Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05

for libraries and other needed improve
ments.
Rowan county, young In years and ex-
nerience- deeply In sympathy with the
people and their needs, consecrated to the
ranse az education and determined to wipe
out illiteracy from the county and to
make OF every citizen, high or low, IN
school They possess q high degree OF IN
teII;sence an average amount OF scholar
shin and the mission spirit. the most es-
senttal. qualification OF teacher.
If obstacles presented themselves snS
teachers promptly removed them. and ~
excuses were made they met them Win
| arg,,m ent and persuasion ana overcame
them. Several married teachers VINO nVeo
at home. and rode on HORSEBACK 20 scnCO.
each day left their homes when the night
school terms began and took up ther
ahoda I'm the district. Teachers who lived
Or boarded long distances from the scnooi-
houses remained at school from the uhHe
II began at o'clock in the morning
until the night school ended at CLOCK
in the evening, making thirteen-nour
dav Some canvassed their districts reg
ularly during the few hours wnicn inter-
vened between the day ana the hisne
school and started many who were 100
diffldent to come to school to writing e
home. and, after they were signify az
yanced. persuaded them to come into the
school.
Uas burdened with household cares.
walked back and forth three miles with
her two children twice each day to the
schoolhouse to instruct the pupils IN notn
the day and night school sessions. School
was conducted for two hours each even
ing on four nights during the week
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs
day demonstrating the teachers three
nights for rest and relaxation 10 reIresr
them for the work of next week. None
showed any particular evidence OF soralI
or fatigue or overwork and each anc
every one declared the work most de-
lightful and fascinating. and one greatly
Increased the interest and added to the
success of the day school
From one school, under the instruction
of an eishteen-year- old girl, a beginner
in the profession of teaching. preacher
of ffty-four years was graduated in read
ing and writing The test for graduation
was reading the Bible and the newspaper
with reasonable facility and writing q
leptbIe letter, and both of these the min
lister soon learned, to his unspeakablt
. joy and pride.
He signed his name to the assessor
list for the first time after four nights
Instruction, and wrote the superintendent
1eRible four-page, enthusiastic lettel
when he had been pupil Of the schoo
but seven evenings.
One school of sixty-five pupils had
twenty-three illiterates. all Of whom wer,
taught by a young teacher to read anc
write. Three preachers were enrolled II
this school. and added much by their IN
terest, their zeal and their influence. II
fact, all ministers in the rural section
aided much in the work. They assisted
in campaigning and organizing, and the
more learned assisted in teaching, while
those who were unlearned sought more
eagerly than any others to acquire some
education.
On one Of her visits to moonlight
school the superintendent states that sh'
! watched the eager, happy throng come
trooping through the moonlight laughing
and talking together in free and cas-,
, schoolnlate fashion, and as they entered
, the door noted that they were not only
students of all ages. from the maid O.
eighteen and the youth who had just OBJ
tanned his majority to the grandame o.
fifty and the grandfather of eighty. bur
that there were a carpenter. a merchant
postmaster, a magistrate. doctor,
preacher, school trustee, farmers ant
farmers wives and their sons and daugh
tiers, many somewhat educated and Others
entirely flliterate.
An aged father and mother, parents OF
fourteen children. all Of whom had gone
beyond the rooftree and grandparents OF
eighty-four children. these old people
learned to read and write, and letter,