The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-10-29
A LETTER FROM BUFFALO.
-sditor Union Times:
Would a letter from Buffalo be per

E;ditor Union Times:
Would a letter from Buffalo be per-
nissible? AS principal of Buffalo
graded school, I desire to say few
words by way of introduction. AL
though / have not been at Buffalo
long enough to speak with any marked
degree of intelligence as to the true
status of conditions:
OF course, first of all, 1 am study
ing the school and educational con-
1Hitions, and my letter will be with
pecial reference to these matters.
l have been delightfully."- impressed
With the hospitality accorded since
Icasting our lots among the people of
F,Buffalo. However, we have hardly
1felt ourselves at home yet, as we have
had to accommodate ourselves to doing
light housekeeping in two small
rooms; notwithstanding the fact that
we have been fortunate in being asso-
ciated with one of Buffalo's best fam
lilies.
Our new home will be completed in
very few days. With its completion,
Buffalo Graded school will have one of
the prettiest principals home in our
knowledge. That the mill authorities
under whose supervision the hcme is
being erected have taken length
Iftep forward in improving the school
conditions at this place can not be
denied. We are hoping, however, that
this is the first step of many steps that
are to be taken in the way of school
Improvement until the people of Buff
falo can boast of one of the best grad
ed mill schools of the State. Judging
from the interest the trustees and
others are taking in the work of the
school the day is not far distant when
much of our cherished hopes may be
realized.
+ We have recently organized Rural
School Improvement association, but
= ave taken no active steps beyond
planning for an entertainment for
raising funds to be applied to school
and community Improvement.
1t is our purpose that the school
spirit reach out and take hold of the
life of the community, otherwise the
school cannot be said to measure up
its possible best. The school of all
things, can least afford to remain iso-
lated from the life of the community
In which it is located. The school
spirit should be so developed that it
should be made the center of not only
the educational but the social life. But
more along this line later.
Having spent ID years in the school
work among our mill people and hav-
ing seen in my own experience many
of our mill boys and girls enter great
er fields of usefulness and mount to
higher rungs upon the ladder of sue
cess as they have been willing to take
advantage Of just such opportunities
for an education as were put within
their reach. / am convinced that
trained mind means more to our mill
boys than to any other class of boys.
The time has been when most of the
people who moved to our {'ndustriel
centers come only to btSfsr their
- ,pcial condition. At THAI tine very
'HtSI stress, If any at 7afi,' as placed
upon schools at the mills. \ But the
schools have so much improved at
our mills that you frequently hear
people say they move to the mills to
get better school advantages. Why
not? Most of our mill schools continue
nine months and the shortest school
terms at the mill are longer than
most country schools.
With the improvement of school
conditions at our mills has come the
true idea that all honest toll, wherever
it be, is crowned with true dignity,
and that the only ignoble things are
sin and ignorance.
In order that the people of Buffalo
may have still better educational ad-
vantages we are considering opening
night school. The idea seems to
be new one, but there is no reason
why Buffalo should not have as good
a night school as any mill town in the
State.
We can not close this already
lengthy communication without COM
mending the school, the teachers and
all the people of Buffalo for their no
BILE efforts in having Buffalo Graded
school to be represented at the county
fair. Although the judges for reasons
of their own made no honorable men
tion of the school float from this place,
they feel amply repaid for their eff
forts in knowing that no committee
has the power to rob them of the high
estimation in which their efforts are
held by an appreciative public.
pROMINENT EXJNCTnN MAN