The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-05-06

tie child and place it in our midst;
what can this pure work Of God be-
come? We know that if we deal with
it as God would have US, il we makel 1t
obedient to authority at home, and
send It to a school where the teacher
understands those laws that must be
observed in the process OF develop
ment Of the child, and keep it away
from the communicating things OF life,
the result is a useful. productive, o
fearing citizen; but if we let 1t grow
up like a colt on the waste, pay no at
tention to it at home, but permit 1t TO
come in contact with everything low
and vile, do not provide for its proper
education, pay no to what II
thinks about Or what 1t does. and
give it no systematic training, it will,
as effect follows cause, become a
slothful, vicious mana shame to It's
parents, an expense to the state anu
a dishonOr to God.
"It is not claimed that u schools,
as organized and conducted, are
equipped to do this work, even to the
extent to which they go We can
never hope for our schools to do their
great work until thinking Mississippi
takes hold of the question, until the
! III ID III ~ WV
Just as long as a great part Of our
people subordinate the school to eV-
cry other convenience, just so long
will our people do the worlds drudg-
cry. If we all agree that h train
ing of the people is a condition prec-
edcnt 10 the proper development or
the State. and that the common
school is the place for the beginning
OF this training, then does it not fol-
low that in practice the school, should
. be first? Should we not be more
I careful about sending our children to
school regularly, in providing better
4 sc~hOOlhOuses, to secure stronger
teachers; have longer terms, and, in
general, subordinate other things TO
the school? We send Il children to
school and stop them to suit every
thing else; start, stop, n dlVlde the
school to suit our convenience IN all
other matters; levy taxes Tor eVery
thing csc before we do for schools,
when unquestiOnably education is the
best and most ~far-reaching return for
! their payment; elect teachers because
they are poor, or because they are
kindred, or related to some friend,
political or otherwise; complain more
about the conduct of the school than
we exert energy and endeavor to sup
ply the means to r~enovate the school
house. In fact, all other duties must
be performed and other expenses
paid, and other things must be ar
ranged, then if there are any re-
sources left we apply them to he
school.
certainly, looking at the mates
from the standpoint Of vital State pol
ipV the SJhippf matter OF hpTTG err
t schools is Of the highest cOnsidera'
ton, and should receive Il best
thought and first self-denial and ex-
penditure Of time and means.
VERY few contests come up to the
State Board of Education from dis
tricts where there is a comfortable and
well kept school house and where
school is maintained for a full session
with a good average attendance. h
citizens of such neighborhOods take
an interest IN their schools and re-
gard them as a medium for the edu-
cation of their children and not mere
ly is furnishing an opportunity for
constant factional differences and
contests.
"Surely. God gave us our children
that we should bring them up in the
way shat will enable them to give to
society their best possible service
and be the greatest honor to Him.
1t is true that this holy work requires
the service, sacrifice and s~elf-denial
of the parents, but in doing it they
become truly ennObled. Of course, it
will cost effort and some means to
rear and properly train children, but
is there any other prize Of life worth
as much as a child we'll prepared for
the duties and responsibilities Of this
life and fitted for the life eternal?
''Parents, let us consider the pre-
cious children that God las loaned to
us as our talents, and when He
comes again, let US, not like the slOth-
full servant of Old. bring them to Him
u~ndeveIoped, but give them back to
Him. with all their powers for good
infinitely multiplied"
busha county, sold a hone-raised colt
last week for $500. Then there are a
number of tenderfeets who say that
you cannot raise as good stock in Mis-
sissippi as anywhere in the world.
i y
Some newspaper in the State has of
fered as a motto for the Cotton Plant.
ers' Association the saying Of Col.
10 Slack, 'lengthen your corn rows
and shorten the store account" This
is a cry good motto and one thar has
been adopted, in part, by a large ma.
pority of the farmers OF the State.
There has been a shortening of store
accounts for some time, and the cred.
it business has been reduced to a
minimum. With the adoption of the
first part, which is now being put in
force, better times than ever are
ahead for the good people Of Missis.
sippi. The prosperous years just
past are likely to be repeated with q
greater degree Of prosperity.
Indiano.a is another town that has
achieved wonders during the past
year in rebuilding after a series OF
destructive fires. After each cOnfa
crat;an anl tkA attanAant larGo loss