The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-01-19

tive to both parent and child, for tn
chlld's education.
Consolidation of small districts, in
surfing longer terms and better facili
ties, should be encouraged, unless j
works hardship on particular local
lty, or deprlves children of attending
school; and, as much friction and IL
+! will are often caused in communitie
by arbitrary consolidation, it would b.
best to let such questions be settled BY
the vote of the majority OF those inter
ested. So likewise many counties de
sire that the Board of Education b.
elected by the people instead of ap
pointed, and this being a principle O
Democracy, IL commended to the Leg
islature.
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
Next to common school education
for the masses that which our State
most needs is industrial education, the
training of the hands az we'll as the
brains of our youth. To encourage
such a movement our lawmakers have
heretofore established agricultural and
mechanical and normal and industrial
schools, where our boys and girls are
taught how to work, and are given
practical training in all useful and
honorable occupations. such as farm
ing, cattle raising, shop work, shoe
making, mechanics and engineering.
These institutions were never in
tended to be the competitors OF our
private UNCONVENTIONAL schools and
colleges, places where practical and in
dustrial, head and hand, education are
taught; and every effort should be
made by the law-making power to so
equip, direct and control these schools
as to carry out more effectively the
ends for which they were primarily
intended.
Answering the argument that indus
trial education is too expensive, we
simply state that all large enterprises
spring from small beginning, and,
having commenced this work in the
State we must not look backward, but
go Harvard as rapidly as our means
will allow. One phase of this kind of
education can, without cost, be taught
in cur common schools, our colleges,
from the pulpit and on the hastings,
and that is that all work, honorable in
its nature, whether it be in the shop,
on the farm or as an apprentice to
trade, is just as much to be respected
and supported by the law as the higher
and professions filled ~
those to whom fortune has given more
advantages, and that the boys
and girls who engage in such callings,
ale in the forefront of those who are
to add material and moral wealth and
are destined leaders of the State.
Let us not judge people by the
clothes they wear or the occupation
they follow, but let us take the higher
ideal and respect men and women for
their character, industry and acquire
the interior instead of the ex-
terlor for, mark 1t, overalls an3 home
spun often cover as noble and brave
hearts as kroad-cloth and silks, and a
bootblack, who car~fully AID honestly
shines shoes, is more worthy of our ad-
miratlon than the spendthrift, who
lyes on others and docs nothing for
his own or the worlds good.
Let industrial education be, even
more than at present, encouraged in
our institutions for the deaf, dumb,
blind and insane thus affordlng these
ones an opportunity OF
doing something that will help the
State, and aid them in becoming self
Even in our State University many
features of mechanical training can
be successfully taught, and earnestly
hope that the legislative branch Of
to whom the constitution
has entrusted this power, will, In max
ing appropriations to our institutions
require industrial work to be taught
in reality and not merely in name.
In saying this. mean no reflection on
the present able management OF these
Institutions but simply want their
work encouraged, widened and made