The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-31
10th Number of
the Ten School
Sections of 1913
BY DIR. DOUGLAS S. FREEMAN.

ONAANt
whose announcements we print, doubt
less wonder what will be the result and
now their children will be benefited by
their training. To such parents general
arguments in behalf Of education are
more or less unsatisfactory. What
they want is the practical illustration
OF Just what has happened to such boys
and girls as their oWn-an illustration
OF the reward which has come to the
parent who sacrificed for the welfare
of his son.
: This is q natural desire, for while no
parent seeks any pecuniary return for
the service he renders in love, every
father and every mother hope that they
will be made happy in the happiness of
their children and will be rewarded for
their effort in the honorable success of
their children. Every parent, in a
word, dreams a dream Of the future
when his sons shall be men, and as he
dreams he prayS that the lot Of his sons
may be more prosperous than his own,
and that they may be honorable
gentlemen, credit to their name and
to their community.
For such parents there is inspira-
ton in the lives Of men and women
about us, and there is assurance Of
success for their boys when they see
how the sons of other men, similarly
situated, have been blessed in their
education and have developed into
splendid manhood. We can, therefore,
conclude this series of articles in no
better way than to cite some of the
instances as we have observed them in
the State
A MOuntaineer's Sons.
Here is a story that should inspire
every father to educate his sons story
SO recent that we dare not call names
or mention schools. In the mountains
Of Virginia, ten years ago, Virginian
found himself with nine children
four daughters and five sons He had
given them such advantages as the
private schools Of the neighborhood
afforded, and he had seen their minds
develop, but he was puzzled to know
how he could give them the mental
training for which they clamored He
was not rich man, but he had been
a hard taskmaster and closer trader
and he had large, fruitful farm
Reckoning his assets and his obliga
tions, he at length made proposal to
his children: he would give each of
them four years education at inexpen-
sive schools, after which time each
child would have to shift for himself.
With two exceptions, the children took
him at his word. One girl wanted to be
married; one son chose to remain on
the farm; the others determined to go
to college.
One by one they reached the proper
age, left home, entered college and
struggled through four years Of hard
study. But by the time the oldest had
done this he was not satisfied to stop.
He had become ambitious; his mind had
been stimulated by his training in
college; he wanted to learn law. "Ive
done my part" said the father, "and II
you want any more education, YOU must
shift for yourself"
The son did, and while his next
younger brother and sister were at
college he graduated in law and opened
an office. 70 condense into sentence
tho events Of ten years, the oldest son
is now leading lawyer in a Virginia
city, two Of the daughters are married,
one is a successful trained nurse,
another is an excellent teacher, another
son is a physician, and the two youngest
boys are in college preparing for a
profession. Of the nine children, all
but two have received their college and
professional degrees, or are now pre-
pairing for them. Not one of them is
q loiterer, loafer or a failure; sons
and daughters alike have been success
in life. And every one has attained to
higher things because the father was