The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1923-03-29
BOND IN RACE
FOR SUPT. OF
EDUCATION
Present State Superintend-
ent Of Education Adj
dresses Open Letter to
People Of Mississippi.

Jackson, Miss, March 2s-State
Superintendent of Education w. F
Bond has officially announced that
he is a candidate for reelection.
He is a resident of Hattiesburg
and a voter of Forrest county,
having come here from the State
Normal college. The announce
ment follows:
To the People of Mississippi:
| am candidate for reelection
as State Superintendent of Educa-
ton. "a
| choose this medium of telling
the people of the state of my can
didacy and soliciting their cooper
alton and support, because be-
tween now and June | shall be too
busy attending to the business OF
the office to make an active cam
paign. In 1919 you elected me to
serve as your State Superintend-
ent | have been "on the job ever
since took office in 1916 and do
not propose to neglect my duties
now. Until the 100000 school
schildren and 10000 teachers of
the state finish the present school
session and begin their summer
| vacations, my duty is serving them
and I shall continue to do so to
the very best of my ability.
/ have tried to adopt as g cen-
trail rule of life that high ideal of
duty which General Lee held out to-
his son as the cardinal principle of
his life, when he wrote .Duty is
the sublimest word in the English
language"
On the famous Ozark Day. in
New England in 1871 when night
seemed suddenly to descend at
midday and people thought the
end of the world at 'hand, Col.
Abraham Davenport rose in the
Connecticut Legislature to protest
against adjournment. Whittier
thus phrases his words:
). Y. this well may be -s
The day of Judgment which the
world awaits,
But be it SO or not, l only know
My present duty
Let God do His work, we will see
to ours, is &
Bring in the ycandles!"
And so l say to my friends
throughout Mississippi: I intend
10 do my duty here; do your duty
IN your community and get others
10 do theirs and we need not fear
The outcome.
My friends have been wiring
hnd telephoning and writing their
bffers of support. For all these |
I'm profoundly grateful. Until the
bchools close, my candidacy is in
he hands of my friends, and l
hall appreciate every effort ex-
pended in my behalf. After that
late / shall go before the people
% report upon my stewardship.
Even then l do not expect to in
lulge in any personalities what
Iver. The school system of the
state of Mississippi is far too I'M
|ortant in the states life to be
ragged through the mire of fac
ional politics or made the basis
or acrimonious personal issues. l
or one do not expect to commence
My record is an open book.
When I took charge of this office
endeavored to go ahead with the
progressive policies of my pfede-
essor, Hon. w. H. Smith, and to
hitiate others as opportunity was
resented. In 1916 there were 29O
Onsolidated schools in the state.
oday there are ITO. Then there
Eere six teachers homes, today
Ner two hundred. During my
Even year tenure Of office the
ehool term has been increased an
ntire month in length and there
as been a 80 per cent increase In
he enrolment in the white
chools. An equalizing fund OF
bore than a million dollars per
ear has been provided, its constr
htionality. upheld through all the
burts, and the money made avail
Bile for the poor counties so as to
I've every white child an equal
bportunity for an education.
Hon. John J.. Tigert, United
ates Commissioner Of Education,
ated not long ago in a public ad-
tess that Mississippi had made
ore progress educationally In the
st three years than any other
Rte in the Union.
It is upon this record Of con
ructive achievement and worth
hile effort that l stand Tor re-
kction. Favored by your SUI
hge in 1920, have sought al.
lys to serve the best interests Of
the people, and II is with this
pught in mind, and the further
sire to see plans and programs
Feady undertaken carried through
success that I offer for re-elsc.
d as State Superintendent o.
ucation and request the favoi
your influence and support
sineerely your friend
W. +. BOND.