The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-03-25

STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

Once more addressing ourselves to
this important subject; which, impor-
tant as it is does not seem to kindle
any very great enthusiasm in Hatties-
burg. Sid Va
e. 1883,
If some northern capitalist should
come to this town and propose to in
vest one-quarter Of a million dollars in
a cotton factory or lumber mill or a
machine shop, or any commercial in
terest; make straight proposition to
do so, without any proviso attached
of land gratis, exemption from taxa
ton, ETC., which they never do; but II
by circumstance or chance one OF
those aforesaid advance agents OF
soulless corporations should make
break like that, the Town would fall
all over itself shouting huzzas.
But when the state takes a long
step in the right direction; makes
great progressive movement along ed
ucational lines, by taking the initia-
torys step toward establishing State
Normal School, and Hattiesburg is
given an equal chances with all the
other towns of the state to secure the
location of that school, there seems
to be no interest whatever among the
people concerning it's location.
And vet this school would bring
more people to Hattiesburg than twice
the amount of money invested in any
other enterprise. And they would
bring a class of citizenship more to
be desired than from any other walk
in life; neither rich nor poor, but in
telligent, earnest, honest, educated,
bread-winners. And this school would
bring not only one-quarter of a mil
lion for one investment, but one-quar-
ter of a million to be spent, one year
after another for the years to come,
without number.
OF course Hattiesburg will wake up
and get busy for the location of this
school soon or late; principally late;
just in time to learn that some real,
quick, active community has already
seen all the trustees and interested
them in their town, and induced them
to wholly or partially commit them
selves to their town. Then Hatties-
burg will chew the rag and say it
never does get square deal from the
state
In sister state few years ago, the
legislature, just as the legislature has
done in Mississippi, provided for the
establishment of normal schools; ex
cept in that state they provided for
the establishment of three, while here
it is only one. The schools were tc
be located in three different divisions
of the state; health of locality, conve
nience to travel we're to be considered
and the next and determinging feature
was left to the towns of the three
divisions of the state; what theJ
would DO; what they had to offer
Rivalry at once sprang up. All thu
towns wanted the schools. They dix
not have to wait to be told, the!
knew the value of such institutions o
learning in any community. They di'
not wait to be proded; they got bus.
at once. and went to work in earnest
What two of those schools cost tn
communities wherein they were Il
Gated. we do not know; but what |
cost one of them we do know.
After a good many bids by. large
towns, and towns with better raj
road facilities, one of those school
was located in little town of abou
three thousand inhabitants. Why
What did that town do to get 1t
First the county court met and adop
ed resolution saying that if tn
8 school was located in the little capt.;
citsj Of that beautiful county, tn
county would issue and give to th
state tor that institution, $4,000 Of 4