The Kemper herald., 1908-05-14

the people of Mississippi have wres-
tied with him.
This wrestling is the farmers
eternal problem. How to make two
grains of corn grow where only one
was won't to grow before, and thus
to get the best Of Manitou' s bounty,
is the question that concerns him al
ways.
Last year Mississippi gathered ap-
proximately forty million bushels of
corn from Mondamin's grave. A
grain Of corn is little thing, but if
only one grain could have been added
to each ear last season the yield
would have been increased four
thousand bushels. If the yiel1 can
be increased this season only one
bushel per acre it will mean two mil
lion more bushels. two thousand five
hundred car loads making a train
twenty miles long and worth mil
lion and a half dollars.
This great corn movement in Mis-
sissippi portends great things. A bush
el of corn may appear as small mat
ter, but in the aggregate it is one of
the greatest Importance. Is not the
prize worth striving for? Most as
suredly it is.
The State Teachers Association
met in jackson two weeks since and
was well attended. The interest man.
ifested was intense, going to show
that the teachers of Mississippi are
in the work for something more than
the meager salaries received. 1t was
an intelligent body of men and la
dies, which fact was frequently COM
mented upon by those not members
of the association. The officers had
spared no energy or pains to make
the meeting beneficial to this great
army of workers which plays such an
important part in the destiny Of our
state. From the time the gavel first
fell until the last official act had been
recorded, the attendance was all that
could be desired and commendable
desire evidenced to gather everything
that would improve the efficiency of
the work.
This bodies well for the future Of
our commonwealth. The teacher occu-
pies most important position in the
training Of the children of today, who
will be the men and women Of tomor-
row. In their hands lies more largely
the destiny OF, the country than any
other. The standard is being contin-
ually raised. Mississippi's public
school system is already the model
for other states, and is being improv-
ed year by year. 1t is money well
spent and with unanimous approba-
tion of the taxpayer.
An effort is being made to develop
an industry in Mississippi that prom
ises to become Of the greatest impor-
tance, The rivers and lakes Of the
state abound in mussel shells that
have a value if handled properly.
Some days since party of Ohio
gentlemen came to Greenwood with a
steam launch of large size and the
outfit necessary for fishing the shells.
A report by the secretary of the Bus
mess League goes to show that these
shells are in the greatest abundance
in the waters of Yazoo river and the
first efforts to gather them was re-
markedly successful. One fault with
the Mississippi shell for the manu-
ture of buttons is, that they are tint
ed with pink, but while this makes
them undesirable for buttons, it at
the same time makes them mora val
liable for other purposes The writer
is acquainted with this business a,
conducted at Black Rock, Arkansas,
and has number Of times during
the past six years called the atten-
ton Of our people to the possibilities
Of the enterprise. Something along
this line was attempted at Aberdeen
some time ago, but nothing has been
heard of the effort lately. There is
no doubt but that the great quanti-
ty of shells in our state can be used
to advantage if the proper means is
adopted for handling them.
Brookhaven announces the secur-
ing of a plant capitalized at $780,
600 for the purpose of washing and
marketing the excellent gravel found
in that section of the state. The old
gravel beds belonging to the I. C.
railroad and 100 acres additional will
be used for supply. With process
for washing gravel it is equal in
value to any found in the South and
will no doubt prove profitable in.
dustry.
A girl likes to get love letters 30
she can write answers to them.