Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-08-20
TEACHERS MEET SATURDAY AND
1JSCUSs COUNTY COMMENCEMENT.
SECOND Monthly Meeting viii Discuss
Progressive Educational Measures;
Commencement Plans.

commencement fanss
The teachers of Henderson county
will hold their second monthly meet
mo at the High school building next
saturday, when the following program
will be rendered:
SHow we might make a county Sur.
yey," R. F. Pace.
self Activity" MRS. Redden.
Round tables discussion on County
commencements."
An address, Prof. Warren.
All teachers in the county ere re-
ou,rsd to attend these meetings.
In accordance with recent editori-
o, in the Democrat, the educational
outborities are taking up the question
~ q county commencement OF ell the
schools in the county. This subject
nil, he freely discussed at the next
,,eetinR. In order that the teachers,
some of whom perhaps have-Hot &C
ouainted themselves with the new ed
ncstioual movement, may have first
,and knowledge, the following article
IN county commencements prepared
nv s s. Alderman of the State depart
uent of education for the educational
edition of the News & Observer, 10
published:
The county commencement, great
countrywide assemblage OF school
children, in which graduation exer-
c;ses for the elementary schools are
held and certificates granted to sew
enth grade graduates, school exhibits
are displayed, and athletic and liter
arv contests are participated in by
the children, has come during the past
three years to be the greatest single
agency for the advertisement of edu-
cation and the greatest single agency
for the advertisement of education
and the building up of strong anu
loyal public sentiment for this the
public's greatest work.
Besides being a vast and powerful
propaganda for public education, the
county commencement exerts real
influence in the making of rural edu-
cation more efficient by reason OF the
standardizing effect which it has upon
the work of the individual schools and
teachers through the operation of
the county examination which the
candidates for graduation from the
seventh grades stand before they are
given certificates.
The first county commencement In
North Carolina was held in 1911, 'buS
il the three years since that time the
movement has grown until nearly half
Of the counties have adopted the plan.
forty-one counties holding commence
ments this year. In these forty-one
commencemnts, about $500 gradu-
ates of the seventh grades of the ele-
mentary schools received certificates
signed by the county superintendent,
ard an aggregate of about $4,000
school children. of all ages participated
il the events, marching in the pa
rades, taking part in the contests.
The History of the County Commence
ment.
The county commencement is prac-
ticed only in North Carolina and, to
a lesser extent, in one or two OF the
States of the Middle West. In the
distinctive form in which it is found
in this State, however, it is an in
digeneous Tar Heel product and con-
s1itUtes another of our contributions
t. the practice of rural education. 1t
has sprung from the soil of rura!
Carolina.
The county commencement may be
said to have sprouted from the two
seed ideas, one of which terminated IN
Samson county, the other in Wayne;
the first being the idea of the county
examination for seventh grade pupils
Win certificates presented upon sue
cesstul standing that examination, the
ol@er being the idea of bringing tn