Pocahontas star herald., 1924-10-30
The Opportunity School
Talk made by the Teacher on the open
ing night of an Opportunity School
in Randolph County.

Ialk made by the Teacher on the open
ing night of an Opportunity School
in Randolph County.
Friends and patrons of the district:
l have asked you to meet me here
tonight that we might discuss the sub
iect of an Opportunity School in our
community. As the opportunity or
adult school movement is comparative
ly new in this state you will natural
ly ask, What is an opportunity
school| ] might answer, "A place and
time set apart for adults. where an
instructor, usually the day school
teacher, gives assistance in learning
that which they never knew and re-
freshing and reviewing the fundamen-
tai principles of early childhood school
days"
Second, many inquire, why an OPP
portunity school?" My reply is, that
many of us were deprived of education
al advantages in our youth. We have
been accustomed to resign ourselves
to an adverse fate and conclude, THAT
settles it," What we did not learn
then we can never know.
But this idea is now obsolete. Visit
the higher institutions of learning.
There you will see the middle aged as
class mates of the youth-father and
son, mother and daughter receiving
the same instruction and granted di-
plomas at the same graduation exer-
cises. Many are coming into their own
and just realizing youths early ambi-
tions, though the spring tide of life
is past.
The world has progressed at a rapid
rate since our school days, new ideas,
new methods, new inventions have been
introduced. Many great and good men
and women have lived, moved and
passed off the stage of life since we
closed the book on our last history
lesson. Many new and startling things
have been learned about the earth, the
air and the sea; in fact, time and
space are almost conquered.
We teachers and parents must keep
abreast of the times. We do well if
we can do this with every branch of
art and science progressing as never
before. Some of us have children
whose education is even now in ad-
vance of our own.
What mother has not returned to
her household duties with sigh, as
the kiddies left the door at school time
of a morning; what father has not
looked longingly after the group, as
he turned again to his pIow, as they
wave daddy goodby as they troop
along the road; wishing that they too
might go with them to the little red
school house?'
But the cares and responsibilities
of maintaining family now rest on
us and we would not place it on young
er shoulders if we could. Yet, while
giving son and daughter a chance we
can now give ourselves a chance. The
door Of the little red school house and
the heart of its teachers are now open
to father and mother as well.
The world looks with pity Oh the
ignorant, the helpless, the failures in
life; the parasite who always has a
favor to ask" is stunned by the social
and business world. On the other
hand the successful, the ambitious,
command respect and admiration of
their fellow men.
We once thought that opportunity
called on us only one time in life and
failure to respond to her knock at
our door meant failure for life. Now
we know that each day brings an op-
portunity for higher and better things.
It takes some degree Of intelligence,
however, to recognize opportunity
when we meet her in the road
Then, that we may be better equip
ped for our life work in the community
and in the home; that we may create
and maintain an educational fitness to
be the parents of our children, let us
apply ourselves to our school work as
never before, bearing in mind that,
The busy world shOves angrily aside
the man who stands with arms akimbo
set, until occasion tells him what to do.
And he who waits to have his task
marked out shall die and leave his
errand unfulflled." Evalyn SissOn.