The leader., 1905-08-09

ready been begun on our SOIL.
/ have learned one thing in my
work, and that is, that the schools
in the State can not be any better
than is the appreciation of the
people of the work that the
schools should do. This is our
first work, and it is necessarily
the foundation work; what we
build afterwards can not be any
better than this foundation. The
schools of the State are the crea-
lures of the public sentiment of.
the State. Public sentiment is as
the leaders of education in the
State make it.
The education of the people into
a more intelligent regard for the
school is our first work; when this
is we'll done the various other
problems of our school can be
easily solved.
Whenever the people view the
schools in the true light, the de.
mand for stronger teachers, the
building of better school houses,
the lengthening of the school
terms, the paying of better salar-
les, and the sending of children
more regularly to school, will be
the magical results. It is not for
us to murmur because of the
seeming indifference of the peo-
pie; they can not be any better
informed on these questions than
they have been taught by those
whose duty it is to. study all these
questions from original sources
and to bring the information thus
gained to them. Holy Writ ex-
plains this great truth in saying:
How can they believe in Him of
Whom they have not heard? How
can they hear without preach
er?"
Now who are the ones because
of the Office they hold owhose es-
peciaI duty it is to do this work?
Ny friends, it is your duty and
mine. We who have been elected
by the people to be the executive
heads of the schools. A man
whose conception of a costly su-
perintendent is only to issue pay
certificates, make contracts and
sign licenses, can not do this great
work.
A weakling who is buffeted by
every political wave that breaks
on his shore need not attempt it.
The man without hope and who
looks on the Office only as a pen
sion is only delaying the work.
The county superintendent who
is too lazy to make the necessary
preparations and to undergo the
necessary physical effort can new
er accomplish the desired end.
If there was ever a time when a
people needed special JUNCTION, the
superintendents of the State
should now receive it. | wish /
had the power to express to you
what is my conception of the
county superintendent as he
should be. l would have him ap-
proach his holy Office realizing
that on him, more than any one
else, depended the character of
the training of the children of his
generation would receive. Il
would have him keenly feel that
his Office gives him a rare oppor-
tunity to do an eternal work, and
to write his name indelibIy on the
history of his county. Yes, IN
spired by such spirit, be would
possess himself Of all the theoreti-
cal and practical knowledge at
tainable on the subject of educa-
ton. With his very soul afame
with the spirit of the true leader,
be would draw his teachers to
him, and cause them to feel that.
to teach little children was the
greatest work that has ever been
committed to human hands and
hearts. / would have him go be-
fore bis people and show them
that they best serve the State and
discharge parental responsibility
when they make the education
and training of their children
their first and highest earthly du-
ty; yes, above every other qualifi-
cation. / would have him to be
able to place these beautiful and
richly endowed children upon the
hearts of their parents.
Ny friends, this is our exalted
work. The fields are ripe unto
the harvest. . Shall we make
ourselves worthy Of so great re-
sponsibility? As the one who for
time is at your head, / pledge.
you the best thoughts of my mind,
the full effort of my body, and a.
heart which | believe is conse-
Grated TO the work. Will you fol-
low meg Will you lay aside per-
sonal ambitions, chickering's, timid-
Ity and whatever else that may
impede you il this work Will
you give yourselves unreseryedly
to this causeg
If my words are not in vain,
but are needed ia the spirit in
which they are given, with 9 uni
ty Of purpose that can not be.
broken, with hearts consecrated
ito The work, we can reach the
hearts and minds Of our people;
we can make this great old Mis-.
sissippi what she ought to be, the
greatest Commonwealth under the