The Henry County weekly. (McDonough, GA.) 18??-1934, January 03, 1913, Image 7
SCHOOL NEWS OF HENRY COUNTY. A Department Devoted to the In terests of all the Schools of the County. By 0. 0. Tolleson, County School Superintendent. The School Library. Miss Nettie Gray, Graduate Li brarian. We can never know intimately many great men and women; many of us can never know even one: but through books w r e may come into intimate contact with the best, the wisest, and the great est characters who have adorned humanity in all the ages. Our most influential companions are our own thoughts, and we are helped to get good thoughts, and to form high ideals when we read good books loyingly. We can do more towards forming the char acter of a child through directing his reading than in any other way. Some one has said that education consists in the creation of tastes and the formation of habits. Cer tainly this is true so far as read ing is concerned. A child holds close communion with the characters in the books he loves, and their ideals tend to become his. Shall we then be content to teach a child how to read and ignore the creating of a taste for the right kind of reading? Reading is a means to an end, and not an.end in itself. One is not necessarily much better off for knowing how to read. He may even be the worse because of such knowledge. If he never reads, or if he reads only that which is light and trival, he does not profit large ly from knowing how to read. If he reads only that which is vicious then both he and the community in which he lives are worse off be cause he learned to read. It follows therefore that when children at school are taught how to read, but not what to read, much harm may be done. The child* learns how to read in the reading class, but he cannot well be taught there what to read. It will be chiefly through the use of the library that he learns that, if he learns it at all at school, and in the majority of cases he will learn it at school or not at all. The primary purpose of the pub lic school is to make good citizens, and no other subject taught in school contributes so much to that end as reading, provided the pu pils are trained to read good books. In life we must associate to a large extent with all classes of people, good and bad. Through reading we may know only the best. In school, children should be so trained that they will choose the best company all through tneir lives, so far as they associate with people through their reading. This is the work of the school library. This is a work that can be done in every school that has a few well-chosen books most children will read and it rests largely with the school to determine what kind of reading they shall do. No greater, no more important and far-reaching work can be done in school than this. Shall we leave to blind chance the formation of a taste for read ing or shall we see that while in school the child forms the habit of reading books that will stimu- j late him all his life to better think ing and higher ideals? HOW TO USE A SCHOOL LIBRARY. The children should have rather free access to the books in the library. There is much value in looking books over. In the main | the children should make their j own selection. Thev will have to do so when they leave the school and it is better that they form the habit while still in school. The teacher may suggest books. She ought to do so, but she should rarely make a selection unless asked to do so, and not too often then. Few things require more thought and good management than secur ing a proper and profitable use of a school library. It must not be expected that all children will like , the same books. Their taste will differ in this as in everything else. | Uniformity in this matter is neith ,er possible nor desirable. Do not worry because some child does j not like the same kind of literature that you do, or that you think he ! ought to like. Be thankful if he | likes good reading of any kind, | and do not forget that at the out set a liking for any reading that is not vicious is better than not car ing to read at all. When the read ing habit is established it can usually be directed pretty satisfac torily. ACCESSION BOOKS. Unless there is a systematic rec ord kept of the books in the libra ry there is sure to be a very con siderable loss. To guard against this every school should have an accession book. An ordinary blank book may be ruled for that purpose, but this is considerable work, not much cheaper, and far less satisfactory than a book made especially for that purpose. The Library Bureau at 316 Broadway, New York City, has prepared a simple form, ruled for five hun dred volumes that can be had for sixty-five cents and postage which will not exceed ten cents. This has brief instructions for use, and a blank form for entering the number of the district and the town and county. It is ruled, has printed heading and numbers, and makes a most satisfactory acces sion book for small libraries. Any book desired or adopted should have an entry for all purchases, giving, in regard to each separate volume, the author, title, publisher, price, kind of bind ing and date of purchase. If books are allowed to be taken from the school for home use, there should be a book in which is entered all loans, showing what book was taken together with the author and accession number of same, by whom, where, and when returned. Rules and regulations should be as simple as possible and not de signed to restrict liberty but to prevent encroachment and secure the greatest good to all. Some where in each book a copy of the rules should be placed. On the inside of back cover there should be a card on which to stamp the date on which the book is due. A fine of one cent a day should be paid on each volume kept over time. HAMPTON. SCHOOL THOUGHTS FOR PARENTS. The time has come when we must date all letters, articles, deeds, etc., 1913 instead of 1912. That means tlwit we recognize the exalted position of Christ even among men and also, from a point, of time, we are day by day near ing His approach with our every success and our failures. It mat ters not whether we stem the tide or drift with it, the stream of time is*steadily flowing on. Because it flows so surely and smoothly on, we are likely to forget the solemn ity of the fact. We don’t stop to think. The unusual thing of writing and thinking of 1913 has caused us to stop for a short time to reflect, We realize that this is the time when we make new resolutions. I dare say we never make a resolve to do worse. We generally say that we will try to be more saving, work harder, be better to our fam ilies and, last of all, be better men and women.. As I thought of my work and how vitally concerned the parents are in the same, I felt like having a heart to heart talk with them all. I know that this is a physical impossibility but I can talk to many of them through our county paper. In the first place, parents, do you think often that your children are practically responsible for nothing? T! e child is not respon sible for its being born, the child is the most helpless of all crea tures, and needs your constant watch-care for several years, the child is not responsible for its mental capacities, and it hehooves you to feed its mind and feed it in such a manner that it will grow fast and right. The child is not responsible for its environments, you are to make them, and, as man is a religious being, he will worship and serve something; then the child does the natural thing for him to do, serves the same thing, whether it is Christ or the Devil, money, custom, pride, etc. Do you see even in a meager way your true relation to your child? Your children are God given and you will be held ac countable very largely for their worldly career, much less their career after death. Don’t think it a little thing, absolutely liye for your children. No sensible parent will say that he needs no help in trying to raise his children, but truly feels thank ful for anything done for their good. The most important thing to parents is the factor whieh gives the greatest amount of help in the forming of good characters for their children. Having made a frank and cor rect decision, as far as I could, I say that individually, parental in fluences excepted, my conscienti ous school teachers have been the greatest forces to inspire me to be a real man. No doubt this is, the experience of a great many of you. How important then that you have a good teacher, a Christian man! Then how important that you real ly identify yourself with the school, actually co-operate with the teach er! He is a man ahd needs hu man sympathy and love. Did you ever stop to think how much you love your teacher? The man or woman who has your children in trust six or nine months in the year. Did you ever think it worth while to pray for your child’s teacher that he might have wis dom to guide and influence bet ter? Try it this year and see the result. We dare not go before your children each morning with out asking God’s blessings upon the school and each child, together wita its parents. What a powerful factor for good in any community is a trueteachei | and a religious school! Dollars tnd cents do not compare with it. Resolve at the beginning of this year to see that no man has more interest in your child than you mve. See that your child goes to school every day possible, that your child brings his books home and studies his lessons every night, see that it is more important to go to the school house at every school attraction than any other business you have, see that you talk up your school more than anything else, see that you never complain about your teacher or school inter est publicly. Go directly to your teacher in a loving spiiit with every misun derstanding and never allow your self to say anything but something good about him before your child. Talk to your teacher often, don’t shun him. The teacher is most of all appreciate. The objection to most of what has been said is that we haven’t such a teacher as you have in mind. I grant you that some teachers are not worthy, usirtgthe profession as a stepping-stone to some other. We who teach be cause we love to teach hate this even more than you do. But to get the best work out of every teacher is to stick to him, scatter roses instead of thorns in his path. Encourage every religious feature caused by your teacher. The worst thing you - can do for your child is to give his mind a polish but leave hi s heart un taught. Well dear parents, mv chat has been longer than I thought for when I began. May the Lord richly bless you, your children and your teachers this year. We, your teachers, intend to live our ideal more fully before your chil dren this year than we did last. We appreciated your most hearty co-operation last term and shall rely fully on you this term. T. J. Horton, Principal Hampton Public School. If you want prompt attention, connect with us when you have a blumbing job to be done. We are specialists in such matters and can put things in order on short notice and for little money Adv. McDonough Plumbing Co. Cfrd of Thanks. We wish to express our sincere thanks to our friends and neigh bors who were so kind to us dur ing the illness and death of our dear wife and mother. We pray that God will bestow his his rich est blessings upon them. Mrs. N. H. Pais and Mr. W. D. Pratt. Notice. Two good two-horse Stubebak er wagons for sale cheap. Cash or terms. J. M. Stone. Adv. Miss Julia Cathy had as her guest Friday, Miss Jean Pickett, of Atlanta. When you want your plumbing done don’t forget that the Mc- Donough Plumbing Co. will do you a first class job. Adv. Mr. and Mrs. Allen Turner, of Atlanta, were the week-end guests of Mr. G. W. Cathy and family. ROOMS FOR RENT—2 or 3 rooms to small family; cheap for company to wife. B. F. Grant, McDonough, Ga. Adv. 1-4, 2. Griffin Ledge Elks Pass Resolutions. To Griffin Lodge No. 1207 B. P. 0. Elks. We your committee chosen to prepare resolutions upon the death of our Brother A. F. Lemon beg leave to submit the following, in lieu of formal resolutions, and ask that a page in our minute book be dedicated to his memory, and this memorial be published in the Mc- Donough paper and the Griffin News and Sun. The majority of us did not have the opportunity of knowing Bro. Lemon except for a few brief months, but during this short period, by his general disposition and unselfish nature, he endeared himself to us all. Griffin Lodge loses one of her most faithful and devoted sons, and each of us loses a friend. To the bereaved family, especially the wife and baby, our hearts go out in tender* sympathy, and we mingle our tears with theirs. May the all-wise God in his own way and time let us un understand the workings of his providence. Griffin Lodge deeply deplores the loss of Bro. Lemon and takes this opportunity of ex pressing her love and affection to his memory. In conclusion, we your committee beg to request that the Charter be draped in memory of our departed Brother for thirty days. Respectfully submitted, Frank Mays, W. E. H. Searcy, Jr., L. H. Beck, J. S. Tyus, Secretary. On January the Ist we will be ready with a stock of material to do your plumbing work in first class style. McDonough Plumbing Co. South Ellison. Well, to begin Christmas around here was the marriage of Mr. Ben Jenkins to Miss Estelle Hardy. Their many friends wish them much success in life. Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Carter had as their guests Wednesday Misses Fannie Eliza and Sallie Cawthon, Mrs. Jennie Heron and daughter, Annie, Mrs. Paxton, Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Carter, and Mr. Alex Car ter. Mr. and Mrs. Clint Cotvan visit ed Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Carter Thursday night. Miss Annie Heron visitW Miss Della Carter Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. B. R. Jenkins visit ed Mr. and Mrs. George Jenkins Thursday. Mr. and Mrs. Waymon Savage visited Mr. and Mrs. Darnam Jinks Sunday. Mr. and Mrs G. L. Carter vis ited Mr. and Mrs. Clint Cowan Sun day. Misses Sadie and Carl Lewis vis ited Mrs. Patton Thursday. Mr. Clarence Willard left Satur day to visit his sister, Mrs. Add Henson. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Savage visit ed Mrs. Jennie Carter Wednes day. Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Carter visit ed Mr. and Mrs. Edd Savage Wednesday. Well, as this is my first attempt, I shall ring off. Violet. New Firm. Before having your plumbing done, it will be to your interest to get our figures on the 'job. i McDonough Plumbing Co. Howard Stansell, H. T. Rape, I Ross Copeland, Props.