Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1908-12-24
COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Nv ]. b. HAvRoN.


which the county pays the paltry sum
of from four to six hundred dollars
and christens an institution of learn
ing.
| have in mind row of about seven
such buildings strung along one of our
public highways, none OF which, TAX
en- in order, is outside of an ordinary
school BELLS range with the wind un-
favorable. My personal knowledge of
the facts justifes me in the statement
that VIM. X. Vanderbilt, at Biltmore,
N. c.. has decidedly better houses for
his pigs than Marion county builds for
her childrens education, and too, l
might add, that there is no sign of
prodigal expenditure in the construct
ion of this piggery, but on the other
hand, there is plainly manifest true
and simple sense of economics, hygiene
and proportion.
In many of our public school build
ings we find very good desks, tho they
bespeak for their users spirit of van
dalism. Teachers or parties in charge,
have permitted them to be Scared
marked up, burst and in some in
stances wholly torn to pieces; while in
some of our school buildings are to be
found benches and things upon which
children are compelled to sit and work
which ought long since to have been
gathered up and presented to a dime
museum out of respect to the dear
past And we take it that the CON
tractors or those who let their construc-
ton, either >studiously avoided making
or having made place for some kind
of library, or else, believing that the
present conditions would forever OBJ
tain, they thought it useless expense.
Bad enough in either or any case In
real truth everything seams to indicate
that our school boards, commissioners
and authorities have, deemed it suffic-
lent that boys and girls need nothing
more than smattering knowledge of
the three RS with which to meet life
and it's responsibilities
Count 9. THERE IS, ABSOLUTE
LY NO INCENTIVE TO, THE STUDY
OF LITERATURE. BIOGRAPHY,
AND INSTITUTIONAL. SUBJECTS.
| In some of our rural school buildings
there are some hooks which were
bought, perhaps, at exorbitant prices.
| These answer for librariesl There is
some very good literature among them,
which, were it not for tine fact their
artistic and literary value are greatly
deprecated by virtue of being printed
on dime novel paper and done in cheap
cloth and imitation leather, would be
of inestimable value Tho the most
serious objection to them is that they
are almost wholly unadapted to the
needs o. the pupils.
There is a great need of broader
and deeper knowledge of literature, es-
pecially among our teachers and al
least, an incipient knowledge among
the more advanced students. But less
than 3 per cent of the students of oul
lpublic schools are leaving them with
but little more knowledge of the great
masterpieces of our, Literature thar
they haply get in fifth @G sixth read
ers. 1t is hardly possible for a teacher
to keep alive and burning the vesta
fires of inspiration unless he drink of
ten from the great inspirational sourc
es furnished thru. literature. If oul
school children make the very best O
their opportunities, and become great
it is, we may in nearly every case
safely say, that they received an in
spiration. Men and women becom
great not thrur the. fundamentally o
him who imparts most facts, but thrl
him who inspiries by supplying a nc
BILE ideal. Bun hhis inspiration, afte
) it comes to the child. the boy, the gisl
unless it be kept alive, it dies ont
= leaving him on her in more DANCE,
GUS condition than before, for he al
: CUES to himself in face of his revazses
D whats the use of an education any
t way; I'd rather make money" There
. fore, If our children's souls are not fe
: from the great world of inspirations
9 biography and literature, 1T wei
d strange and unusual, indeed, that the,
|. despite circumstances and disadvaI
l tages, rise to higher heights. And, to-
e if our teachers touch not irequentl
is the lives of great men and siimulatir
70 minds, how shall we expect our chill
,r rem 10 become better than them wi
for the simple lack of inpiration ca
It not supply it.
IN No boy or girl can read the life
,r Westinghouse without being thrilie
,e nor the life of the man who, III
le monumental difficulties. reverses Al
g. superstitions, working necessarily +
8, twelve years in almost vain hope. Ii
v together two great continents by
is wire rope thru which an Englishm
n within few seconds exchanged CO
vel gratulatory greetings with an Anne
~ can. How can the great speeches
il Burke, Hayne OF Webster fail TO pi
or duce great and lasting effect upon t
IS life of any aspiring boy or girls E
IL erson on "Self Reliance is verital
source Of inspiration to any teach'
or Do our teachers get these advantal
lie our boys and girls: Why not gi
them a chance with good and who