The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-02-23
Durham County a Leader in
Education Progress
cauO eSsd WoIJ panunuoOt

the relation of geology TO the SOILS
water supply, crops, etc. giving 10
geology a practical application that
tho ordinary man can comprehend
and feel interested in The ootaniS'
deals in things hat include bacterl-
oIogy for the housewife. tie professor
of history refers to the iocat-comhaa-
| nifty as a field for the historian. and
possibly nothing comes nearer the
/ mark thar Prof. Walkers lecture on
how to meet the newer demands on
| the school.
All these things go to show that the
| school system of North Carolina ls
| undergoing some marked changes as
! well as making progress from the
| University clear down TO the primary
| school at the cross roads, and all snow
| equally plain that the State is aroused
in all sections, and on every social
plane. 1t is evident that the people
are gradually taking into their hands
the work that they have beeen get
ting into their heads, that there Is a
by having schools that will teach boys
and girls things that are TO be help
full in life.
Things That Spell Progress.
In looking over the oddities about
the Durham county school system that
tell of progress things like these are
noticed: Besides the farm life teach
ers four domestic science teachers are
included in the force in the town
ships. These are at four different
points. The mail system of the coun-
| ty is illustrated by the fact that over
thirty Of the teachers i've on rural
mail routes. Rural telephones run
all over the county. Good roads are
extending in all directions. Some
thirty library managers are listed on
the public % roster The schools
in their fall exhibits bring together
the products of the children giving
an insight into the activity Of the
students in the material progress Of
life as we'll as in the theorics A pic
4 ture of the Redwood school, built two
or three years ago, shows that IN
front of the house is q big tobacco
field, further evidence that the school
and the farm are in about as close
touch as is possible. Here and there
the school houses nave added pianos
to the equipment. Bethesda reports
the organization Of a Wonaan's Better
ment Association. Mineral Springs
has a Betterment Association, a do
nestle science and a music teacher.
The White and the Shambly schools
have doubled their attendance since
voting special taxes in 1910. AT Glenn
school the assembly hall is equipped
with opera chairs and piano and a
farm life school is in view. Lake
wood in 1908 voted a special tax and
has increased from one teacher &c
four.
Cooperation.
Every thing in Durham county is
working together to put illiteracy out
and to put efficiency in. The FRS
National Bank of Durham helps alons
by giving the Bahama high school 9
complete cooking outfit for the do
nestle science school. The Erwin mills
nrOUIda6 tho 6nrpoCfi1 co;orno o,-;o
ment for the West Durham school
and considerable of the cost of run
ming h department. The farm dem
onstration work under tie Depart
ment Of Agriculture works in connec
ton with the farm life schools. TIL,
Whole effort on the part Of everybod,
is to make the schOol system as com
prehensive and effective as possible.
superintendent Massey has som,
original ideas about the rural prob
lem. He argues that the back to tn,
farm talk is not going to AXE man,
people back to the farm. and esne
clally in a county like Durham wher
the town is constantly making de
mands on more people from som
place The contrary is certain to b
the case. Instead of people goin
back to the farm they are in all like
uhood gong to the city from tn
farm IN the future as III the DIST an
he argues that the only wav To kea
the people on the farms is to max
farm life better and more eniovabl,
His theory is that the public schoe
must be made the center about whic
community spirit can be fostered r
obtain this object good school ho,,se
are necessary, and the county has bee
q getting them along with the 1.-THE
~conveniences of rural life. This wis
educator says civilization travels SLOW
~ over bad roads, but that people wi
to be glad to settle on good roads RI.
in lead to good schools. That is a noir
for other school communities to cor
r. slider.
IS MI Massey INSISTS that literary CT
~c1eties, tomato and corr clubs ,e.
a lures, meetings of the farmers an
he community gatherings Of vario,
by sorts, VIII best be served hu the 49,