The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-10-31
THE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL.
Organizer Meyers Pleads With Farmers
and Union Men TO Vote for Il.

education and progress to wake uI
and think what this rnomentou:
question means for the future wei,
fare of our county. Not only fol
the farmers who are now making
their living by tilling the soil, but
for the young boys and girls who
are coming on and will soon have tt
face the realities of a farm life;
very much regret that we have 6
few men in our county who seem
to oppose paying out money, in
taxes, for educational purposes.
They seem to think that they are
just donating that much for the
benefit of some one else, but, my
friends, this is a mistaken idea,
Every dollar you pay out in school
tax is an investment which will re.
turn you better dividends than any
other investment you could make
The Insignificant amount of extra
tax which it will cost us to build
and maintain this Agricultural
High School is so small that / car
not see how any sane man could op'
pose it-3-4 of a mill, or seventy
five cents on each one thousand
dollars worth of property for which
you are assessed. In fact, a large
majority of those who are now op
posing the school would not have to
pay over one dollar per year to
keep this school up; and there are
a number of those men who are op-
posing the school, who are willing
to spend one dollar, or even more.
for blind tiger wh1skey several
times during the year. Now,
friends: can't you drop off at least
one of these bottles every year, and
invest one dollar in this school,
for / am sure the school will do you
more good than the whiskey will.
Besides, ! am sure you will agree
with me, that the school will do
the rising generation the most
good. We have some good men
who oppose the school because they
think the law is not just as it
should be. Now, friends, if we
wait until law is passed, just to
suit each and every one of us, we
will never have the school. Let US
take hold of the opportunity which
the law gives US, and if we find the
law needs any changes, let's have
those changes made; but if we vote
against the school and defeat the
measure, the chances are that it
may be a long time before we have
a chance for such school.
1t does seem to me as though
every farmer iii our county could
see now the necessity of an improv-
ed system of farming. The boil
weevil is now here with us and no
doubt will remain with us, and
think every farmer will agree with
me that we will have to adopt
a different system of farming. So
it is clear, we need the school to
prepare us for the emergency
which confronts us We have bus
mess colleges to especially qualify
the young men for business life;
we have law schools to prepare our
young men for the practice of law;
we have medical colleges to fit men
for the practice of medicine; we
have our normals for the purpose
of training our school teachers,
then why not a school to educate
our boys and girls in the science of
agriculture and housekeeping.
This Agricultural School will not
only give them book learning on
the subject. but will give them a
practical education in agriculture.
This is one of the gravest questions
which has come before the voters
of our county in ages, and | hope
the good citizens of this grand
county will show to the world by a
unanimous vote that they are in
favor of education and progress.
Lincoln county already stands in
the front rank in educational work,
and now, friends, please do not vote
aga inst this grand movement and
put our good county back at the
foot of the class Friends, / am
frequently called on to speak at
school openings, which has always
been a pleasure to me, but if
should now vote against this agri-
cultural school, ! would be asham-
ed to ever appear before a school Of
our bright-eyed boys and girls.
In fact, | could not look them in
the face without feeling condemn
ed.
And when I have finished the
work my blessed Master has for me
to do here on earth / do not want
to feel condemned in my own con-
science, that | have done anything
against the interest of the rising
generation. No, / want them to
be better fitted for the great battle
|of life than I am that they may
make a better success in life than
Ihave.
Now, friends. let's lay aside all
our little petty prejudices. all our
|selfishness and come up to the polls
in all the noble manhood with
which God has endowed us and vote
for more education, a better educa-
tion and the building up Of our
country.
A. w. MEYERS.
The Franklin Circuit Court
meets next Monday. Several Of
Brookhaven's bankers have been
subpoenaed to appear as witnesses