Woodruff County news., 1908-09-24
A HEART = TO = HEART TALK WITH PARENTS
 OF OUR TOWN
YOU OWE YOUR BOY, YOUR GIRL AN EDUCATION. WILL YOU GIVE IT THEFT, OR WILL YOU ROB THEM OF THIS MOST VALUA-
 BILE HERITAGE ITS YOUR
 POWER TO GIVE?
By J. A. Livingston.

9 months term, and no effort or expense has been spared to make it the most valuable term in the history of the school.
 Had we the power to impress up on the hearts of every parent in McCrory just one fact, it would be the importance of sending their boys and girls to school-of hay ing them present on the opening day, and keeping them there every day during the term. Then we would see our new school building, which is the pride of everyone in McCrory, filled to overfowing; we would see boys and girls in the lower grades entering upon course that would ultimately pre- pare them to become successful and useful men and women: we would see others taken from the streets and from menial labor and placed in school where they be- long; we would see young men and young women going back to school to complete the education they have left unfinished and pre- pairing themselves to go forth in life fully armed and equipped to fight the battles that are inevitable, and in which they will be handi- capped all through life without an education.
 The value of an education dis cussed from a monetary point of view is shown that the average yearly earning capacity of an ed ucated man is $1 ,000. It is not necessary to estimate the earning capacity of the uneducated man nor to mention the two for con- parison. It is so plain that every reader can make his own calcu. lation.
 And the money value of an ed ucation is its smallest value. "For every pound you save in education, you will spend five in prosecutions, in prisons, in penal settlements.
 The educated young man or wo- man who starts out upon life is master of his own destiny. He can choose his profession, because he is mentally prepared to enter successfully upon any calling that appeals to him and even though his choice be that of the farmer, the mechanic or some other voca- tion wherein he will earn his bread by "the sweat of bis brow" he will be more successful in these than if he were not equipped with an education, his life will be one of usefulness and influence in his community he will live in high CT realm, his purposes, in life will be nobler and every day he will enjoy pleasures that are denied an education.
 Parents, this is a solemn obliga- tion resting on you. Next Wednesday morning each one of them will enter upon a course of mind training and enlargement that will equip them for a high and noble citizenship in the years to come, or, through lack of self concern and parental influence they will refuse this training, and when manhood's state is attained they will be equipped only for the commonplace in whatever calling or profession they may choose. They will go forth in after years as broad-minded, influential men and women-noble specimens of beings created in Gods own image, fully equipped for the work which he, through your agency. brought them into existence; or they will go forth as mere types of the true image-nonentities in the walks of life, unprepared for the battles of life, and incapable of grasping the higher ideals of life. They will go forth to live lives of usefulness, honored of men, refiecting honor upon their progenitors and their