The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-01-18
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowies.)

II
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.)
(Mrs. Fenton Ottley, one of the lead
ing women In public reform movement
In the south. il a charter member of TIN
Atlanta Woman's club, and has been II
president. She has served also as secre
tary Of the General Federation OF Won
ans Clubs for the state of Georgia, a.
drst chairman of the state Industrial com
mission, which did much work for tn,
reform Of child labor abuses, as chairman
OF the state commission on arts ant
crafts. and as one of Georgia's commit
tee OF three to consider the color linz
question. Mrs. Ottley is Mississippiar
cy birth and rearing, but has resided IL
Atlanta since her marriage, her husband
being banker Of that city,
The possibilities of Georgia pine
are being exploited from one end OF
the country to the other, but what
thought Is being given to the possibil.
tiles Of the Georgia boy?" So wrote
President Branson, of the state nor.
NAL school at Athens. Ca, a few
years ago. The educational renais.
sance now beginning in the south is
based upon recognition of that great
est Of waste products" undeveloped
human life, of which SO much exists
in the states south of Mason and
Dixon's line.
Since most Of the people live In
the countryside average population
Of Georgia, for instance, being 35 to
the square mile, with 100000 per-
sons living In one-room csbins-it Is
easy to see that the country school
must be the evangel to the people.
In its improvement lies the solution
of the problem of general social bet
torment. The tremendous and sys-
tematic crusade now being organized
throughout the southern states by the
southern educational board purposes
working almost entirely through this
agency. devoting itself to the perfec-
ton OF the rural school and such nor
NAL institutions as furnish teachers
for II. This field Of endeavor is GER
tainly wide.
Out of 100000 children of school
age in Georgia barely 100000 60 to
school 100 days in the year. Eight
months schools are the exception. the
rule being five months, while many
communities do not have school long
er than three months each year. In
these schools. when existent, the
poorest and most meager instruction
ts too often given, owing to the poor
lay OF teachers.
All this seems In fair way to be
revolutionized by the efforts of the
southern people. spurred on and en-
Outraged by the southern educational
board. In view Of this great move
ment In the country schools it is in
teresting to note that the forerunner
of the model country school, as
planned by educational enthusiasts.
was initiated and carried on success
fully by the clubwomen of the state
Of Georgia few years ago. BY their
efforts and under their charge two
model country schools were main.
tanned i've months the first year in
rural districts. On visiting them a
committee Of the southern education
n board declared them ideal" These
schools, begun as an experiment and
an object lesson. have been carried
on since then with pronounced sue
cess.
Their history is interesting, particu-
iarly for the striking example II af.
fords Of what may be the outcome Of
an active and whole-hearted coopera.
ton between the representative WON.
en- who make up the clubs of the va.
Tious states and the educators and
educational experts of their sections
President Branson, of the Georgia
state normal school, had addressed to
Mrs. Lindsay Johnson, then president
Of the State Federation of Woman's
Clubs, a letter in which he asked IN
that association would undertake to
raise $1,000 for the maintenance for
Gve months Of model county school
which should furnish an object les
son OF what county school should
and might be. The Federation of
Women's Clubs. a body of 5000 rep.