Old Blue-Back Speller.
By Dick Naylor In Home and Farm.
Ia Homo and Farm of March 15
1 read with interest a Bhort article
from the Indianapolis News about
the 'Old-Tinie Spelling Bee." It
vividly recalled to mind the old
blue back Webster spelling book that
was in universal use in tms country
fifty or more years ago. It had long
been my earnest desire to obtain a
copy ot this old text book of my i
cnudhoid, but, supposing it was
"out of punt," no special offer was
made to procure it. Jtortnue favor,
ed me, however, very unexpectedly.
About a month ago, as I was walk
ing up Elm street in Dallas, I met
an old man with a handful of little
blue books. Their strangely fami
liar appearance caused me to stop,
when be at once asked:
'Don't you want an old-time
spelling book, sir? I'll bet a dollar
you studied one just like it when you
was a kid."
Did I want one? Well, I reckon
I did. 1 was just hungry for one,
for theae it was, staring me boldly
in the (face like the welcome coun
tenance of a long lost friend the
same familiar old blue-back spell
ing book, bearing upon the cover the
same old title:
"The Elementary Spelling Book,
By Noah Webster, LL. D "
Dear eld spelling book and dear
old Noah Webster of blessed mem
ory! Eagerly seizing the extended copy
the old man held out, "Yes" I said,
"of course, I want one. How do
you sell them?"
"Twenty-live cents apiece, sir."
We used to buy them for ten cents
"when you and I were young, Mag
gie," you .remember, but 1 womd
nave cneerfully paid the old man a
half-dollar or even a dollar rather
tnan miBsed getting that old time
friend of my scnool days.
Since my fortunate purchase,
which still seems like a personal re
union with a long absent old chum,
I have had many interesting inter
views, orratner re-views of the
familiar pages, many of which x
once knew "by heart," as we used
to say.
We old-timers lemember and re.
vere this text-book of our youth,
and most of us seriously doubt if a
better elementary school book has
ever been published. Of course, we
realize that in many respects this
age of electricity, automobiles and
appendicitis has ushered in many
improvements in educational meth
ods, but it is at least a debatable
question whether the manner of in
structing small children to spell the
English language today is better
than that in vogue by the old teach,
ers who UBed the Webster blue-back
speller in the days "beto' de waha"
Be that as it may, a careful review
of the old book now, after a lapse of
years, impresses me more than ever
with its real worth.
Another fact impresses us old
timers, and thit is that' although
the "kids" of this generation may,
and really do, know a great deal
more about physiology, modern
science and some other things than
their fathers and mothers did, very
few of them are better spellers of
English than their parents were.
Well, I brought my old speller
home and, after the old-time man
ner, I inscribed upon the leaf: "Dick
Naylor, His Book." It almoat made
me feel like a boy again to go through
its pages. Every one of them re
called memories of childhood most
ly pleasant memories, but some un
pleasant ones, for in those days they
-didn't "spare the rod" very much,
you know.
There was the same old frontis
piece with Faith or Hope, I never
did know positively which one of the
ladies it represents, holding a hand
some boy by the hand and pointing
up to the temple of "Fame," the en
trance to which is the doorway of
-"Knowledge." Evidently the boy
intends to make a dash for the tern,
pie. He will first, however, lay the
proper foundation for his know
ledge upon that sure foundation,
the old blue-back speller. .
Passing over the preface, "Key to
Pronunciation," etc., here is the
me old familiar page with the same
old big cap, title: . "The Alphabet"
The two first long vertical lines
give the "Roman Letters" first in
lower case or small letters and then
the caps.
This was my first lesson in "book
learning," and I iemember there was
a very dirty "thumb mark" upon the
page before I had mastered it, and
my mother, who was my frst teach
er, provided me with a "thumb
.paper" to protect the book in fu
ture. -
. My first "sore enough" spelling
lesson was the old "ba, be, bi, bo, bu
by," on the next page, spelling across
from left to right, or, if we spelt
'from top to bottom, the usual way,
the lessen ran, "ba, ca, da, fa, ga."
Here, too, on the next page, is my
'first reading lesson. It if not intn-
cate, by any means, and none of the
words has over two letters. It sim
ply says; "Go on, go in, go up, an
-ox, by me, we go, to us, do go," and
Free Advertising.
Advertising is the life of the
newspaper.;
It is to the newspaper what
the goods on the shelves are to
the merchant.
It is to the newspaper what the
fare is to the railroad on the pass
enger train.
It is to the newspaper what
freight is to the railroad.
It is to the newspaper what a
man's labor is to the laboring
man.
It is to the newspaper what
the dancing master's patrons are
to the dancing master.
It i3 to the newspaper what the
ice is to the iceman.
Therefore, when a person
schemes to get publicity without
paying for it they are practically
scheming to get goods, without
paying for them, as far as the
principle goes
There are some rules in the
matter that ought to be observed.
If you charge for your service,
If the work you do is not for
charity,
If the work you do is not for
profit.
If the work you do is for the
public good and without pay,
If the scheme that you have on
hand is one to benefit humanity
and is unselfish, and is not com
merical in your personal touch of
thequestion,
Then you are justified in ex
pecting the newspaper to give its
colums without pay.
But if it is a commercial prop
osition, then the newspaper
ought to be paid for the service
This is simple justice. It is right.
It is the on'y thing in the mat
ter that is right.
A Pitiful Sight.
A few doors from where we
write this there is one of the
most pitiful sights we have found
recently. A farmer who was
probably making a good living in
the country, setting his boys an
example of industry and rearing
a family in the wholesome, inde
pendent life of the farm, has
moved to town, cooped up his
children in a little shack in an
undesirable neighborhood, and
with a few dozen apples and
bananas and some cheese and
crackers, is piddling away at
"merchandising." He can not
make half so much profit, he can
not expect to make half so much
of his children, nor can he have
the self-respect that he would
have if he were engaged in real
ly useful and productive work on
the Sf arm. Progressive Farmer.
Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets
geatly stimulate the liver and bowels to ex
pel poisonous matter, cleanse the system,
care constipation and sick headache. Sold
by all dealers.
eight more equally plain statements
complete the lesson.
By short steps and easy stages the
old blue-back speller gradually led
our minds into broader fields of
knowledge, thus teaching our young
ideas to shoot more accurately and
to aim at bigger game. In a week
or two we got over to a reading les
son that made some positive state.
ments which I have never heard
denied or even questioned. For ex
ample; "She fed the old hen. The
hen was fed by her. See how the
hen can run."
The author does not burden the
youthful mind with a desciption or
a pedigree of "the old hen," but
simply states that she was fed and
oould run all right when she wished
to. In fact, that was enough to tell
us at one time about any old hen.
One of the greatest ambitions of
little boys and girls in the palmy
days of the old blue-back speller was
to "get to baker." " I do not mean
that we really wanted to visit the
bakery,, but lesson number 26 in the
old book was onr first introduction
to words of two syllables, and this
lesson started out with "baker."
Oh, how proud we were when we
could spell the whole ninety words
of this lesson without missing ont!
We felt that we were acquiring great
knowledge that would . soon
make us 'just as smart as anybody.'
The first two-syllable reading exer.
cise following the baker" spell;
lesson was a big thing, too. I It told
us some plain truths in a few plain,
well chosen words. It appealed to
out appetites by Baying that: "Bak
ers bake bread and cake." "Some
fishes are very long." "The black,
berry grows on a brier." "Cider is
made of apples."
. Many bits of useful information
are scattered through the old speller,
such as; "The best paper is made
of linen rags." "The new ; troom
sweeps clean." "A skii! is a small
row boat." "A cliff is a high, steep
rock," etc., etc.,
, It is gratifying to know that the
old blue-back speller is still publish,
ed, and that the old-time spelling
bee is still kept up. If it was more
generally indulged in, society would
be benefited thereby.
Corn Crop Report.
The United States Department
or. Agriculture estimates tne
serfage of corn this year at 115,
(r 39. 000, an increase of 1-7 per
cent over last year. The condi
tion Juiy 1 was 80.1 against 85-4
last year and a ten-year average
of 847- The acreage compared
with 100 per cent lst year is
104 in Texas: 104 in Alabama
and South Carolina, 103 in Miss
issippi, 101 in Georgia and Lou
isiana, 100 in North Carolina,
Arkansas and Virginia, and 99
in Tennessee. Condition in Tex
as is given as 45; in Louisiana, as
r-'; in Arkansas, as 79: in bouth
Carolina, as 81; in Mississippi, as
84; in Georgia, as 85; in Ala
bama, as 86: in Virginia, as 88;
in Tennessee, as 89; in North
Carolina as 91
In the street the rule is to keep
to the right. It is rude for
three or four persons to walk
abreast, thus inconveniencing
others. One or two should step
back and allow those behind to
pas3 where there is not other
wise room it is not good man
ners to loiter looking in shop
windows; one should walk quick
ly from place to place. It is not
correct for people to walk arm-in-arm,
or for a man to walk be
tween two women. A woman
does not take her escort's arm in
the evening. He walks beside
her merely to show that she is
not alone A man should only
touch a woman's arm to assist
her over a crossing when she is
feeble or infirm, or there should
be a sudden danger from which
he needs to protect her.
Voices should be restrained in
public. A quiet tone 13 used in
speaking. It is a lack of refine
ment to discuss private affairs
in public, or to talk about absent
persons and mention names.
The worst manners are those of
persons who seem to wish to at
tract attention in public, either
by loud talking, laughing, or de
monstrative gestures-
When traveling, it is not polite
to monopolize more than a right
ful share of space in a train or
to fill another seat with bags or
wraps, as though it were reserv
ed for someone. If another per
son asks if the seat is reserved,
one shouldjbe prompt and grac -ous
in removing belongings and
eivinsr ud the seat.
When entering a public place
a woman precedes a man. unless
there is a large crowd and he can
add to her convenience or pro
tection by preceding her. The
Ways of Society." in The Ladies'
World for August.
, District Conference
The Greensboro District Confer
ence of the M. . Churcb met at
Pleasant Garden last Thursday.
The opening session was called to
order by presiding Elder W. K.
Ware. Rev. O. P. Ader was elected
secretary and Mr. A. S. Raper assist
ant. The first topic considered was the
Epworth League. Many churches
have leagues but several da not
Centenary church in Greensboro is
the only one having the Boy Scouts,
an organization which has been
adopted by the Epworth League
Department of the Southern Metho
dist church, and is being proven
valuable in bringing the pastor and
boys into closer association and sym
pathy. The financial reports showed con
siderable improvement.
Fr.day was layman's day. G. H.
Miles of Greensboro, presided. . Ad
dresses were made by Dr. C. F.
Reid, Dr. H. K. Boyer, Mr. Charles
Ireland and othwd. The Confer
ence bermon was preached by Rev.
D. M. Litaker, pastor of Centenary
churcb, Greensboro.
Among other ministers who spoke
during the conference were Revs. E.
K. McLarty, of Greensboro; A. L.
Aycock, and W. F. Womble, of
Reidsville.
The fly contest in the city of
Raleigh has been postponed on ac
count of so many children being
away for the summer.
JUGT
ONE
WORD that
It refers to Dr. Tntt'e Liver PUU and
MEANG HEALTH.
Art jroa constipated?
Troubled with lmilg ttsm?
Sick hMdacaef
Vtrtlgo?
Bilious,?
Insomnia?
ANY ot tawe symptoms m4 maay ttafl
ladlcato inaction of tM LIVE.
Te!u fio Substitute.
- You XTeoo.
Itt'sll
New Hope Sunday School Con
vention. Following is the program of New
Hope Stir, day School Convention, to
be held at Oak Grove Chuicb, Sun
day. July 30, 1911:
10:00 a. m. Devotional .Exercises,
Rev. J. T. Stover.
10:10 Addres3 of welcome, T. L.
Miller.
Ifl. 0(1 Tmn.amni T Wnn 1 A make
as a Teacher, Dr. C. 6. Hubbard.
11:30 The Township Association
E. Carr Lyndon.
11:50 Appointment of commit
tees.
12:00 Dinner.
2:00 Song service.
2:10 Teaching the LeBson, Prof.
T. Lttssiter.
2:40 Possibilities of the Modern
Sunday School, H. L. Johnson.
.6:00 lalk by the supennten-
denta.
3:20 Report of committees.
3:30 Address, Rev. J. T. Stover.
3:50 Adjournment.
J. C. Loflin, Pres.
Jesse U. Luther, Sec.
Sol News
There will be a Sunday School Convection
at Oak Grove Chnrch the fifth Sunday in
July. An interesting program is being pre
par.d for the occasion.
Mr. Fred Brown, who has been on the
sick list is improving.
Mr. Reid Cranford, of Winston, is visiting
bis aunt, Mis. Amy Lather for a few days.
Master John Miller, of Asheboro, visited
his cousin, Master Hobson Johnson recently.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Carter a
little girl June the 7th.
Callie, the little daughter, of Mr. and
Mrs. J. S. Laughlin, who tuts been very ill
is on the road to recovery.
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Hill visited their son
Mr. Eddie Hill at Denton recently.
The young people enjoyed an ice cream
supper at Mr. E. B. Johnson's recently.
Mrs. Blanche Carr, of Greensboro, organ
ized a Missionary Society at Oak Grove and
Uuion Churches recently of which the people
seem to be very much interested.
Messrs. Adrion and Claude Birkhead visit
ed at Mr. Milton Hill's recently.
Mr. Roy Cox, of Pisgah, a former student
of Farmer High school visited his friends at
Farmer recently.
Preventive Medicine.
The physician is perhaps the only
man who is deliberately doing what,
ever he can to make his services in
leas demand, for this, after all, is
precisely the tffect of preventive
medicine, in which the eutire pro
fession is now deeply interested.
A clearer idea of what actually
causes disease has given the physi
cian useful hints as to how disease
may be escaped. Prevention rather
than cure is the watchword. Not
mrny years ago the summer was a
busy and a profitable time' for the
doctor. Hardly an infant got
through the hot months without a
serious digestive trouble. But the
source of the danger has been learn
ed, and mothers have been taught
how to avoid it by taking the proper
precautions with the baby's food.
The care oi tne mtant is but one
of many. The extermination of the
mosquito is now known to be a sure
and the only way to exterminate ma
laria and yellow fever, and the pro
fession is experimenting and search
ing for vaccines and serums which
may confer immunity, temporary or
permanent, upon tne body. , J. he
next step is to study the degenera
tive troubles, the diseases of heart,
the circulation, the kidneys, which
cause far too many deaths in mid
die life, or at an age when there
ought still to be years of usefulness
in prospect.
Little by little we are coming to
have a new view of the doctor'slduty
to his patients a view, singularly
enough, akin . to what we have
thought were the topsyturvy ideas
of the Chinese. He is not so much
to cure them when they are sick, as
to keep them from getting sick at
all. xouth s Companion.
Summer Food for Fowls.
During the summer season the
fowls need but little -.food other
than what they gather themselves
in the wav of buss and erase that
is, when they have a free (range of
Held ana orcnard. A nent iced in
the morning and a still lighter one
in the evening ia all they will need.
Turkeys need only one feed in
the evening in order to tempt
them to come home at night ; other
wise tbey will find an abundance of
food that is best to keep them grow
ing. If the fowls can have the run
of wheat or oat fields,! then will find
all the grain they, want, the very
best food for laying hens and grow,
ing chicks. . Bnt be sure that there
ia sufficient shade in the fields. If
there are no trees, provide temporary
shelter made of old boards or can
vas. Water ' ia also necessary and
must be given of tea. Home and
Farm. ; . ,
A special school tax election was
carried nt Star one day last week by
a vote of 53 to 7.
ELON COLLEGE
Co-Educational
Delightfully situated in the hill country.'
Unsurpassed in healthfuluess Modem In
eouinuieiit. Bttam heatr electric lights. ; fit In
sewerage. . With all the advantages aud none
of the disadvantages of city life.
lu Ideal Institution for the education of young
men and young women, with ill years of success
ful history behind it.
. A high grade college, whm graduate are
admitted without examination to the graduate
departments of the great universities.
Maintains also juuuc. Art. expression, com
mercial, and Preparatory departments.
four courses leading to aegrees.
Special Normal Courses for Teachers, approved
and endorsed by State superintendent Joyner.
Terms moderate: $132.00 to SiST.OO per session
of ten moutliB-
or catalogue or further Information address
mentioning this paper, .
W. A. HARPER, Pres.
Elon College, N. C.
N. P. COX,
Jewefer
Asheboro, N. C
Vacation Outing
The Glorious Mountains of
Western North Carolina
'The Land of the Sky"
"The Sapphire Country" ,
"The Balsams',
Where there is health in every
breath. The chma.e is per
fect the year round. In spring,
and summer the region is
ideal. Reached by
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
Solid through train, including
parlor car, between Goldsboro
Asheville and Waynesville via
Raleigh.Greensboro, balisbury
Other convenient through car
arrangements.
Summer Tourist Tickets On
Sale Until September 30.
Let Your Ideas and wishes
Be Known.
J. H. Wood, D. P. A.,
Asheville, N. C.
R. H. DeButts, T. P. A.,
Charlotte, N. C.
J. O. Jones, T. P. A.,
Raleigh, N. C.
PREMIUM OFFERS.
The Courier for a limited time
makes two premium offers, the like
of which will not be made again.
Sit down right now and write us
and take advantage of one of these
offers.
Read the propositions carefully.
They are plain. Never will such an
offer be made again :
Premium Offer No. 1.
To all who pay up and pay in
advance for one year for The Courier,
we will send the Progressive Farm'
er or Norman E. Mack's great Na
tional Monthly free for one year.
Premium Offer' No. 2.
To every subscriber who makes a
payment for a year's subscription,
old or new, to The Courier, and who
will pay 30 cents extra we will Bend
free, both the Progressive Farmer
and National Monthly for one year.
Address :
THE COURIER,
Asheboro, N. C.
These offers do not apply to old
subscribers of the Progressive
.Farmer or National Monthly.
fHEWCBLOS 6REATESTSEWIN6 MACHINE
LIGHT RUNNING
Ifyon wmntaithwa VlbratlngShnttle, Rotary
Bhuttleor a Single Thread Choi Stitch
Sewing Machine write to i
TBI Iff MM! IEWIII MACHINE COMPART
! Orsuio. M mmm, .
If say tevtns machines are made to sell recardleis of
aoaiitr, but tm HtW Hens U made to weac ,
Our fuaraaty amr run out
t)M hr Mthvrlaoal leUer axUjr.
foa taut sy
J-IGHT RUNNING
The Best Blood Purr
It Free
If you are run down
Imr-t hlnnri I kin nr.U
8 sure sign of impurV
D. B. B. (Botanic Bl
mill mirifv onrl rnrfrh i
Bheumalisn down System. B. B. B.
Cured bf to cure mi uiouu ui
a n humors, such as
' ' m-ra r..linfl Snrea
fcczema, Itching, Humors, Rinl
and Humps, t--i. I
Old Sores, Scrojul or Kernels.)
B. B. B. cures all these blood!
tioubles by killing- the Poisonl
humor and expelling " ro,?,tbe,.
system. B. B. B.1S tneomy
remedy that can do this-therefore J Vh
it cures and heals all sores and 4fi
Blood Troubles when all else fails. Tr tJ iJ
lH(rcu. J-"- ' ;
With directions ioi nomecurc. j j
FRLE. SAMPLE. IT W
CLOUD lALfl 1
DescriDetrouDieanoucciDcui p
Win. C. Hammer
HAMMER &
Attorneys m
Office Second Door From
Lawyers Row.
, DENTISTS
OVER POSTOPFIOE
DR. D. K LOOKHARTJ
DENTIS
Asheboro,
Physician and Surgeon
(jjjlce over Johnson s Storm
McVoweu Building
Asheboro, At. .
DID YOU EVER THINK
About the good a bank account Iwith ui wou
oe ro you. Lei us ten you.
Your nouey Is safer in the bank than
where else.
FayluE bills by check Is the simplest, sal
ana mosi convenient meinoa; 'ana your cna
Becomes a receipt ior me aem u pays.
It gives yon a better standing! lu thecoma
check rather than in cash. To be knl
ty. especially amonsr business men. to ST
"having: money lu the bank." strength'
credit. if
By having a bank account of this kmdV
m arA. un&wAre tn TniirRAlf. c aHiiaV J
Ins up one of the most valuable asset!
can have, namely, a good credit at hcl
aoroaa.
We are a safe, conservative institution
Dullness in a Dusiness-Uke way.
We want your business. Call to see us
town.
BANK OF RAMSEU
Ramseur, N. G.
W. H. WATKINS. President.
HUGH PARKS, Jr., Vlce-Fre
1. V. CBAVSN. Cashier.
H. B. CABTKB, Assistant (
The W.
Mullins (
Salem.CV
S R, COX, President W.I. ARMFlELOiR
W. I. aRMrlcLD, Jr., Casnisr
J. 0. ROSS. Asst. Cashier .
The Bank of Randol
Asheboro, N. G.
Capital and Surplus $50. Of
Total assets, over $200,0
With aaiDls) assets. azDarlanoa and neon
w solicit tne business ot the banking publfi
eei aaie in saying we are preparea ana wi
n snsna so our customers every nauiiy bi
scnunoaatlon consistent with sals banking
DIRECTORS!
w. r. wvvv, . n. nsuains, r. n, Msmv, w. iff .
Crary, W. I. Armnsld. Hugh Parks, 0. H. OJ
msaisa, mii. Memo, w. J. Markers, oral
aiiatar, nr. r. t assurr.
Phosphoric Acii
Rock Phosohate
Natural Fertililer t
Fifty pounds of Book PrJ
phate mixed with one load to'
manure will increaae your cfPl
yield from 40 to 75 per cent
Write today for pricei, -
Central Phosphate C
Mt Pleasant, Term.
r. II
,n.:o. )
. ii
Offlca onnna 9 a. m. 3 1 p. J
VKB THB BANK UUUB" p. m. 0 6 p. J
t am now to m ofBce prepare i to pioti
lentlstrr In its varlotu branohe&i I
H. B. Hiatt, M. D. u
6df
ill
i 1
PV sheetj
'lj A Coppel
f Statu V
t J For monumeq J
r 7 Asheboro. A I
I tic and ihlgb 1 1
in every rest f
j 1 oombininsstrf h
- S. f and duratW 9
I Send us il 'r ,
I I photosjl I
.1 I special d fea
1 1 I quote prjilce l
I aollclted.
4,1 Tt, XT I
LP