The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-07-14
EDUCATION.

Columbia is at the dawn OF the
greatest day IN Its history. 1t seems
to have just walked up and shaken itseh
and begun to grow. Commercially
speaking, 1t is the hest town of its size
of which we have any knowledge, and
we occasionally take a swing around
the circle. Morally speaking it is
better than the most of them, and
as good as the hest of them. For
health and beauty the town and coun-
try are famous; for refinement, culture
and social qualities the people are
pIoverbIal. 1t has been sadly wanting
in the past, however, for boy s
school. Nov it is to have that, AMI it
is OF that chiefly that we wish to
speak.
Columbia, we admit, has never had
the opportunity for large prep.
school that it has now; hut 1t has
had some very good opportunities In
the past, winch it has either neglected
or abused. To such an extent that
some very we'll meaning people believe
and say that Columbia will not sup
port INST class boys school. -
What do they mean by that? They
mean, first, that Columbia viii not
give loyal, moral support, to the
sJhcol. I hat Is to first class school.
And ny that they mean school run
on first class school principles; with
such rules and regulations as pre-
vail in all well regulated, properly con-
Quoted preparatory schools for boys.
The trouble, they say, is with the
parents; they will not control their
children, and will not allow them TO
be controlled; that they, the parents,
are the first to rebel against school
rules and school discipline. And that
is the reason. they say, Columbia has
not had a school for boys all these
years.
Now, candldly, is there not great
deal OF truth in that? Have we not
all seen it and felt it more or less?
And is it not time that we were mend
ing our WAYS?
Not only should we support the
school by giving the moral support
and strength of our influence to its
rules and regulations, but for the sake
Of our boys, we must do so. Because,
otner first class schools like this one,
have all adopted the rule that they will
not accept pupils who have been dis
missed from any other school for insub-
ordination; which virtually black lists
boy who is expelled from any OF these
schools Aside therefore from the
modification of the thing there is.
kind of military necessity which
should impel every parent to protect
his boy from the shame and disgrace
of this black list by counselllng and
teaching him that whatever he may
think about this rule OF that, it is a
case of ''have to" with him, and the
more gracefully he submits, the better.
For instance. Nearly all boys and
some parents think it is no harm and
does not hurt for boy of sixteen or
eighteen years old to smoke tobacco;
and still larger class of parents, who
will agree that 1t is hurtful, will say
that it cannot be helped. But here come
the principals of the Columbia Military
Academy who say that it is hurtful and
can be prevented, aud that no boy can
continue in their school who uses tobac
co. Now the question is, will the boy
give up his tobacco, or give up the
school? Will the parent permit him to
decide that very important question for
himself; a decision which will effect
him all the days of his life; or will the
parent with little firm parental au
thority, help him to decide in favor OF
the school? Heretofore the parents
have allowed the boys to decide for
themselves; and that is why the impress
ion is abroad that Columbia will not
Support boys school.
Another illustration: One OF the rules
laid down 10 the catalogue of the Go.
lumbia Military Academy is, that no
boy can leave the campus after dark
without special permission. and that
every boy must be in his room at eight
o 'clock. This provision will apply in
measure to all the pupils. Those board
ing on the grounds, must get their per-
mission from one of the faculty. Those
living in town must get their permission
from one of their parents,
It will be new thing to many of the
boys OF Columbia to have to ask per
mission to step outside their own yard
after dark. They have been used. very
many of them. to putting on their hats
after supper and walking down town and
loaflng about the streets until bed time
1t will GO bit against the grain with
them to have to ask permission; but they