. - r : Hertford County Herald v , THE LARGEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER PRINTED IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. VOL. 8 . AHOSK1E, N. C.t MARCk 2. 1917^"^^ . NO 7 (Greater Hertford" County Edition of The HERALD 0ULTIIL POSSIBILITIES ' Of JEOTM COUHIT Hertford County Situated in the Nidat of the Very Beat Farming Section in the Entire South?Contains Best Soil to be Found in the United States?Leads Other Counties in Many Particulars. By T. E. Browne. Agent State Cora Club Work. Weat Raloifb. N. C. "The best farming section of North Caroline," "The bleeaed sec tion of oar State;" such are the ex pressions frequently heard' about Hertford, Bertie, and Northampton Counties, and they are true. There is no section of our State where nature has bean more bountiful, where the poaribilitiee are greater, than in this Roanoke-Chowan sec tion. This section of North Car olina is "sni generis": the same kind of folks, the same type of sub soil, the same climate conditions, and these counties must progress or go into decadence tegether. There can be little seperation of inerest. Of the three counties Hertford stands out as pre-eminently the best farming county. The largest yield of com ever made upon an aere in North Carolina was made by Char lie Parker upon Hertford County soil, when he produced 235 bushels of corn, field measurement, which measured out 196.5 bushels of dry shelled corn. It is among the first in average per acre yield of peanuts in North Carolina, and raises more peanuts in porportion to its area than any county in the State. There is no county in the State which pro duces a higher quality of peanuu than doss Hertford County. As a cotton producing County it ranks among the best in proportion to acreage planted. It is rapidly coming into prominence as a tobacco County. Ar.d, when it comes to pork produc tion, it makes more meat per farm er than any county in the State, in spite of the Hog Cholera, and open range. Do the farmers deserve much credit for this enviable position oc cupied by the County? I must ad mit that they do not. This condi tion exists in spite of, not because of, the methods of agriculture applied. The finest type of soil in the United States for agricultural purposes is typical of the predomin ating soil type in. Hertford County. Some time ego a soil expert of the National Department of' Agriculture was asked what was the best agri cultral soil in th^ country, and he replied: "I have visited practically every section of the United States end do not hesitate to say that the beet type of soil for agricultural pur poses is Norfolk' Sandy Loam and Norfolk Fine Sandy Loam." These are the predominating soils of Hert ford County. A light grey to dark grey surface, underlaid with red clay subsoil, is capable of producing any crop adapted to the latitude in question. When a man haa that kind of soil his success as a farmer is entirely dependent upon his own efforts. Such a soil, we|| drained, and filled with organic matter is un excelled in producing power. I have often stated that if farm ers of this section of the State worked as hard and applied as much intelligence tq farming as they do in Piedmont North Carolina, where conditions are net so favorable, they would not know what to do with their money. The people in leas blessed sections are out strip ping us because they have to work. They get in the habit of hustling. Their crops are distributed through out the year. Livestock farming is introduced into their system, and their natural pace is a hustle. To an Eastern Carolina farmer this sec tion presents a gloomy oudbolfcTroi-. a farming standpoint, bqt; if we don't "get busy," they are going to outstrip m. Some public man has said that the best index to a section's p*eg ress is the condition of its public in stitutions, namely, its School, its churches, its public roads, etc. Travel through Guilford, Forsyth, Rowan, or even the mountain coun ty of Buncombe and compare these institutions with those in Hertford and decide for yourself. I recently made a trip through Hertford and not five per cent of the fields are green with winter crops, in spite of the fact that, in our warm southern climate, more plant food is lost by bleaching and washing during the winter than is taken out by the growing crops in summer. Any kind of cover crop growing upon the land during the winter would take up this available plant food, store it up in roots, and when turned under in the spring return it to the soil, in addition to the large amount of humus or or ganic matter, that most needed ele ment in our eastern soils. Why do we continue this custom in spite of thousands of demonstrations, and in the face of the high price of commercial fertilisers? In Hertford Cotnty practically all summer and winter legumes grow luxuriantly, added organic matter equally valuable per pound as stable manure, the Nitrogen which makes this high value being taken from Nature's store house, the atmos phere. It is almost impossible to get commercial potash for any growing crops. There are thousands pounds of this element stored up in the subsoils of Hertford County, unavailable of course, but if these lands were broken deeply in the fall, the clay turned up to the weathering process, and mixed with organic matter our farmers would be independent of the German mines. Of course in the sandy soils, with out the clay subsoil, the potash could be partly supplied by adding or ganic matter. Knowing this fact as we do, one can drive through the good County of Hertford and he will not find five per cent of the land broken for 1917 crops. There are in North Carolina more than seventy Farm Demonstration Agents and forty odd Hotne Demon stration Agents. Tbe major por tion of the money for their services is from State and National appropia tiona. AH the people of the coun try pay their pro-rata share of this fond. More than one hundred thousand dollars "are being spent in this educational propoganda alone in North Carolina. It is recognized by all the leaders of the country as thegreatest agency for rural better ment ever inaugurated. Only about I thirty counties of the State are not taking advantage of this opportun ity to secure the service of a train ed man or woman to help the farm ers and farm women solve their problems. Most' of these counties are along the sand-banks of the ooast and some of those mountain oounties where little farming Is done. Hertford. Bertie and North ampton rank with the above named counties. These counties are help ing to pay the salaries of agents for other counties in order that they may get ahead of us. When Hertford County wakes up to the possibilities, puts in whole time County Agents for the farmers and their wives, joins the ranks of other progressive counties by voting the "No-Fence" law, Instead of having it by common consent, as is so often the case at present; utilizes its wonderful opportunities for stock-raising, with dozens of the PRESENT CONDITIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR GREATER PROGRESSJN PUBLIC EDUCATION A Synopsis of Educational Advantages Offered by the Schools of Hertford County?Suggestions by One in Authority for the Future Development of Better Schools for This County. By N. W. Britton. Superintendent of Schools lor Hertford County. I want to congratulate the Editor of this paper and ail concerned in the effort being put forward to make our county a greater county, although great in many respects now. And as the proper education of the boys and girls is the founda tion stone for all true greatness, I feel it a privelege to have an oppor tunity to present in this short article a statement of present conditions and some suggestions for the future of our educational policy in Hert ford County. School Census. The material with which we have to work is five thousand seven hun dred boys and girls between the ages of six and twenty-one. What power is stored up in these, and what a force and influence for good they will wield if heart and hand and head are proportionately and properly trained! Our aim this session is to leave no stone unturned to get svery one of these into some school and to keep them there. One thing espec ially looked after at our teachera' meetings is whether the teacher in each district can account for every one of school age in that district. Be it said to the credit of not a few of the teachers that they know the where-abouts of every one in their district. It takes not only a live teacher to do this, but a wise one, and one who is willing to work. We call upon the parents and friends of the children to come to our help in trying to keep down illiteracy at this end of the line. School-houses. We have seventeen houses that are reasonably well suited to school worn, several 01 inese oeing as gooa as can be found in moat counties, but the remaining fifty are woeful ly inadequate. The county has built seven new houses within the last two years, which are, for the most part, well equipped, and are a credit to the county. That is, we are building at the rate of three and a half houses a year. That is very good as far as it goes, but has finest pasturage crops, and a mar ket in easy access, then [indeed may our section be called the gar den spot of North Carolina. Then we shall have in place of one-teach er schools the larger type of modern school with a plot of land, probably a teacher's home, where agriculture and Home Economics are taught by teachers who believe in the country and recognize that plants and ani mals, the nature world about us, are the best instruments possible for training our boys and girls for the larger duties of rural citizen ship. Then shall our farmers real ize that our first duty after God has permitted us to make a profit upon the soil he has let us use for a season, is to make our houses * 4.-1.1- I -44 4l I ? comioriaoie ana attractive as possi. ble for our mothers and wives, and boys and girls, that they may stay In the country to enrich our coun try life. It is our duty to use some of this money for the encourage ment of all those agencies which mean a richer, a more wholesome and a more satisfying rural life. Then we shall see country homes with running water, electric or ace tylene lights; well painted and taste fully adorned with native shrubs and flowers, and with all those agencies which tend to eliminate the isolation of country life of the past. Then, indeed, shall we be proud of our rural heritage, and glad that we may live in the open country in close touch with nature's God. - . m'n'Aif Vii . * any one atopped to think how long at this rate it would take to supply the county with comfortable school houses for the children of the en tire county? It will take not less than fourteen years. How long before the thinking people of -Hert ford will rise up.'in their might and do away with the more than barn like structures in which a large por tion of our children have to spend from six to seven hours a day through such winters as we are now passing? When one of these unfor tunate children is seized with pneu monia or grip and dieB, we wonder why the Almighty has taken away the little one, wh^ji the cause may lie at our own doors. Local-tax Districts. There are only six of these dis tricts ill the entire county, but the desire to establish graded schools seems to be in the air. ' One com munity voted recently "and lost, but it will try again with success next time, no doubt. An election in an other disstict is pending, and sever al more communities are circulating petitions. This is fine, for it is the only hope for better houses, better equipment, more efficient teachers, and longer terms of school. We are especially proud of the six grad ed schools which we now have on account of the splendid work they are doing and for the example they are setting for the others to follow. Some one has said that "Truly it is a back-woods section that would vote against a small tax to establish an up-to-date school." I do not put it in such words, but I an sure that if the people of a community will open their eyes and see the progress which North Carolina ami other states are making along edu cational lines, they will feel that they cannot linger any longer in ruts, but must come out and join the ranks of progress. Our watch word is a special tax for every dis trict of sufficient sire and properly laid off, and thus help hasten the time when Greater Hertford shall be realized. School Districts. We have a number of districts of sufficient size and properly arranged, but there are yet too many small ones. The best schools can never be real ized until there is a consolidation of these one-teacher schools into larger two and three-teacher schools with suitable houses and adequate equip ment. There are many people who yet seem to think that there should be as nearly as possible a school house at every man's door. Good roads are the things we need, in or der that the children may get to and from school dry-foot. Then it will be good for any healthy boy or girl to walk one and a half or two miles to school. 1/ the distance should be too fcreat, it would be in finitely better to arrange for con veying the children to school at pub lic expense than to have little school houses here and there over the coun ty. It would be cheaper to the county, to say nothing of the ad vantages the children would receive. Officer's and Teachers' Meetings. There are two meetings of this kind each year for general purposes relative to our school work. These meetings are of prime importance. They bring to-gether teachers, com mitteemen, attendance officers, and the Board of Education to make plans and arrange to execute their plans in a proper way for the best interest of all concerned. The real good these meetings do cannot be ever-estimated. To undertake to run the schools of a county without a system, or with a system, and that system unwisely planned and just as unwisely carried out, is well nigh a waste of time and a waste of the people's money. In the humble judgement of the writer, there is great wisdom in the coming togeth er of the people that they may ex change ideas on a matter so impor tant aa the training of the boya and girls committed to their care. It is ernestly desired that these meetings may continue to create broader and deeper enthusiasm for carrying out plans for the adminis tration of the public school system of the county. Also there are group meetings of teachers-Cpr the purpose of profess ional study/^vjhere are four such groups in the county. Of courte these meetings are not supposed to take the place of special training which every teacher should have at schools prepared to give proper training for general school work. There is an idea abroad that any one who has a little book-learning can teach school, but the day is ap proaching when this error will be seen and corrected; when no intelli gent parent will allow a makeshift to undertake to teach his childrer any more than he would allow c j quack to treat them for pneumonit i or typhoid fever. The time ha; | been when the quack was admitted I to the home, but now he is shut out by the intelligent people, an< may the day speedily come when n< person shall enter a school-room a: a teacher until he shall have hah special training for this most impor tant work of developing the wholt child and of giving him the chancf that God intended he should have. Many of the teachers are show a fine interest in these group meet ings and group study. They see the importance of such study, and they are applying themselves in a very commendable way. Such men and women are the ones that will be called for future service, and I predict that adequate salaries are in store for them. Public High Schools. It would be interesting to write of the splendid work done in many of the short term schools, but space forbids. We are justly proud of our public high schools, because of of the fine record and progress they have made since they were establish ed. They are intended to furnish instruction free of charge for all j pupils in the county that have fin 1 iahed the work belo n that of the high school. Ahoskie High School has just completed a splendid new building which was much needed, as the school had out-grown the first one. The buildings seem now sufficient for present needs except, perhaps a dormitory for teachers and boarding pupils. Winton High School is sorely in need of a new building out right, A plan suggested, if not on foot, seem to be meeting with favor to turn the old house into a dormitory to accommodate teachers and board ing pupils, and to erect a new up-to date school building. This would be a fine step for the school. path schools should have domitories as soon as practicable. Co-operation. No more important word is found, snd no finer spirit can&^jct-than -A that of Co-operation on tihe part of all people for the common good. Let every Hertford County citizen how by word and act that he itands for such a spirit. With a county so rich in splendid mung man-hood and young woman lood, with middle-aged and elderly .o iipe in experiencs of life's duties ind obligations, with a class of busi less and professional men whose hility is recognized on every hand, vith an abundance of as good farmi ng lands as can be found, with seventeen thousand people pos lessing an amount of wealth equal to the average state?with all these, what possibilities there and what opportunities are ours for training the rising generation of this good county, if we but use all these forces in the spirit of owoperation! If you knew how much print paper cost you would never kick on paying $1.50 for a news paper the size of the Hertford County Herald. TIRemembwrC I That every added safe- I vpsss/l 1 Chowan College for Girls and Young Women ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST PROMINENT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA The Chowan College for Girla and Young Women ia one of the beat known educational institu liana in Eastern North Carolina and, in fact, in the entire State. Established in 1848, this college has always maintained the highest standard of excellence, and a di ploma from "The Murfreesboro College" is indisputable evidence of good training and a finished ed ucation. During its nearly seven ty five years of existence the school has been the means of fit ting hundreds of youug women for the duties and responsibilities of life, and in all that long period it lias never deviated from the high standard established at its organi / zation. This School, located in the town of Murfreesboro, Hertford County, is located in the midst of a beautiful campus; {the surround ings are homelike, and the most careful supervision is exercised over the student bodv. It is a Rsplict denominational college be ing operated by the Chowan and West Chowan Associations. Stau ard courses are taught leading to B. A. and B. S. degrees. Diplomas in Piano, Voice, Art and Expression. Excellent courses are given in Pedagogy and Public School Muskv The school oper ates its own farm and dairy, and every care is taken to make the cuisine wholesome, appetizing and sanitary.- In fact, the environ ment, and the courses of instruc lion are all that could be desired by the most fastidious, while the rates are roost reasonable. There is an annual enrollment of about one hundred and thirty-five stu dents, principally from North Car olina and Virginia* but also includ ing young ladiea from more dis tant states. There is nothing more import tarn to the welfare and stability of a Commonwealth than the education of the future mothers of its citizeary, aud the utmost care should be exersised in selecting the persons entrusted with this, duty. Prof, G. E. Lineberry, the I President of Chowan College, is a man eminently fitted for tbe work he has in hand- He has been en gaged in educational work for a number of years, and for the past three has been the head of the in* stitution under discussion, during which time most excellent results hare been achieved. Pres. Line* berry is a man of tbe highest char acter and of proven ability as an educator. Tbe interest nearest bis heart is that of the young wo men under his supervision, and under his administration no effort has been, or is being, spared to maintain the high standard of the institution, and to iatoovs and better the conditioet these where possible.

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