The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-18
Editorial Correspondence

Greensboro, N. c., June 16.-The
Teachers Assembly has been a great
power for good in North Carolina-an
! have been at the helm realize. Even
in the days when ii was as much an
outing and picnic as a place for the
interchange of ideas. it opened the way
for the newer and better day in educa-
ton in North Carolina. Prior to its or
ganization there had been no common
ground upon which the rural school
teacher, the college professor, the
head of an academy, and the graded
school men and women could meet
and help one another along. The col
lege professor doubtless thought he
had little to learn from the principal
of Rhamkatte school who was paid
$25 a month for teaching three
months school, and devoted the bal
ance of the year to blowing and other
farm work. But when the college
professor came in contact with the
Rhamkatte teacher, he found that he
had as much TO learn from the coun-
try school teacher as the country
school teacher could learn from him.
Mixing larns both" And so the
Teachers Assembly became the Clear
ing House as we'll as place for swap
ping ideas for all grades of teachers
and others deeply interested in the
cause of education. One of the best
results of this intercourse and inter-
change has brought us to the Era of
Good Feeling in education in North
Carolina. No more do we see friction
between public schools and private
schools, between schools of State and
schools of church, but a realization
that the harvest is great and there is
enough for all to do.
l reckon the recent progress in edu-
cation in North Carolina is largely
due TO the fact that the educators
found common ground to stand upon
and learned their power by organiZa-
ton. AS long as there was no concert
of action, they lacked the power to
make themselves felt. Nobody will
deny that they are now influential in
North Carolina and that their infiu-
ence is felt for good government, pro-
gress and the uplift of every good
thing.
The concensus OF opinion is that in
many respects this has been the best
session yet held of the Assembly. IL
has been a session marked more by
instruction. Social features have been
cut out. More than seven hundred
practical teachers have been in at
tendance and they have been treated
10 magnificent addresses by men en-
inent in the profession. The presence
of State Superintendent Stetson, OF
Maine. who came to teach and to
learn was a blessing and a pleasure.
He is a man who appreciates the
mighty strides the State is taking and
who says so in words that have no
fiattery.
The addresses of DR.. Hughes, SUI
perintendent of the Toronto Schools
captivated the whole Assembly. He is
ID brilliant man and a sensible one.
To show his drawing qualities 1 may
state that he lectured on Dickens a.
6 y. m, and one thousand people
heard with delight over an hour and
were sorry when the last word was
spoken. He talked of the children in
the novels of Dickens and the pic
lures drawn were fresh and graphic.
No man has lived who has drawn such
children as Dickens in literature. DR..
.. L. Hughes understands Dickenss
conception of children and under
stands children. The men and women
whom he addressed have devoted their
life TO the child. Speaker, hearers,
and theme were at one.
Another visitor was Prof w. r.
Webb, a native of North Carolina.
principal of Bell Buckle School. Ten
nessee. one of the most famous pre-
paratory schools i'm the South-as good
as Rugby or any of the famous schools
with a century of life and reputation
Mr. Webb is u brother of the late Rev.
Dick Webb, long a prominent Metho-
dist preacher. and Of Samuel H. Webb.
OF Orange, and of Mr.. Webb. of War
rem, father of State Senator Webb and
Mr.. Alexander Webb. He is the best
type of the old time teacher. When
ne returned from the Confederate
army, he was too poor to buy a hat.
and his first hat was made for him
by his sister out of broom straw. H.
followed the example of Robert e. Lee
and began to teach the youth. and for
years has every session had more APP
plications for admission into his school
than he could take. Why? Because
he is an old fashioned teacher. who
believes In old fashioned methods. in
Guiding when necessary the practise
of the advice of Solomon. He talked
sense to teachers and inveighed against
fads and the notion that men could
get education any way except by the
old time hard study. The teachers of
the old school like Mr.. Webb are The
hest examples for the young teachers
of today follow for the crying need