The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-08-24
LOYALTY TO HOME INSTI.
TUTIONS.

OuHul 10 give lllOSl lleuIlN en-
dorsement to an article recently
written by our state commission.
er Of agriculture, Hon. W. a.
McRae, under the caption, "I.oy.
atty to Our Home Institutions e"
To the mind of the writer, who
has spent the greater part Of his
active life in educational work,
and who has had opportunity
to investigate the status of the
colleges and universities of Flor.
ida, three pertinent facts are
mentioned by Mr.. McRae, which
ought to be emphasized. There
are good schools in other states"
says Mr.. McRae, "but hey are
no better than we have i'm Flor.
ida. There may be larger build.
inds and more students i'm the
schools of more populo Is states,
but the opportunities for acquir.
ing knowledge are just ms good at
Gainesville, Tallahassee. DcLand.
Winter Park, Lake City, Suther.
land, Tampa, Orlando. Jackson.
vile and other points Of Florida,
rs in other states. Distance. how.
ever, seems to lend cnchantmcnt."
Just so. Many Florida boys
and girls are attending colleges
outside the state that require fire.
quently not more than twelve
units for college entrance. while
practically all of the Florida col.
leges require from fourteen to
sixteen points, most of them six
teen. These requirements are as
high as any in the land And vet,
many fathers and mothers are
cheated by the delus;On that these
out.of.state colleges are superior
to ours.
Again, the faculties in Florida
colleges are composed of men ard
women whose training and ex-
perience are as good as can bel
found i'm any state. There are
very few teachers in our own col
leges who have not received con-
siderable training in the best con.
servatOries and universities of
America and Europe. Wherein,
we ask. do the colleges Of other
states surpass our own? |.
In respect TO the advantages
Young men and women who ex-
pect to live in Florida have by he.
ing educated in their own state. |
Mr.. McRae says: "Boys and girls
who leave Florida and spend
wears awhv from the home state
form acquaintancps whom they
must leave behind whcn they re-
turn comparative strangers to
their own community. Whatever
the calling is that NAV he contem-
plated by boy or girl it is better
to get n knowledge If il among
the people whom thev expect to
live with =" "COnditions are diff
ferent." he continues. ain differ.
cnt states, The laws are different. .
Crops and material resources diff. !
fer. Manufacturing interests are,
different, Therefore, the need Of
young men and women If II state
being educated in their own state
in whatever way !e their bent I !
and at the same time familiariz-
ing themselves with all phases of
life in 4 commonwealth in which .
they are to play a part. This will,
not be an easy matter if the char
acter forming period is spent in
Il different region
If, then, as candid investiga-
ton will clearly show, our FlOri.
da colleges are as good as those
of other states in standards, in
faculties; and if the facilities are
as adequate when the number of
students is considered. what real
cOgent reason can we offer for
sending our boys and girls to ex-
tratestate schools? If sentiment
is to prevail rather than good
sense, should not the sentiment
of patriotism control MS more
than mere fancied idea of great
er reputation and prestige for our
sons and daughters? Many offer
the excuse that their boy or girl
is going to another state to at
tend college on account of health.
and vet they do this in the face
of the fact that they are ont Of
the state during the best months
of the wear, best from the stand
point of health and Of conducive
ness to study-away from a eli
mate which not only Floridians,
L.