THE HOME NEWS
EDI lED IN THE INTEREST OF McCRORY AND WOODRUFF COUNTY
VOLUME 3.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1917
NUMBER 16
Endorses Athletics In
McCrory High School
The problem of play is one
that confronts every public
school teacher. It goes without
saying that some form of play
must be devised in order that
the energetic boys and girls may
give physical expression to their
surplus energy. Whatever form
of exercise used by our public
schools demands constant super
vision by the teachers in order
that the exercise may be clean
and wholesome in every respect,
and in order that the exercise
may serve the purpose for which
it is instituted, namely, to devel
op the physique of the students
and to socialize them, and thus
prepare them for real citizen
ship. There are many forms of
exercise which may be used, but
in choosing what to use, it seems
almost imperative that the choice
of the students themselves must
be considered. I shall attempt
to show you how important it is
to consider the feelings of the
students in this selection.
In every town that football is j
used, we always find some who
object to the game on the ground
that it is too dangerous and brb-;
tal in its natnre. Football is the j
REAL GAME for REAL BOYS and j
I am personally much in favor of j
its use. At the same time I!
would not trample under foot
the objections which some of our
very best citizens have to this
popular American game. Neith
er would I encourage any boy to
participate in football if his parent
or guardian objected to his play
ing, in fact, I would not permit
his playing at all if such object
ions are officially given to me.
It is a sacred privilege for any
one to object, and I feel it my
personal duty to have the high
est regard for that objection.
In defense of this great game
for boys I wish to present a few
points of argument. I believe
that football should be played in
every school, and that every nor
mal lad should be encouraged to
take an active part in the game.
The reasons follow:
1st. Football appeals to the
vigorous youths of the school*,
thus serving as an incentive to
regular attendance.
2nd. It gives mental as - well
as physical training for no one
can make a successful player
who does not concentrate his at
tention on the complicated sig
nals of the game.
3rd. It socializes the youngs
ters more than any other game
by giving them a proper per
spective of the rights and priv
ileges of individuals.
4th. It demands clean minds
and bodies when the game is
properly supervised.
5th. It is an incentive to good
class work for no boy can play
who falls below the passing
grade in his school work.
6th. Football is next to mili
tary training in the development
of discipline.
Our country needs real men
who are strong physically, men
tally and morally. My observa
tion during my college and un
iversity life has conclusively
convinced me that the men who
take the most active part in foot
ball are the same men who are
making unquestioned success in
the various pursuits of life.
Statistics will show that the ma
jority of the men who are now
serving Uncle Sam most efficient
ly, the commissioned officers,
were formerly college football
stars. During the strenuous foot
ball gruelling, which was abso
lutely essential to success on the
gridiron, these men acquired the
virtues of leaders, self-control,
cleanliness, durability, and re
spect for authority. They for
ever cast away the idea of false
propriety that it is disgraceful
to have soiled hands, and every
fiber of their make-up was dedi
cated to that principle which
makes men succeed. The spirit
of “grit” and stamina was so
grounded into their being that
failure became an unknown
quantity. The principle of “hit
ting hard” was so forcefully
fixed in them that it was applied
to every college activity, In the
class room, the football man
usually took first rank, and in
every activity the cardinal prin
ciples of football were never
found wanting.
We desire to make men of the
youths of our schools, men who
are not afraid to work, men who
live lives of service, and since
this popular game has so many
advantages over the less stren
uous games, we recommend
most heartily that football should
be encouraged in all high schools.
To be true, football is not good
for the weakling, but for the
stalwart lad who has a surplus
of energy, nothing is better.
The teacher may use football
as a means to bring about a reg
ular attendance, and also to en
courage faithful school work by
making these two points a pre
requisite to play on the team.
In my own experience, I have
known several boys who had
given up the idea of finishing
school, but through the instru
mentality of football they were
caused to re-enter school and
thus the whole career of their
lives was changed, a life of dis
grace was changed into a life of
usefulness. I would not at
tempt to thrust my opinion upon
any one, but on the contrary I
have the highest regard for your
objections to this game and un
der no circumstances shall I dis
regard the opinion of any one in
this matter. The school is yours
and we are the servants of the
school and thus it becomes our
duty to regard your opinion.
We hope these few words will
serve to establish a proper un
derstanding between patrons and
teachers. Any parent objecting
to his son playing has only to
notify the principle, and such
objection will be highly respect
ed. In conclusion we wish to
appeal to every patron of the
school to consider how import
ant a factor in the development
of real men is a properly super
vised system of football.
J. C. Gray.
Arkansas Wins Again
Sixty two counties have made
appropriations to help pay the
salaries of 128 county agents,
home demonstration agents and
negro agents. As a result this
state still leads all others in the
number employed in the work
for better agriculture. This
stamp of approval put upon the
work of the Agricultural Exten
sion Division of the University
of Arkansas, led by W. C. Las
seter, Director, shows that our
people were alive to their oppor
tunity and willing to do their
share to help develop the work
as made possible by the recent
increased Federal appropriations.
It also shows that onr people
recognize the value of scientific
methods in farming and the
business men are 10 be congrat
ulated for their foresight in
realizing what the work will do
for increased production and
what increased production will
do for better business. They
have backed up their judgment
by boosting the work and have
demonstrated their sincegety by
being willing to bear their share
of the taxes to support the work.
Congressman Caraway
Here This Week
Hon. T. H. Caraway of Jones
boro, Congressman from this
district, who is home a few
weeks from Washington on busi
ness, spent Thursday night and
today, Friday, in this city. The
gentleman was to have address
ed a meeting of our citizens in
the interest of the Army Y. M.
C. A. at the Methodist Church
yesterday afternoon, but through
no fault of his, had to disap
point us. His many friends here
were glad to see him and re
gret that he could not get here
in time to fill his engagement.
In Mr. Caraway, the First
Congressional District is ably
represented in Congress and the
gentleman ranks with the lead
ers at our Capitol. We have
never seen a representative of
a people who tries more earnest
ly than does Mr. Caraway to keep
in close touch with his constit
uency and it is his desire that
they inform him at any time as
to their wishes. He left this
afternoon for Cotton Plant for a
short visit to friends there.
Little Ruby Hamer
Died: At the home of her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. J.
Rosell in Argenta, Little Ruby
Hamer, age seven years, suc
cumbed to an attack of conges
tion Saturday morning, Nov. 3,
1917, about 3:15 o’clock. The
remains were shipped to McCro
ry and laid to rest in the Fakes
Cemetery Sunday afternoon.
Funeral services were conducted
at the M.E. Church by Rev. Lark
and the remains were accom
panied by Mr. and Mrs. Rosell
and their three children, Nellie,
Thelma and Louise. The News
joins the many friends in ex
tending heartfelt sympathies.
Methodist Church
Dr. F. S. Johnson, of Conway,
commissioner of Hendrix Col
lege, will preach at 11:00 a. m.
next Sunday, Nov. 11, and a
cordial invitation is extended to
all. At night the pastor will
present some of the great calls
of the war and you are welcome
to all services.
F. A. Lark, Pastor.
Mill and Timber For Sale
I have a hickory and lumber
mill and a tract of timber for
sale. Call or write, G. M. Ellis,
Morton, Ark. 2t*pd.