The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1909-04-29
WHAT WE ARE LIKE.
fancy County as Virginia Lawrence Sees U.s.
And, incidentally, Virginia Lawrence as We See Her.

tneSe extraordinary people 1--we tells
story which she says illustrates theil
point of view on the subject of edu-
cation better than volume of de-
scription. She had gone for walk,
with her book, and being tired had sal
down to rest. She became absorbed
in her book and did not notice that
anyone was near till a slight cough at
tracted her attention, and, looking up,
she saw one of the mountain men
standing before her, hat in hand.
Sweeping her a courtesy that lacked
only the doublet and silken hose OF
the picturesque past to be perfect,
he said:
CAVALIERLIKE GREETING.
Madam, I pray your pardon for
thus disturbing you, but may I ask,
are you reading?"
I had grown accustomed to their
quaint forms of speech she said in
telling the story, but I could not be-
come accustomed to their manners,
and every time one of those horny
fsted, homespun-clad mountaineers
exhibited the polish of cavalier I had
fresh shock. AS they all did it habi-
tually my six weeks stay there was one
long succession of shocks. You can
not but respond in kind to that sort of
thing, you know, and by the time I
came home I had qualified for a part
in one of Ban Jonson's plays.
This man was just like all the rest,
and I found myself choosing my word,
in answering.
why, yes Ireplied. Would you
care to look at my book?'
I should deem myself honored,' ,
and with another grand bow, he took
it from me.
He examined it from cover to cover.
| backwards and forwards and crosswise,
upside down, and outside in, the bind
ing the printing, the illustrations, even
the sewing in the back, and when he
had spent about fifteen minutes look
if over, without reading single word,
mind you, for he did not know one
word from another, he gave it back to
me.
And can you read it?" he asked,
heaving a tremendous sigh.
Yes
t" Happy woman that you are!
Would to God that could say as
much! There were no schools in my
young days and we had no means of
acquiring that learning which would
enable US to decipher the printed page,
but now that the school has come we
shall learn. Aye, that we shall and
that full quickly!
My two young lads and my daugh-
ter are at the school. Each day they
go thither with their books, and they
return home at even. In the hour be-
tween sundown and dark, and again in
the nom before the sun has fairly be-
gun his journey across the heavens,
they do impart to their mother and te
me that which they have learned in
the hours they have spent at school,
and thus we, their parents. keep pace
with them. Ere long we, too, shall
read even as you now read"
Nov; wasn't that pathetic? That
great grown man, who talked in classic
English, Learning his letters at the
hands of his own small children and
delighted to have the opportunity? I
could scarcely keep the tears out Of
my eyes as he talked, and when sug-
gested that if he had the time to spare
I should like to read to him out of my
book, the look OF mingled delight and
gratitude which he gave me sent a
genuine little thrill all over me-
| This desire to learn seems to have
been part of the people for years, for
they are always telling incidents oi
some parent or grandparent impressing
upon their children the value ofknowl-
edge, but only within the last decade
has it had any means of qualification.
About ten years ago the Presbyterian
Church established school in Forsyth
which is called the School of the Ozarks,
, and by obtaining scholarships and ar
Lranging self-supporting courses enabled
the girls and boys of the neighborhood
r to obtain an education without Acrifc.
: ing any of the scant funds of thei
parents.
Later when the compulsory educa
t ton law went into effect in Missouri
: district schools were opened in the sur
: rounding country, the sessions extend
S ing from June to October, instead o
} during the winter months, because o
( the difficulty of travel through the
Il = \.
t winter, and this has given other child