Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-02-04
Moonlight Schools
by MOSES T.. WOOD.
Cllead Department Of Education
Henry Kendall College,


III.
An article i'm the Louisville Cour-
icr-Journal October %. 1872, and
many personal letters to the writer
from moonlight teachers show many
OF the human elements entering into
this work. The teachers were young
In years and experience. but deeply
In sympathy with the people and
their needs. concentrated to the cause
of education and GctcrWined to blot
out illlteracy from county and com
monwcalth, for they had the spirit of
the true missionary Many Of them
who lived far from the schOulhousc
carried two meals and remained from
a. IN. until $3.50 p. m. one, widow,
lived ON a lille mountain farm. arose
early in the morning. dressed her two
little girls oi q and years respec'
lively, got the breakfast millled the
COW. fed the chickens and pigs. did
up the chores. prepared the lunch and
walked three miles to school, where
she taught 6i pupils, representing all
Of tho eight grades. walked back at
cVentde, did the work, prepared the
house for the night, assigned the
evening lessons to be learned. bade
the children good-nirht and walked
back to the schoolhouso three miles
distant to teach 50 adult illteratos TO
read and write. Twelve miles a day,
Sixty four pupils ana 60 moonlight
school pupils TWO lessons each day
and from = in the morning ull $3.50
at night, Teaching the first session
At less than $500 year and the night
sessions for the good she could do to
her friends and nciehhors, Iou who
love stories of brave deeds, You who
are thrilled by the sclt-sacrifice Of
lthc missionary heroes, YOU who are
filled with the purity of the Babe Of
Bethlehem and the love and good will
Cs>emplified by the Man OF Galilee'
what do YOU think of the love shown
by this widow In her little mountain
district In kentucky?
Great REFORM in Language.
4 mountain preacher 80 years old
learned to read ana white, received
his Bible. read 1t and the newspapers
with great joy, and signed the asses
sor's list for the first time after only
four nights instruction. The Rowan
County school Messenger. edited by
Mrs Stewart contained much infor'
nation about current events in the
county. and especially news about
moonlight schools. 1t was very eager
~ read by the newly taught pupils.
When the pupils of Slab Camp
learned that Chestnut Grove had
bought window shades collection
was at once taken up and shades and
curtains went up next day Roads
were improved. bridges were put
across streams that had been forded
for a hundred years. The most in
teresting study was language. The
use Of "crick". 'kiver", git, seed
"hyeard". tuck. "fust'', ''yit', hit.
"skeered", and many others were
pointed out in the jolliest way, caused
great morriment. the pupils We're
taught the correct forms and took the
greatest pride in using them. Many
old men and women said the new
words over and over and over again
to make sure of getting them right
! An aged father and mother, parents
of u children, all of whom had long
since left the family roof-tree, grand
parents of 81 grandchildren, learned
to read and write and wrote letters
to surprise the absent loved ones. y
new Joy a new dignity, n new uplitt,
"A new life!
! In Madison county many tenants
| learned in the moonlight schools, ana
J no one failed. one man. tenant on