Rev. John Sadoc Smiley

John was the first Swain County Superintendent of Schools.

  <nowiki>-----</nowiki>

September 8, 1881

Fellow Citizens of Swain:

While the people of other counties and states are making such great advancement in the cause of free education let us not be behind them by neglecting our duty in the matter.

There is now a new educational era in the country, and nothing is needed to improve our Swain System of free schools but the earnest cooperation of every good citizen of Swain County.

The active cooperation of every one is earnestly solicited. The County Board of Education, school Committeemen, teachers and superintendents must all be actively alive to our school interests, - all must pull together and success is sure. When the public schools are made what is intended by the law, every tax payer will feel proud of them and will pay his school tax more cheerfully than any other tax he is required to pay.

The money paid for the education of our children is the most important of any other tax money. With this we make the citizens of the next generation. The money spent for free schools is spent for the greatest cause known to the state, therefore it must be used so as to do our people the greatest good.

Will all our good people give their influence to this noble cause in Swain? They surely will.

I shall continue to do my best for the good of Swain Schools that they may serve their high and noble purpose. When they do this we will love them next to the church.

Parents send your dear little ones and get the benefit of an education - time is precious with them.

Parents, teachers, school officers, and all - let us now work for our educational redemption as a county.

John S. Smiley

County Superintendent of Swain County.

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jul 19 2018, 23:58:55 UTC
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jul 20 2018, 0:09:35 UTC