The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-09-01
Favors Instead County Issue of
100000 for the Establishment
Of a Central High School Locat-
ed at Dawson. Gives Views.

The Dawson News: l trust l may
be pardoned for thus coming into
nr;nt and seeming to disagree with
some of my thinking fellow citizens
about a subject which should be para
mount in the minds OF all of us when
the future of our town and county IS
to be considered.
have ever felt deep and abiding
interest in everything which means the
unlift of Dawson and Terrell county
in an educational way. Nothing, IN
tbe long run. means half so much to
any town, county or community as
constant pushing of the cultivation OF
tbe minds of the youth in every pos
sible way.
If is recognized fact that but a
comparatively small per cent OF the
bows and girls of any average commu-
nitv. such as ours, ever have an OPP
portunitv to go beyond the limits OF
their town or county for educational
am sure, therefore, that few will
DENY that it should be made possible
for anv boy or girl to be in easy
reach in his or her own surroundings
Of at least a first class high school ed
ncation This we haven't had in long
fine and it will require the eXpendl-
t,,re Of some thousands of dollars to
bring this possibility.
If is therefore "the substance and
not the shadow" which we should ann
at 7 concede to no man greater love
for symmetry and beauty than | think
possess. but these things in educa-
fional matters, when given first place,
at least. constitute the shadow ana
not the Substance" | have been read
ing of the steps the school board OF
our city is proposing to take IN the
matter of having bond issue tor the
Identification Of our school grounds.
This is well, but there is something
lust now far more important as
view the matter, viz: the erection OF
a proper structure, centrally located
in the county (and that means in Daw-
SOM for genuine high school,
which school would give to every boy
and girl in our county the easy posi-
biEtv OF a comparatively finished edu-
cation. e,
The greatest objection to the public
school TO me. has always been that
there is graduation before real prepar-
alton for much OF anything, when Il
comes to a boy or girl coming in lie
against real competition in profession
al or business lie. When he or she
graduates in the average public school
but a mere beginning OF an education
Is had If the so-Called graduate de-
slres to enter the profession or teach
ing where can he or she ind the school
which will offer the position but the
ordinary old-fashioned cross roads
school. something which consolidation
OF schools is rapidly RELOCATING to the
rear?
Suppose we employ teacher in our
public school who probably has been
the unfortunate possessor OF uneducat-
ed narents. hence has not had the ad-
vantage of educated home training to
saw nothing of the lack OF proper
school training, what have you gotF
Only teacher whose ability to teach
Is Of such nature as that the year your
child spends under her or him Will be
or more harm than good to the child,
Your school serves to such teacher
as but kindergarten Tor her own
training. Even if he or she has lew
months in one of our summer normal
schools. while in some better trim Tor
teaching the real educated teacher IS
not there
What we need first of all is sure
enough high-schooi, one which Will
place our county on the map as an
educational center which will in a" few
wears give us an educated citlzenry
that can compete in all lines with men
and women of all other communities.
What we want III the nature OF a high
school is Just what Dawson had lit
tie more than forty years ago, when
dear old Professor McNulty, the
greatest educator that has ever resided
in southwest Georgia, was at the head
of your school, when boy could ad-
vance in mathematics to the higher
branches OF arithmetic, to university
algebra, through a finished course in
not only geometry but trigonometry
and surveying, plain and spherical, II
desired. In the lie languages
through not only. Virgil, as | under
stand is only possible now, but
through Cicero, Horace and Livy and
Tacitus, if wanted. In the living Ian
guages French, German and Spanish
they being the most apt to be useful
in life to the professional or business
man of this country.
This describes the kind of high
school to which we should aspire and
should at once take steps to realize
All this will cost money and not q