Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WIHA T SBEI TO IMPRO A dress by Mrs. Mary Nanc of Teachers Gives Insight At the recent gathering of teachers n Columbia an interesting address vas made by Mrs. Mary T. Nance )aniel, retiring president of the Ru -al School Improvement association. drs. Daniel has taken an active part n this work for years, and there ore her remarks will prove of much ilue. They are given -below: Henry Ward Beecher once said: "In America there is not a single ele ment of civilization that is not made to depend in the end on public opin ion." Public opinion is the most im portant factor in the support of our schools; for no system of educationi can succeed unless there is behind . the cooperative sentiment of the peo ple. Whatever agency promotes the crystallization of public sentiment along lines of better educational facil ities should receive the hearty sup port of all right minded people. Realizing the crying need of an awakened public sentiment in favor, of better conditions in our schools, and especially in our rural schools, the first rural school improvement as sociation in this State was organized by Dr. D. B. Johnson, with the senior class of Winthrop as members, in 1902. Search through' the State, if you will, and you would hardly find it questioned by any thoughtful -person that the South Carolina Rura.l School Improvement association blaz ed the trail along lines of education al activity heretofore largely . over looked and neglected. Some have gone so far as to say that it has done more than any other agency in South Caro linto to build up a sentiment for im proving the country schools. Per haps it would not become us to claim so much as these enthusiasts credit a us with; but I think we all may justly feel proud of the work it has done! for rural uplift. Its Mfembership. From a few normal college girls in 1902, the association has grown to a membership of more than 10, 000. And these members are dynamic factors for rural uplift in all the term implies. Their sentiment of loyalty to community life is such that no ef fort is made to rob the country of those things that make it homelike; but every effort is made to improve the conditions of the old home neigh borhood, and to enthuse the dwellers 'there with such loyalty for the- home that, as a result, in scores of country communities throughout the State there are homes with all the city ad vantages and also with advantages not possible in a city-God's broad acres and pure air for developing healthy girls and boys, without city \temptations and distracting influ'enc There is no good reason why the farmer may not have daily mail, elec Stric lights, waterworks 'id other city - ,onveniences, with his touring car to spin into the city whenever he pleas es. I see more opportunity for real living in its true sense for those who dwell in the country, have their own farm, garden, milk, butter, beef, pork, etc., than I do for those who dwell in crowded city flats, with every move dependent upon issuing a check and r- hemmed in by conditions that can never atone for the loss sustained by deserting the old home neighborhood and seeing it go down in charge of in dolent negro tenants. "Back to the farms" has become a national cry and it speaks the sober thought of those who feel a crying need, emphasized by the exodus from country to town that, unchecked, must sooner or later undermine the true foundation of all our wealth; for Sargriculture is the basis of all wealth. How much better it is -to do the work the school improvement association strives to do,' instead of crying out Sfor those who have left to go back to the farms, simply build up there a sentiment for better living and bet ter serving that will keep on the farms those already there, by build ing better homes to live in, better schools to study in, better benches to sit upon, better roads to travel over, better churches to worship in in short, give,those dwelling in the *country, the best the world affords, through sensible cooperation. The Development. Through the efforts of members of the association and those? associated with them in the work fro:n time to time, gradually th attention of wide awake forces, from the university down to the local rural commu::iti>s, has been rtune to the nossibilities for developing andt improving the ru The association ha glady we clcom ed into :he field every force that promised ~id in buiidin~ up the co un NVG DONE VE SCHOOLS e Daniel at Recent Meeting Into Some of the Work. try schools, the country homes, and that promised in any wise way to enrich rural life. With a community once fired with the right kind of en thusiasm, we have welcomed and en couraged local initiative. Some of the best ideas that have helped rural communities have in some sense been spontaneous outbursts of a popular enthusisam that became dynamic and effective under the wise leadership of some local teacher or citizen who kindled in the neighborhood' a light nobody before had dreamed could shine so brightly in the rural dis tricts. Such leadership has develop ed interior decoration, school libra ries, better teachers, -better pay with longer terms, consolidated schools, lowered taxation, and, above all, made the school nore thoroughly the cen tre of intellectual and social life of the community by wise cooperation of the farmer and his family with the teacher. The ultimate aim of the association is to reach the home of every pupil that comes into the school. I chal lenge anybody to cite a community anywhere in the State that supports a progrp.ssive school and fails to show advancement along all lines of com munity life. You can trace the de velopment of dozens of communities throughout South Carolina by the steady development of their local schools, presided over by thorough teachers who realized the vast oppor tunities they had for stamping upon the lives of these communities lessons that would grow into richer fruition with the passin'g years. Lore For the Beautiful. Ex-President Eliot of Harvard uni versity uttered a great truth when he said: "The best place to inculcate the love of the beautiful is in the school room. To the rising generation the most effective lessons can be given, and from the schools millions of chil dren will carry the lessons to millions of homes." During the last two decades a great many farmers-parents with children to educate-have left their farms and moved into the little towns that have sprung up along the railroad lines. Their prime motive for doing this was indeed a worthy one-to put their children in school; but there is no doubt that in many instances results have not justified the wisdom of such a course, for by it these parents were taken away from the only business for which both, habit and training had fitted them, and they became loafers. While the children were indieed put in school, still they were subjected, to harmful influences and temptations ter do wrong~ such as they had never dreamed of and to resist which their previous quiet lives in the country had by no means prepared them. Thus, both parents and children found that they purchased school privileges at a very dear c6st, indeed. Then, *too, the home community lost by such emigration-farms left to tenants went down, values depreciated, and those left in the country found it more difficult than ever to keep up the neighborhood school. How much better it would have been, and how much cheaper, for all to have joined hands and worked for the upbuilding of the home school-the one common interest around which every white citizen could and should rally, and the greatest unifying influence any rural community could haveto have cultivated a proper pride in their school, to have spent theii- declining years peacefully at the old homestead, and to have educated their children in the -pure, healthful atmosphere of the country! All this would have re sulted if the improvement of our rural school had received the attention its importance demands. The best pe ple of our country communities would have remained on their farms and lad happier, more peaceful le, their farms would have improved instaad of going to waste, our country churches would have kept pace with these other improvements-society in every pha.se would have felt the for ward impetus,/and civilization would have moved upward. But if this mi gration to towns and factor>.- cot~ tinues, many sections that could' ha~ve shown a happy, contented and pros perous people will sCO'1 be given over to indolent negro renants. W\hat if the State, as a whole, should boom? richer by the building up of its towns and factori:s! What if the wealth cf the whole is increased by this exodus~ from the farms! I: is sth. ia em that "Ill fares the' land, to hastening illa a prey, Where wealth accumulates anid :uen decay." What Can be Dqne We as an organized body are try ing to make school houses homes, not hovels; places of beauty, not places of ugliness; places of comfort, not places of discomfort; places of clean liness, not places of uncleanliness. Such conditions can and should be realized in every school in South Car olina, whether it be in town, city orj country district. It does not require much money to bring this about, but it does require interest, effort and sympathetic cooperation. This coop eration is what we have tried hardest to secure, and the people hav re sponded nobly. Each year definite work along vari ous lines has been planned and pro moted. For several years the State association has offered prizes t the school of the State making the most decided material improvement dnr ing a given length of time. The wo:1 derful results from year to year have amply justified the wisdom of this plan. For two years, the money for these prizes was secured from the Peabody board, and for the past three years the money has been given by the State legislature. In 1908 the library act was so amended as to give to the association the surplus of the library fund, for prizes. The State board- of education granted $2,000 to the asso ciation for that year, and the same amount for 1909. Last year, the board granted $3,000 which was of fered in 50 prizes--10 of $100 each and 40 of $50 each. Schools from al most every county in the State en tered the contest. There were 87 ap plicants, and it was with great diffi culty that the committee made the awards. I wish it were possible to give s6me of these splendid reports in full, but time will not permit. It is estimated from the reports made that during the year material improvements to the amount of more than $100,000 were made by the com peting schools. Could $3,000 have been better invested anywhere? Sup pose the teachers present carry home these figures for their pupils to work out the percentages realized by the State on this investment. And do not forget that each of these 87 communi ties throughout the State received in spiratipn that will keep on yielding the'commonwealth a dividend in many ways we can not estimate in dollars and cents. Work of Field Agent. Through the generosity of the Pea-. body bodrd, the State educational campaign committee was enabled to employ a field agent fo'r the associa tion, whose work since .last April will be reported by her at this meeting. Since her work has been that of or ganizing associations th.roughout the State, I will not touch on that line of work, as it will be fully covered in her report. I am glad to announce to the asso ciation that 'the Pea,body board has provided funds for a field agent for our association next year. A bulletin of general information and interes*t was issued by the field agent during the year. Copies may be had upon application to her. We are gratified at the results ac complished during the year; but I believe that the future holds still greater possibilities in store. Recommendations. Therefore, I make the following recommendations: 1. That the county associations be reorganized and encouraged on wise plans for putting them on a safe fi nancial basis. 2. That it be the duty of the field agent to aid in reorganizing these associati'ons and, through enlisting the help of teachers and public spirit Ied women, to get local associations organized and interest stimulated. 3. That the field agent, organizers and officers of county associations prevail upon the public-spirited men and women of each county to offer prizes to th.e rural schools of their re spective counties for the greatest pro gress made in material improvement, attendance, school exhibits, ete., dur ing a- given length of time. For in stance, a set of garden tools for the best school garden, handsome picture or set of b)ooks for the best library, or, if cash prizes be given, let the money be spent in further improve Iment of the school. 4. That the treasurer collect all dues of the State association at least one month before the next annual meeting. 5. That junior brancnes of tfle as sociation be organized in every local community where it is possible. Work of Prof. Tate. 6. That the association place itself ont record as being in thorough sym paty wvith the work of Prof. W. K. Tlate, supervisor of elemnentary rural schools, and with the work of Miss ~ea Russoll, county suplervisor of rural schools, and earnestly recomn mend that, as soon as practicable, a supervisor be p)lace in each county of th State Furter, that the asso ^HICAGO E. ST. LOUIS MoRRI1 I "SUPREME" and "SOUTHERN BI, BRANDS The farmer m tributors to insur< izers, has wasted : mechanical condit distributor freely spotted crop with The absolute] "Southern Big' make of distributor, and proi bulk of fertilizer to the t They are quick, constant a the soil in wet weather nor 1i< enabled to make the plant pro< great loss of shedding to a sm; Just remember the names, and tell your dealer that you t A. D. 'Hudson, Newberry, S. C., Smi S. C., J. S. Wessinger, Chapin, S. C ciation place itself on record as be ing heartily in favor off the corn club and tomato club work. 7. That each county association of fer -to a rural teacher of its county a free trip to the: next annual meet ing of the State Teachers' association, for the best essay written on "Rural Sanitation" before March 1, 1912. 8. That the association request the I State board of education to grant $3,000ofor prizes for next year. Permit me to call special attention to the efficient work of' the officers, the executive committee and the cunty organizers for the year just losing; for .without their loyal sup ort and cooperation the work could ot have prospered. To those whom I have just men oned; to our State superintendent of edlication, who has given our field gent a place in his office, from which t> work; to our ~State educational cmpaign committee for making pos sible the work done by our field gent; to the legislature and State oard of education, together with all he men, women and children of outh Carolina who h.ave given us heir coperation, I e'xtend my heart felt thanks. It has been a pleasure to serve the citizens of the State n this reat battle for~ the betterment- of ural conditions,I A Farewell 3Iessage. And now, fellow workers, in declin ng to stand for reelection as your resident, I wish from the depths of , warm and sympathetic heart to, thank you for your loyalty through out the years I have served you and served with you. The grea.t work we 'et out to accomplish is not yet all done. There are still many places in our dear old State that needs the uickening touch of sympathetic' tearts and willing hands. There may not be the maximum amount of1 glamour and no'toriety for those who I pend their days building up the by I ays and hedges; but, somehow, I think that the sturdy sons of soil who. cling to' the old home neighborhood cause they love it, and because those brooks sing the sweetest music to their ears, and those breezes blow the gentlest to their haonest brows, have souls that can be made to shine as brightly in the diladem of Amer-i1 can citizenship and lives that can e made as useful as any that W'alk paved streets. But they feel that they have missed something in life; that the world rushes on past them, and but few hands are reached out to lift' them up and give them a chance in ife. There is no use to bemean these rugged folk and say they should move to another and different neighbor hood; that is their home. Carry them I the sympathy they need-let them un- I derstand that you 'come not to criti cise, but to help; enter into the prob lems they have to solve, and one of 4 these days you will feel more warmth of heart at seeing these boys climb- 1 jug up in life's; struggle than can be! measured by a few extra dollars that you might have gotten elsewhere, with less opportunity for doing good. For I reck.on that the rural builders of this broad world have been teach ers that have caught a higher concep tion of life's meaning than can be, naured in dollars and cents. Whn you elected mue a year ago,~ in my absence, and sent the news ov-! or the wires, I realized that tiN ali came from hearts, true and loyal, so KANSAS CITY S. J RTILUZE R I ZNUFACTURERS OR BL ATLANTA, GA. rho invests in the latest appro, a perfect stand and an even, 1 is money unless he buys a feri ion; for a damp, gummy fertil enough to give a uniform dist imperfect stands. y perfect mechanical conditi< 'Brands insure a perfectly uni notes even stands. Being dr on than you get by buying Lnd lasting crop feeders, and dc dormant in periods of droutl luce and retain its fruit to matu ll point. "SUPREME" and "SOUTHE ant them. FCR SALE BY th Mercantile Co., Kinards, S. C., Sb Jas. H. Eargle, Pomaria, S. C. ork has not been easy, but you hav4 belped to make it pleasant. I thani you all again, and pray heaven': prosperity upon the great work ye to be done. My abiding interest wil rollow your deliberations from tim+ to time, and I hope still to be helpfu to those interests that have brough into my life some of the dearest, tru st friendships any one ever had. wish for each of you the blissful dawi Af a resplendent and everlasting to morrow. southern Educational Conference Jacksonville, Fla., April 19 to 21 1911. On account of the above occasio2 he Atlantic Coast Line Railroad com any has authorized special low rate tpril 17 and 18, with' final limit tick ts to reach original starting poin ot later than midnight of April 30. For rates and information apply ti earest agent, or to T. C. White, gen ral passenger agent, Wilmington, l' ~oumbia, Newberry & Laurens J. E Schedule in effect October 6, 1310 ubect to change wigout notice ~chedules indicated are not guaran teed: A. C. L. 52. 53. Lv. Charleston.. ... .0am 10.00pn Lv. Sumter.. .. ... 9.4am 6.20pn C., N. &L. Lv. Columbia.... ..11.5am 4.55pn Lv. Prosperity .. .12.42pm 3.34pn Lv. Newberry.. ...12.56pm 3.20pn Lv. Clinton.... .... 1.0pm 2.35pn Lv. Laurens.. ..... 2.5pm 2.12pn C. &W. C. Ar. Greenville. . .. 4.00pm 12.20pn ~r. Spartanburg. .. 4.05pm 12.2Opn , S. A.L. Ar. Abbeville .. .. 3.55pm 1.02pn Ar. Greenwood.. .. 3.27pm 1.33pn jr. Athens.... .... 6.5pm 10.30an r. Atlanta...... .8.45pm 8.00an A. C. 'L. 54. . 55. Lv. Columbia.... .. 5.0pm 11.15an Lv. Prosperity. . .- .. 6.26pm 9.50an Lv. Newberry.. .... 6.44pm 9.32an Lv. Clinton.... ...7.35pm 8.44an Lv. Laurens.... ...7.55pm 8..20an C. & W. C. Ar. Greenville.. ... 9.20pm 7.00ati S. A. L. Ar. Greenwood.. .. 2.28am 2.38an Ar. Abbeville.... ..2.56am 2.08ani Ar. Athens.. .... .. 5.4am 11.59pu Ar. Atlanta.. .. ...7.5am 9.55pn Nos. 52 and 53 arrive and depar rom Union Station, Columbia, daily nd run through between Charlestoz nd Greenville. Nos. 54 and 55 arrive and depar1 ervais street, Columbia, daily, ex ept Sunday, and run through be ;ween Columbia and Greenville. For information ask agents or write~ W. J. Craig, P. T. M., Wilmington, N. C r. F. Livingston, S. A., *Columbia. S. C. A King Who Left Home et the world to talking, but Paul \Iathulka, of Buffalo, N. Y., says he iways KEEPS AT HOME the King )f all Laxatives-Dr. King's New Lift ills-and they're a blessing to alF is family. Cure constipation, head '. imfligestion, dyspepsia. Only ~7m. E. Peiham & Son's. OSEPH OKLAHOMA CITY OOD, BONE and TANKAGE FERTILIZERS ed styles of planters and dis iniform distribution of fertil ilizer that is in fine and dry izer will not go through any ribution, and the result is a n of our "Supreme" and form distribution through any y, you get a much larger damp and heavy goods. not leach out in Thus they are rity, reducing the RN BIG" Brands ealy & Derrick, Little Mountain, ew "Rock 111" Lightest Running, Most Stylish and Durable on LqPatejntedLong-DistaneSpindles, - oiled without removal of wheels, q Patented Side Spring. ~ qStrongest braced Body made. qNew style Seat. q Every feature of high class make. -, qPhaetons, Surries, Runabouts of2 .same High Quality. qour guarantee your protecton. I ROC I L L" a Postal Card To Us Will Bring An I Ageat To You At Once ROCK HILL BUGGY COMPANY Rock Hill, South Carolia. SUMMER BROS., "Rock Hill" Agents, Newberry, S. C. SREADY MONEY often. puts opportunity within your each. A chance for a. good invest mnent comes sooner or later and if you have the money the pro fit is yours; if not, the other fel low gets it. Open an account with this bank and save systematically, you will then have the READY MON~EY when opportunity comes your way. "We offer you ABSOLUTE SAFETY for your savings, and will allow interest credited quar terly.. BANK OF POMARIA, Z. T. PINNER, V. L SMITH, President. Cashier. R. II. HIPP, Vice-President The Herald and News-the paper e tha give te -news while it is ne'ws.