enable those without large bank
accounts to avail themselves of the
privileges that grow out Of collegiate
training. Mr.. Powers was for three
years resident of Grenada, being the
head of our splendid public school, and
consequently was addressing those
with whom he is very popular and Il
large number of his personal friends
He is never more in his element than
on the platform.
1t is to be hoped that new educa-
tional life will be infused into our
people as result of the meeting and
that the people throughout the county
will see that good and comfortable
school houses are provided and that
each one will be quickened 10 neE~
aspirations for his child. The further
prosecution of the work inaugurated
that day was left in the hands OF
County Superintendent James to whom
| much credit is due for sMse splendid
success of the days nseeting.