VOL. L.
CHARLOTTE, N. C,
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
' ' - '
(Paper read at the Presbyterian Workers' Conference held at
Haines Institute, Augusta, Ga., January 31st to February 3rd.)
By Mrs. Belle Melton Sanders.
Hie progress of Elementary
Schools in the last few years
has been highly encouraging.
Hie real problems in a larger
bearing have been considered
and through our elementary
schools the pupils are helped to
bring their richest natural con
tribution and to live their own
abundant lives.
Each child possesses distinct
faculties and capacities. There is
no type or pattern to which all
children of a given age con
form. Faculties do not grow in
to being full-fledged but grow
imperceptibly. Therein lies the
opportunity for the development
of pupils into channels of living.
The pupil < with wide awake
senses and muscles, keen mental
faculties and a tendency toward
interest in future life needs his
mind brought to things which
will prove most helpful in later
life. This begins in the elemen
tary school. How many boys
and girls of our own race lead a
practically hum-drum life be
cause they have had no other
ideals brought to them.
One of our own girls, not
more than 14 years of age, when
asked why she stopped school,
said, “I gone far as we school
went and aint nobody axed me
to go fudder and I tink say I
been too old to gone to school
‘now. But atta dem odder girls
go school and say dey lak em
flfle, I comin Monda.”
The dingy fchool room with
more children then it can hold
m15«wh of notnmg better.
now she has seen that life
ddes hold more and that some
one is interested enough to ask
her to attend school.
Everyone who is not living
aimlessly and blindly must have
some pattern by which to square
his life.
We must rememoer, nowever,
that every child will not choose
fnay r$pder good SCPVice in thgir
own range which to us may seem
very narrow, but is decidedly
better than no service at all.
It is, therefore, necessary
that our elementary schools be
well graded; that we enforce the
strictest observance of all laws
of deportment, punctuality and
regular attendance. All thesis
we expect to measure ur to jhe
standards «f county and mte.
mentafy school subject IS used,
but the elementary school has
more advantage than any other
school to cultivate the mind and
inch training should constitute
Hie highest aim.
- Skillful teaching will not only
find in the elementary subjects
means of training and directing
thoughts, but will so employ the
pupils’ minds in their study as
to make them living matter,
SEWS $$ *ift
jaifcer than dpafl, uninteresting
Wgrds %r just a wmted
II i§ m wwm w ^ ww
And expect oilr students to re
ceive all that an ' elementary
school has to offer. The progress
erf any School does Wot come by
aeddent, but ty creative plan
ning; No pupil receives ftffly
theberfefitspf^hool
t^atfentfen aflfl ^
ual process of giving attention.
We cannot expect the best re
sults from teaching when a class
gives half attention; for then
we must have half work.
One of the greatest hindrances
in our elementary schools is the
lack of attention on the part of
the pupils. In some pupils this
may be caused by ill health or
mental deficiency. But so many
of our boys and girls are given
to day-dreaming. Do you know
any pupils in our school who
spend hour after hour day
dreaming? Have you noticed the
difference in the habit of atten
tion from different people?
We are engaged in work on a
field where almost everybody,
old and young, has no attention,
no interest for anything. An
nouncements are made to a con
gregation. Every eye, ear and
mouth opens apparently to hear,
but nobody understands. We
studied the situation and for a
while thought this was true be
cause our expressions are dif
ferent. But after teaching the
children we find that the habit
of non-attention has captured
the minds of almost everyone.
Left to themselves, then, the
pupils follow along the line of
least resistance. •? Then comes
tne opportunity to tne teacner
of the elementary school to cul
tivate attention and interest.
The things that present them
selves to the mind are the
things which occupy it. The at
tention and character of thought
of interest. It is thislPact which
makes it vitally necessary for us
to present to our pupils thoughts
that are broad and pure.
But however broad and pure
may be our motives we must
first be interested ourselves. We
must be systematically heroic in
problems of every day life and
experience. We must not shrink
from tasks because they are dif
ficult. T^ere h<? les§Qn§
text-books which aye n$t in
tensely intefe§t|ng, but we must
resolve to do our best from a
sense of duty, keeping constant
ly before us the fact thet mw
of our bpys and gifls wiU get ftll
of life’s training, so far as school
is concerned, in an elementary
school.
So many parents are not will
ing to sacrifice that their chil
dren may receive a high school
or college training afld CVen
more haye not hafl fhe means at
any rate. This does not include
the vast number pf boys ¥$
girls who haye ha$ encour
agement, whom UO Cue has tak
en the flrst step to interest in
going further jnt© the prepaya
tion tor uira great wer*.
more than all, many parents of
our boys and girls will actually
have to be begged to allow their
children to receive even an ele
mentary school training, One
mother said: “Deys no use to
send dese gal chillun to school.
Deys got fuh work. It most
time for dem to huifl; ftuibafl
an git tqarj^. p'$sk boy chillun
aint much better.' Dey top pad
fuh run ropn’. ¥a§§um, $ey pan
read, mpm, spy 0 4em
book. pat's npff. Don't n^d
too much book teamin' to wuk
wid hoe.”
This mother expressed her
own and the sentiments of many
others who are just too timid to
put their thoughts into words.
Somewhere taera fywf tW1
the Cfefmnn p$ a desire m the
hearts of a people ip get up opt
of their narrow sphere and lparn
more of life. may spend
only a few years in school them
selves, but how very unselfish \t
seems wbpn a plotter paya;; «I
did not ^aye the opportunity of
going to school, but I want my
children to go. They /must
know more than I know and I
will sacrifice everything I can
that they may remain : in
school.”
She had not even an elemen
tary training, but What she had
learned was taught in such a why
as to keep alive the interest and
desires implanted in her breast
and she was willing to carry lit
out in\her children. No doujbt
she put many hours infto
thoughts of the glories further
up where she was never able Ito
climb.
To my mind there is a vast
difference between one who ito
a mere book-worm and one who
thinks. There is little place in
the ^world for one who looks,
listens, reads and is so fully oc
cupied in absorbing the imme
diate present that he has no time
to see the wider significance Of
the things with which he deals.
One who is so taken up with re
ceiving that he never feels the
necessity of sharing with the
world that which has enlighit
ened his life.
The teacher must put himself
into the place of the pupils %hd
think and feel as they think and
feel. To be able to put one’s
self into any one of these thou
sand possible positions is to have
that invaluable human sympa
thy without which no real ser
vice is rendered.
There must also be self-sacri
fice. We must be willing to
serve without pay. Schiller
says, “Ingratitude to the world’s
pay,” and that is very true in
the kind of service a teacher
must give.
The emphasis must be upon
service. If something needs to
may ibe better.
However honest and self-sac
rificing a teacher may be, if he
does not thoroughly believe in
humanity and in himself, if he
has no enthusiasm, then he
should have no part in directing
children. The school room is no
place for the man or won\an
who is forever gh^ntmg tafe§ ©f
woe; who never willing to co
operate cheerfully. But we do
need men and women who are
looking up. not dowp; who haY®
a sense of hum©? a0d 0^0 §mile
at dificulties..
It i§ thi duty of every elemen
tary teacher to make school life
so happy that any child would
want to attend. I remember dis
tinctly the dread and fear of my
early school days. How thf^K
ful I was wfcgn $yiday evening
came, ahS ^iow sorry to see an
other Monday morning dawn. It
seems to me we w$^ fought
nothing, hut iy^ippe^ fpr every
thing we did npt kpow. We
couldn’t learn. It topk §1) pf
our time t§ dodge tfce switch. I
was fortunate jnthat my payouts
compelled pie to go fo sehooi,
but, looking feaek at the boys and
girls who started out in that
class, many stopped by the way.
The work of a teacher should be
a happy, holy task. Nothing
can be accomplished by dwelling
moodily on obstructing }daas.
What we ne^d is to get away
from the thougjit \hgt capped
the obstruction gn^ appyegch
the mattey fo a different dic
tion. The stufebum ebiidduea
not pee# &e WM£B§a. But ™
have hi§ will strengthened that
he may control himself. A teach
er can be firm yet quite patient
yet not indulging and surely
sympathetic. Expect each child
to dtft his best, keeping before
him the possibilities of' what he
can be rather than what he is
not. Watch them closed |n
their work apd p|ay. Under
stand ejach need and capacity
and help them center thefy in
terest around the right things.
Then we may be able to visual
ize each character now and what
they hope to be. We must knew
the ideals, possibilities and ppr
:hool and its meth
pd'|s plan of making
pien oat of boys and
or, I We have some
fht of play as a mere
5 children when they
| to do or as a neces
f-be tolerated. There
a virtue that; is not
' reared to sturdy
nrough suitable and
i Self-control, self-l
nlity to lead and will,
follow are necessary
ned nowhere else so
so surely as in play,
ho does not learn to
ptance in his life. It
kt in many communi
arents must ibe con
the idea that play is
to the child's present
‘and future life,
lies of manual train
line economics should
oportant place in oar
' school curriculum,
is now conscious of
thesft
young men ana
are trained to do
Education for the
rays been important
development of civ
Much of the work in
hi on the element*
. ir-‘.
Thedemandsof the future are
constantly rising. It is, there
fore, important that we as teach
ers adopt" some plan of self-edu
cation i and keep it up. There
must be' some preparation of
methol* M %ork, if we would
and live up to the
may be ours,
ty difficulties in
tools among our
..." al»
most distressing in the rural
districts in the matter of regu
lar attendances Because of
pressing work on the farms and
the lack of proper clothing many
children attend not more than
half of the time school is in
session. Then many are foreed
to stop school when they reach
the 4th or 5th grade while hun
dreds of them finish no grade at
all. It is true that in spite of
all that has been done the edu
cation of the 'Negro is only well
underway* But ta the building
of and maintaining Christian
ideas the church elementary
school has made an imperishable
name for itself in the hearts of
our people. More than half a
century ago when four million
Negroes fa^ed the world with no
opportunities for an education,
the Church came forward and
took unto itself tbe task which
it might have avoided—educat
in the Negro. Into these Reboots
have gone, as do t^dgy, the un
couth, untutored, neglected
youtns or our county*
Sometimes the school houses
have been crowded or equipment
poor end very often teachers
have been less effective than
they ought to have been; some
times urgent, necessary work
has not been done. These $nly
serve to make t^igh*’®1' the glo
ries ofth® things achieved. Chit
of these schools have grown the
boarding school* nor,
mal and professional schools.
Through mx churoh elementary
schools hoys and girls have been
inspired to go forward and up
ward. There is a steady stream
of trained men and women, go
ing back to the places from
whence they came or to sojpc
field of service, parrying the
things tiwy have gained with
that spirit of love for humanity
which was first routed in the
church elementary school.
Five years ago, after accqpfe
ing work on a field that is al
most primitive, we found no one
who had all of an elementary
school’s training; not one boy 01
girl who had been persuaded tc
attend school for any purpose
The county schools were packet
to the utmost capacity with tw«
sessions per day. Two years
later our church school was op
ened by the Board of National
Missions. Of the 457 pupils en
rolled the first term I venture
to say that only one-third had
ever seen the city of Charleston,
six mites away, and not one had
been beyond that city.
We are trying to use our op
portunities to guide and impress,
and though it seems to be such
a little among so many^we are
happy to say that we bpve three
pupils at Haines Institute ahd
one girt at Scotia Seminary.
These young, people have left
home , to continue their studies
not With the. best wishes from
friends ami relatives.. Sheers,
and jeers have followed them all
the why. Not even the parents
of two were willing. But they
have a vision Of higher life,
and, I believe, lives of service.
One of our girls, on returning to
Haines after the holidays^ wrote,
“I cannot forget what you said
to me. When you kneel in prayer
please remember me. 1 hope that
before I leave Haines I will be a
Christian^ I am trying 8ft tf
know to get my heart right with
God. I want io fee one of His
children. Pray for me.”
We must realize clearly that
school not only trains for life,
but is life itself. If Christian
principles are inoculated into
pupils during early life there
is more hope of their taking
deep root in the future and for
the service that is to !be ren
dered.
The world moves forward on
the feet of its young people, and
the Chui*th elementary school
has a place hr its curriculum
whereby the child is helped to
grow, to develop, to experience,
to live. -
.. -The elementary church school
offers a program which means
the training of our boys and
girls into lives of Christian
character crowned with abun
dant life, bringing forth fruits
the Spirit, kindness, gentleness,
joy, peace, truth, faith, hope,
love, reverence for God and one
another.
CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH, PErrERSBURG,
YA.
A very appreciative audience
assembled in Central Presbyte
rian church, Rev. J. E. Tice, pas
tor, March 11, though the weath.
er was very dreary, to hear a
real gospel message delivered
by the Rev. Dr. Keeler, chairman
of the Church Erection Board of
the Presbyterian Church, XJ. S.
A., whose headquarters are in
New York Qity,
Dr. Keeler is an able, fluent,
forceful and enlightening speak
er, and has a reputation of de
livering a strong practical mes
sage to all of his audiences. We
were all thrilled at his utter
ances.
Dr. Keeler and wife motored
from New York City here
March 9 and held a conference
with a committee of fourteen re
presentatives of colored and
white Presbyterians in the Tabb
St. Praebyterian church (white),
Dr, J, 1, Hemphill, pastor,
where plans were formulated
for the erection of a new church
for the Central Presbyterian
church on its site, on Halifax
St. The work is scheduled tc
begin in the month of May.
There are ten persons in the
church who have pledged tc
raise $100.00 each, toward the
building fund, to be reported or
the 2§th of the present month
j We are looking forward for f
great time and great rejoicing
Rev, Tice, our pastor, has done
wonderful work since he canu
to’us and everybody is strivinj
and doing their best in holding
him up, for he is an untirinj
worker.
' A MEMBER,
Learn to laugh; a good laugl
i is better than medicine.
' /■'■•••• "
.
MICHIGAN AVENUE
BRANCH Y. M. C. A.
BUFFALO, N. Y.
The Committee of Manage
ment of tiie Michigan Avenue
Branch “Y” wishes to announce
the opening of the New Building
Sunday afternoon April 16, at
3 o’clock; The Dedicatftto Ad
dress is to be delivered by Dr.
James E. Shepard, President of
the North Carbliha State Col
lege, Durham, N. C. Mr. C. H.
Tobias, Senior Secretary of the
Colored Department, National
Council, New York City, will
give a review of the ,*Y” work
throughout th% country and also
introduce the speaker.
Among the guests of honor
will be Mr. and Mrs. George B.
Matthews, Buffalo;. Mr. Julius
Rosenwald of Chicago, .State
Secretary of the Y. M. C. A., Mr.
Fred JSldred&e, of New York,
Mrs. Charles MacL^an, New
York, and Mrs. Sidney McDou
gall, of Buffalo.
Sunday at 7:30 IP. >M., at the
Secretaries’ Supper Conference
Thos. E. Taylor, of New York,
will preside'and the address is
to be delivered by Secretary R.
B. DeFrantz. Among the Sec
retaries who will be present are:
George Arthur, Chicago; S. R.
Morsell, Pittsburgh; A. L.
Comither, Brooklyn; Campbell
Johnson, Washington; Chas. E.
Frye, Cleveland ; Thos. A. Boll
ing, Rochester; H. S. Dunbar,
Detroit; J. A. Greene, Dayton;
R. W. Overton, Cincinnati; H.
W. Porter, Philadelphia; C. H.
Bullock, Montclair; and C. M.
Cain, Atlantic City.
X
Program copwmes^ thronghr
with program under auspices of
the Ministers’ Council, Rev. J.
Edward Nash, President, preside
mg.
Tuesday, 8 P. M.—Fraternal
Night, Mr. Robert Buckner, pre
siding.
Wednesday, 8 P. M.—Citizens’
Night—Mr. H. H. Lewis, Sr.,
presiding. *
Thursday, 8 P. M.—National
Health Week Program, under
the auspices of the local Medi
cal Association, Dr. J. L. Waters,
presiding.
Friday, 8 P. M.—Ladies’
Night—under the auspices of
Ladies’ Auxiliary, Mrs. Otis D.
Jackson, President, presiding.
Mrs. Addie W. Hunton, Brook
lyn, N. Y., speaker. -
Saturday, 8 P. M.—Y. M. C.
A. Night—Interbranch Demon
stration Program, Mr.; Charles
Herrick, Physical Director, Cen
tral Branch, presiding. Music by
Genesee Street Branch Orches
tra.
Sunday, 4 P. M.—Vesper Ser
vices—Mr. 5C. A. Sims, chair
man, Religious Work Committee,
presiding. Music by St. Phillip’s
Church Choir; Speaker, Mr. Don
D. Tullis, Secretary Buffalo
Council of Churches.
All meetings are open to the
public.
Notice should be taken of the
following;
Thursday, April 19, 2:30 to
5 o’clock, inspection of Building
and Reception to High School
Boys and Girls, the Hi Y Club,
hosts.
Friday,, April 20, 2:30 to 5
P. M.—-Inspection of Building
and reception to women, Ladies’
Auxiliary, hostesses.
Saturday, April 21, 9:30 ,to
, 11:80 P. M. Inspection of Build
ing and Reception to Boys and
, Girls, 10 to 15 years of age.
: far as possible carefree. Re
; sponsibility, * hare and work
have no place during these early
years, except as a conscious part
of the educative process. What
i ever deprives children of this
joyous outlook is wrong.
Wm. H. JACKSON,
Executive Secretary.
Normal
Ihood should be as