The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1919-10-22
Richmond Dis
trict School
Letter.
Dear Yellow w rkers:

meeting at Norton. "What
was the best thing you got from
the meeting?" asked a young
teacher-ono who had attended
such gathering for tho first
time. "Well," she said, 81 got
u great deal-but the biggest
thing-L hardly know how to
express it. You see it's like
this: Before the meeting l tel,
that | was working alone at
my little school. The meeting
made me realize that there are
Il great many others doing the
same kind of work and that we
are all working under the di-
rection of leaders. 1t makes
me have an entirely different
feeling about my work" |
wonder after all ifthis young
lady's selection of the big value
of the meeting for her would
not DO that of most of us. We
get information and,inspiration
ut the meetings; but this sense
of comradeshlp, of being fellow
workers for the good of the
children and the communities
entrusted to us is certainly one
of the great things. Each OF
us is link i'll Il great chain.
Each is Il member of the great
fraternity If one does well
his work the interests of the
state and of the nation will be
well served in the preparation
of the boys and girls of the
county for citizenship. We
will not fail.
Another importan. ITEM of
the meeting was the announce.
mcnt of the school fair to be
held April % aud 81 next
spring. At this time the work
Ot ali the schools of the county
will be on exhibit at Coeburl.
There will be IL varied program
of spelling matches, and literary
contests. Doubtless there will
be published iii the near future
full statement of rules govern
ing the contests. AS the schools
IN different classes compete in
separate groups, the teacher of
Il one room school has as good
chance tor competition as has
Il pupil of high school. feel
sure that the teachers of this
district will DO their best to
coax Il reasonable number OF
the prizes to Richmond district
Now is the time to begin.
And many words of wisdom
and inspiration were spoken
that will give lis higher ideals
of our work and courage to
reach out after those ideals.
Heart talks like those by Pro-
fessors Livesay and Sulfridge
telling early experiences in ru-
raj work when salaries were
$25. 90 month and board 81 90
were full Of interest and com
fort. Professor Burton's adj
dress showing why teachers
salaries have been so low in the
past and how we may hope to
have them improved was clear
and strong. Professor Livesay
presided with grace and digni-
ty. The newly elected presi-
dent of the county association,
Professor Sulfridge, ruade a
strong appeal to the teachers to
do their best for the children in
their charge and not to get dis
couraged about The improve.
ment of any. Altogether Su
perintendent Kelly is to be con
graduated ON getting us fine
program.
And now we are back at our
work. Are we really going TO
do better work because of the
meeting? 1t depends on our
selves If we will select two or
three ideas that appealed to us
and let them modify our daily
practice today and tomorrow
and next week till better hab-
it has been formed we will be
really helped; otherwise there
is danger that the effect of the
meeting will not be lasting.
Emerson says that the strong
est incentive to action is the
sight of action in others. Per-
haps some of us would like to