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THE YOUNG SOUTHERNER
All communications and contributions intended
for this department should be addressed to Mrs.
Louise T. Hodges, 83 East Avenue, Atlanta, Ga.
Much interest has been awakened by the prize
essay contest which has been inaugurated by the
Georgia Division of the U. D. C. among the schools
of the State, and the co-operation of many of the
county school commissioners has been enlisted.
The object of the contest is amost laudable one—
the arousing of interest among young people in the
study of history, especially the history of the war
between the States and the causes leading to it.
The subject of the essays in this contest is: “The
Main Events of 1861, their Importance and Influ
ence.”
It is, of course, desirable and important that
our boys and girls should learn the truth of the his
tory of this particular period; but the contest will
do more than bring about a better knowledge of the
events of 1861. It will stimulate a taste for the
study of history in general, and thus the benefits
will become far-reaching.
In line with this contest is another set on foot
by the U. S. D. 1812. The subject of this contest
is “Andrew Jackson, His Life and Character.”
Study of the lives of great and good men must
impress the mind of youth and prove a moral
stimulus by creating a spirit of emulation and es
tablishing worthy ideals.
The editor of the Young Southerner is in sympa
thy with all plans and methods that tend to inter
est young persons in any branch of wholesome
study, and believes that the various contests now
claiming attention will be the means of starting
into development much latent talent.
President Roosevelt is credited with giving
hearty indorsement to the Public School Athletic
League, and in accepting the honorary vice presi
dency of the League, he is quoted as saying:
“I feel that in promoting athletics among school
children along the sane and healthy lines, it has
followed, a service of the utmost importance is be
ing rendered. I see that you allow no boy to com
pete in your games who is not up to the average
in studies and deportment, and that you seek to
impress upo nthem the fact that part of the char
acter of every honorable athlete is to despise all
that is mean or base.”
In his indorsement of athletics, the President
is, no doubt, right. Whatever gives a boy (or a
girl) a chance for exercise, especially in the open
air, is so much to his advantage every way. Exer
cise promotes health, and healthy body is conduc
ive to soundness of mind and morals.
When healthful physical exercise is combined
with the gaining of useful knowledge, as will be
the case if the plans for the corn and cotton grow
ing contest as originated by the University of Geor
gia are carried to fulfillment, the advantages are
greatly increased.
Apart from the pleasure of producing something
of value, and from the stimulus of competition for
the winning of the prizes, this corn and cotton con
test has a distinct educational value.
The study of scientific agriculture will do much
to awaken the contestants to the dignity, pleasure
and profit of tilling the soil and kindred occupa
tions, and bring them into that close communion
with nature from which flow some of the sweet
est pleasures of life.
Thoroughbred.
One evening during summer, a trolley car, well
filled with ladies and gentlemen was boarded by a
party consisting of three young women, and as
many young men. The young women, conspicuous by
reason of evening dress, and their loud talk and
manner, took seats at the front of the car. (Seats,
Conducted by Louise Threete Hodges.
by the way, vacated and tendered by gentlemen).
After a glance around the car, one of the young
ladies remarked: “There are just three thorough
breds on the car.”
One of her companions, evidently recollecting the
escorts, quickly corrected, “No, there are six.”
And, then these young women, one of them the
daughter of a wealthy and prominent club woman,
and the other two members of families also promi
nent in society, went on in loud voices discussing
themselves, their prospective evening’s entertain
ment, etc.
Thoroughbred I What a charm the word possesses,
even when applied to horses. And when in refer
ence to men and women what visions of consum
mate grace, nobility, courage, culture and refine
ment it conjures up. We naturally associate the
word with perfection of manners.
Thoroughbred! Three thoroughbreds! What dese
cration of a noble word!
What a pity that the mothers of these fair young
women (their mothers would have blushed for them,
no doubt) had not instilled into them better under
standing of the significance of words and of the
common amenities of life.
In all that car full of persons that summer ev
ening there were only three who gave evidence by
their conduct of being not “thoroughbred,” and
these three arrogantly and ignorantly appropriated
to themselves the title.
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A Girl With Aspirations.
Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 26, 1906.
Dear Editor Young Southerner:
I read your announcement in the first issue of the
Golden Age, and notice that you invite correspon
dence from boys and girls.
I am a young girl, and I have aspirations. I want
to learn things and do things. In other words, I de
sire, -when I am older, to become famous, but I am
not yet sure what I can best succeed at. I have
some talent, I think, for drawing and painting,
but I believe I would like most to write books.
I would like to write some stories and articles
for the Young Southerner, but wish first to see
some from other girls and boys.
My governess thinks I write very good stories
for a girl of fifteen.
If I should decide to be an artist, to make draw
ing and painting my life work, do you think I
ought to give up my other studies and devote my
self entirely to learning that one thing? My gov
erness thinks I ought to finish my education the
first thing, and my grandmother, with w r hom I'live,
says she doesn’t know what is best.
I am going to sign a nom-de-plume, so will call
myself Aspirant.
With Correspondents.
“Aspirant,” I have read your letter with a great
deal of interest, and am glad to know that you have
aspirations. I trust that you will realize your am
bitions and be able to “do things.”
It is not nearly so important, however, that you
should become famous as that you should be useful
—be the means, even if in a small degree, of help
ing the world to grow better.
It is not wrong, however, to desire fame, and if it
cames to you through worthy deeds, no matter in
what line of effort, it is a reward that you will
have a right to be proud of.
Your governess is entirely right. By all means,
finish your education, no matter what you do af
terwards. You will find a thorough education the
best basis for any “life-work” that you may
choose.
Os course, if you decide to be a paintner, you
can keep that in mind and do special work and
study in that direction, but, by all means, if you
The Golden Age for March 8, 1906.
have opportunity, get a thorough all-round educa
tion.
I shall be glad to have your stories for the Young
Southerner.
Bill’s Idea of a Proper World.
If I could make the world, I would
Not make a salty sea.
I’d fill it up with lemonade
And let in children free.
On every mountain, cape and stream,
I’d print its name, so we
Would never have to study them
In a geography.
Addition and division I
Would not have made at all.
I wouldn’t have a thing but games
For children that are small.
I guess if I made such a world,
It would be fine to see,
And all the children that there are
Would say “Hurrah” for me.
—Herald and Presbyter.
The American Civil War.
It revealed its terrible convulsions, an epitome of
the spirit, morals and temper of the American peo
ple, evolving and developing, as such a momentous
-crisis must, their lofty, their debased and their
hopelessly indifferent qualities. Patriotism, self
sacrifice, devotion and unselfishness, were as con
spicuous feaures of both sides, as unfortunately
were also treachery, monstrous selfishness and every
other form of moral obliquity. * * * * And they
went, and they fought, and duty inspired the one
and love the other, and their heroism was no less,
and the angel of Death oft descending upon them
lying side by side, beneath the sombre pines of Vir
ginia, could award to neither the inviduous palm
of victory, for both had bravely courted and suf
fered death for what each deemed the right, and
both had immortalized American manhood.
A Diplomat.
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Dallas Graded School.
The Dallas Graded School is a progressive in
stitution, and now has two hundred pupils in at
tendance. Within the last two years our citizens
have erected a nice concrete school building, and
Superintendent H. H. Ezzard has doubled his
corps of teachers. Mr. H. B. Ritchie is principal of
the High School. Now we have two male teachers
in our school—alumni of the State University.
Among the lady teachers, we have two Normal
ites, one alumnae of LaGrange College, and a grad--
uate of Wesleyan for music teacher.
Our school is an accredited school of the univer
sity of Georgia, and her state agent, Mr. J. S.
Stewart, paid us a visit last week. He gave a most
interesting talk on “Fitness for Success in Life.”
Col. A. J Camp, president of the board, has of
fered a permanent gold medal for the best speaker
in the High School.
Dr. and Mrs. E. H. Robertson have offered a
scholarship medal to the High School.
And Dr. S. Robertson, a most noted doctor of
Paulding county, has agreed to give ten volumes
of Poe’s works to the pupil of the sixth grade
making the highest average.
Dallas will again enter the Northwest Georgia
Oratorical contest which will be held at Buchanan,
Ga., April 13th.
Find your purpose, and fling your life out to it,
and the loftier your purpose is, the more sure you
will be to make the world richer in every enrich
ment of yourself.—Phillips Brooks.
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