Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1905-08-31
COUNTY ASSOCIATION.
For RETIREMENT OF PUB
Lie SCHOOLS.
Officers Elected for Ensuing
Year and Plans for Improve

A very interesting meeting of the
WayIe County Womans' Associa
ton for the Betterment of Public
schools was held in the City Hall OF
the morning Of August %. The i'm.
portal &c OF this movement was recog-
nized by the fact that from the work
of the county institute which is b ing
day had been set aside for the discus
sion and encouragement ofthiS noDle
work. A large crowd was present,
including teachers Of this county,
several fro&n other counties, and
m4ny iltel ested men and women OF
he to yn.
Tne meeting was called to order
by the president OF the Association,
MIS-. John II. Smith, after which. by
the p=eSi 'ent's request, Mrs. w. h.
hoIioWall, president of the State
Association, presided.
Mr.. E. L. Atkinson, County Super
intenuent of Public Instruction., first
gave d brief outline of the effect OF
the work on the schools and what
The Association has accomplished
since the foundation, four Yeas ago..
"A: hat time there seemed 20 be no
thought of identifying the rural
sch Oh HOUSES ami grounds, and there
Was NJ school library in the county.
Now, the clearing of yards, planting
fl ,we1s and shrubs, painting house,,
and placing pictures on the walls,
are universal, and there are in forty
four schosis, libraries ranging from
seventy-ti sc TO "a hundred and fifty
volumes Mr.. Atkinson thought
that even more important than tn ese
| benefits were the InfiueLcs and IL
spiration which the movement car
ried into the home Ii g of the chill
dren from the impetus received in
this line at school, and the self
activity resulting from the ind.vid-
ual planning and work of the chill
| dren.
Mr.. AtkiI. sons rep TT was follow
ed by the reports Of the actual work
! done by each teacher Of the county
schools present. These reports struck
the people who knew little of the
work of the AS ociation as being
marvellous. They told of Work d he
to improve the cleanliness, comro.t
aud beauty OF the sLh 90, and TO
stimulate the social life of the neigh
borhood; they included su h details
as scrubbing the floors and de4ksand
clearing the yards of stumps, to
building school houses and raising
III 1ney for pictures and libraries.
The social features which these re-
ports gave were especially interest
ing. One teacher toId of a "Mothers'
Entertainment" given by the chill
dren to their parents; another of
social meetings held every week by
| the children in which music recita-
tions and games were enjoyed. Bas-
ket parties, spelling bees, and other
similar pleasures were mentioned.
The library work was ais, impor-
tant. Not only the children read
these books, but they were taken
home and as much enjoyed by par
ents and neighbor5.
One ofthe best reports came from
IA man. In connection with his
work, the patrons of the district had
built a new school themselves, with
no assistance from the county be-
You'd the lumber, a library had been
raised, pictures placed on the walls
and a social entertainment given
every Friday, at which a paper
edited by the children was read,
giving weekly local and general
news. 1t vas needless for him to
add that the whole community re-
garded that school as the centre of
attraction socially as we'll as 1ent- |
ally.
Listening to these reports, it was
easy to agree with the County Super
intendent hat this Associ ation repre-
sented the most important recent
educational movement in the county.
and TO give HIM credit, as each
teacher did, for aiding the work.
materially with his 20 operation and
influence.
Mrs. F. M. Stevens, of Raleigh,
next address d the meeting on the
subject of an ideal school. She first
spoke of the location of the grounds,
which should have a commanding
view of the surrounding country,
and contain four acres, enough for
Fairgrounds, school garden, and
This should be beauti-
fed according TO the picture ideal,
the trees and 5hrubbery massed at
sides aud back, the main idea being
to enhance the beauty of the princi-
pal obj ct, the house. The interior
of the house should be made as at
ira tive as possible with curtains
and pictures, of which only the mas
pieces should be used, as means
the development and stimulation
Of the children. 1
Mr.. H. d. Carmichael, State
of the Teachers Associa-
and Mr.. E. G. Brooks, Supt.
Of the Goldsboro Schools, both gave