Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-09-04

The following letter from d. Harris
secretary of the Western North CAROL
ia Fair association and educationa!
worker in various capacities, to Prof
w. 8. Shitle, superintendent of Hender-
son county schools serve to show the
possibilit' !es of the educators Of Hen
derson county and the necessity for the
organization of a county fair for the
purpose of exploiting the resources OF
this immediate sect on to the greatest
advantage and stimulating the agricul-
tural, horticultural and other interests
among those mostly concerned.
The letter is reproduced in order
that the school teachers and all others
interested in the general educational
advancement of Henderson county and
" estern North Carolina might consid-
err more seriously the Importance OF
taking up Rwork along lines suggested
therein.
Asheville, N. c., Aug %, 1913.
Prof. w. S. Shittle,
Supt. of Henderson County Schools:
Hendersonville, N. c.
Dear Mr., Shitle:
1 beg to acknowledge the receipt and
express my appreciation of yours of
the 9th instant, inviting me to be
present at the meeting of teachers of
your County, which will be held in
H~endersonville on the 30th instant.
Spce you spoke to me some days ago
about this meeting, l have been look
ing forward to the same with a great
degree of pleasure and had hoped to
be N attendance, bpt very much to my
regret, find that I shall be unable to
40 so. Under the circumstance, how
eve1 if permitted by means Of this
communication to submit a few
thoughts which I wish to express, such
will doubtless serve a. we'll as for me
to be present.
Not having had experience as an ed
acator I would not presume to pose as
an authority on anything pertaining
the strictly technical phase of edu-
cational work, but from the view point
Of a layman who for many years has
been interested in the betterment of
educational conditions of this section,
I feel that there are some matters re-
latlng to the school machinery which
require more general cooperation on
she part of the public and should be
emphasized to a. greater extent in the
future than has been customary in the
past. ~~SaaW 49,
While the decided advancement
which has taken place in Western
North Carolina during recent years is
quite generally recognized, and the
prosperity of this section is a favorite
topic with the press and public, 1 am
inclined to the belief that as a rule
there is not an adeuate conception of
the fundamental element which has
produced such gratifying conditions.
To my mind, substantial and perman-
ent prosperity cannot exist without in
%teiiectuaI development. and by this |
rlean general and uniform educational
advancement, rather than the higher
educational attainment of a limited
few, as that does not raise the edu~
cational standard of a community any
an6re than the excessive wealth of a
few indiv dua1s tends to the financial
benefit of the masses. 1t Is, therefore
a logical conclusion that the excellent
system of public schools conducted by
efficient educators like yourself and
those associated with you has been
the primal force in creating the era Of
prosperity WIFI CHI this section now en-
joys. Furthermore, by reference to
statistics it will be found that this i
of reasoning is tenable as the wealth
and prosperity of the State has in
creased in proportion to the reduc-
ton in r~lliteracy.
1t seems quite apparent, however,
that the future possibilities of the pub