The leader., 1905-08-09
State Superintendent Whitfield to the
County Superintendent.

IVuuly JupeIintCuuSIlS,
Prof. II. L. Whitfield, State
Superintendent of Education, has
issued the following strong ad-
dress to the county superintend-
ents of the State relative to the
plan of campaign for improving
the common school system.
/ have long desired to have the
opportunity Of meeting the coun-
ty superintendent of the State
face to face and to talk to them
from full heart.
/ do not want to be understood
as attempting to take advantage of
my position to deliver lecture to
you as regards your shortcomings; !;
neither would / have you infer
that | think our work is being
done as we'll as it could be. 1t is
no time for complaints or self
gratuIations; in my opinion, our
work is about to put US to Sc
we're test, and unless we begin
now to strengthen our lines, |
fear when the shock comes we will
not be able to stand.
The people of Mississippi are
confronting new situation, one
fraught with the greatest peril to
those OF the population who are to
the manner born. Our splendid
resources, which have always re-
mained in our midst almost un-
touched, have been discovered by
the outside world. Capitalists and
skilled workers are fast coming
into the State to avail themselves
of these great possibilities which
we have SO long abused. That
the State of Mississippi is already
entering upon an era of unprece-
dented development, no thinking
person can deny; that to success
fully do all parts Of this great
work requires skill and training,
all will admit. Are our people
ready for their work? Candidly,
/ think not. For years these
splendid resources of wealth have
been at the very doors of the fin
est blood in the world, yet this
blood has failed to take advantage
of these great possibilities. Why?
The answer is simple: We have
never trained our people to this
work. We have relied too much
on the potency of our blood and
have given too little consideration
to training as a factor in the work.
The contest can not be longer
delayed, the issue has already
been joined. 1t is not the ques-
tion as to whether this work shall
be done or not, but who will do
it, our own people or outsiders!
All depends on the preparation Of
our people. Are our schools, as
now organized, conducted and sus-
tained giving our boys and girls
that training that will enable them
to compete successfully in doing
the complex work that is to be
done in the State? In answering
this question / ask you to think
of the school houses in the rural
sections of the State where this
training has to be done, of the
number of boys and girls that are
engaged in this work. of the short
and divided terms of a great many
counties, Of the poor equipment
that has been furnished, of the
small average attendance, and of
the disposition on the part of the
people in many sections to subor-
dinate the education of their chill
dren to all other considerations
and conveniences.
Let us, above everything else,
be honest with ourselves and tell
the truth. We must know the
true situation before we can intel
ligentIy deal with it. There was
never a time in the history of the
State when brave, true, intelli-
gent and unselfish service was
more needed than at the present
time. The responsibility of this
great work rests moro upon the
educational leaders of the State
than on any one else. Above all
else we should deal honestly with
ourselves and with the situation.
No one appreciates more than dc
the good work that has been done
by some of you. | also realize
that there has been a general ad.
yancement along all educational
lines; but In all honesty, after
having had the opportunity d
seeing the schools Of the State as
they are, it's my opinion that they
are not, BY far. doing the work
that they must do to equip oul
boys and girls for the fierce com,
petition they will have to meet, j
they are to take an important parl