Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-03-20

,, ! ,,n;,,es s,,.ointei TO visit the College
If I,ston Rouge, respectfully report,
That Me committee repaired to the institution
IA ,,;s.,t,,I the, r attention to such matters ana
;,,n;r.s AS would elicit the desired 'ntorhauoh
soaserning the circumstances anu co,iaitioh " ~
solte q. the character OF its administrator, Hll ta
srditafIe, and promise to accomplish The purposes
oil its creation.
Th;a Investigation produced an lmprc asIon oe-
.;dediy az ,r.f,le to this infant institution. u mas
been onlY three years since aae college vas ~
pora,ed. Y short time previous 10 rs ihcorpoa
tioh, individual enterprise aud pdoiis spur na'
,tepned foreard and purchaseda beautiful anu APP
,ranri.tc location, already p divided with conimo-
dious buildings suitable to tho wants Of a paS'ie
seminary. -
tmmediateI, aftcr. III incorporation these pubic
,,;,;t..l pprsons made to the College OF Ba-
sos Rouge a donation of this valub'c proPefty anu
buildings, which has cost the slim OF hiaeeh ''o"-
safi dollars
i, The hrs, stages Of its commencement both
,rcv,ous and Subsequent to its Incorporation, the
institution nearly sanl. under the Disadvantages Oh
m unsncc. ssfui all ltinistIation. As often happens
to projects Of 3 similar character unsnstainea ny
rich private endowment or state patronage, ue
solleg, had to contend IN its commencement WIN
many did ~uuities Its slender means having been
entirely investigated IN us grounds aud buildings,
its oniy certain resource consisted 10 the means
expected 10 proceed from tuition fees and the pro-
Ats Of its boarding establishment, and this resource
must always Of necessity be very limited, uit,i
sime shalt have opened opportunity To es,ao''sh
reputation aud have given promise oil STABILITY.
A nnanb Der Of persons having. contributed to its
establishment, produced multiplied aud Jarring
views in relation to its administration. Uader III
influence OF these adverse circumstances, Il ~ not
s~irprising that IL tried schemes Of education were
essayed, that professors Of capacity, not the most
approved, were employed, or that the civil and
IN ~ Ia AQf In q In N n
were not the most Idicioas. fne timely ass's-
tincc afforded by the state, though very limited IN
its aiu ,unt, prevented the consequences which
must have inevitably resulted IN these times from
the operation Of sIc, causes. by THIS oPlortnie
ASST stance, administrators were cmboIdened TO of
fer and guarantee such A salary rs induced an in.'i-
vidual OF high character and established re .%,utation
L, repair from one of The northern stotes, and as
sumo the Office Of president Of the college.
DR. LACY, president OF the college is minister
Off, Episcopal Church, a gentleman eminent for
his learning and classical attainments, and particu-
larry %eniovsa high reputation rs an accomplished
and ski!ful teacher of rhetoric aud elocution; arts,
who-e impressive aud effective power in behalf OF
religion and morality. he has practically illustrate
Ell by q long course of professional e%xeftiaas, char
scterized by el11uence, chastc, classical aud ina
pressive; which has conferred npoi him a high and
vel! merited reputation.
Under the administration Of DR. Lacy the college
has nrospered AMI promises to prosper. The strict
est economy ia praciiecd. The greatest regnlari-
~ prevails in keeping the accounts; the college is
fast emerging from its pecuniHry difficulties. The
only exception which has been permitted to this
rigid system has been the granting OF an extension
Of lime 10 some individuals who alleged that from
the hardness of the times, they were unable punct-
aniiy to comply with the regulations oftha college,
recurring the fees of tuition and the board to be
quarterly advanced; which has caused about $1,000
1, he outstanding, the whole of which i Is hoped
will be available in the end. This relaxation as
sn ordinary practice can scarcely be deemed saiu-
tary, bu, was thought unsuitable, and EVEN advisa-
hle. under The circumstances. more especially in
I'm infant institution, with which a fair effort to pro-
pitiatc Individuals, should he deened u legitimate
means Of winning pnbiic favor,
The government Of the president seems TO be
#trikingly paternai; inspiring the sttidents AMI pu-
pills not Gully with respect but aft ction. A very
important charnzferistic ii institutions circntn-
s.anee.l as are N knnisisna colleges, where chill
tlrsn OF the ,enderest age are placed 10 Juxts posi-
ton with youths nearly adult, and where southern
character and southern manners hsve generated an
unfortunate spirit Of resistance to collegiate disci-
ptine.
The president il sustained by a professor of En-
sl,sh and the ancient languages, by Q professor OF
the various branches Of mathematics, and by a pro-
fesso. Of French and French literature. The two
iast have lately replaced two who did not give gen
eral satisfaction. 1t is thought that all the pro
fessorsiips are npw filed by competent and efficient
persons.
The time allotted to the visi, of the committee.
even had they felt themselves competent, did not
perm,, them To Attempt the task of mlnutely exam
lining the students, much less to institute an enqui-
~ into the literary and scientific qualifications OF
The mr.. Gessors. They had the pleasure, however,
OF witnessing some specimens OF defamation by
,he LARGER students, which commanded the ~liveIiest
spprobation OF the committee, exhibiting a correct
nsss .t pronuli ~ciatioe, a force of emphasis, . chaste
anil yariel action which bespoke a degree of cui-
,ure, attention and skill, highly ereditable to the
teacher and the student. Your committee concei-
vei ii their duty 10 make particular enquiry into
tie manner in which the faculty discharged their
duty IN relation to tho state scholars. and for this
purpose examined them apart from the professors
andt tile trustees, and they are happy IN declaring
their belief that the demeanor of both the faculty
and the trustees have been OF the most paternai
aud praiseworthy nature, and that whether in their
literary education or moral treatment, no dishnc-
zion is drawn between the state and private stu
dents, some OF the state scholars have exhibited
excellent abilities, and two Of them are distinguish
ed in the school,-blt some OF them, perhaps a
majority, were represented by the faculty as exire-
mely deficient in natural ability, which the
trustees thought was attributable to the neglect OF
the police Juries in searching out those orphans
who were most favored by nature, making their
selection d pend rather upon districts and wards,
,han upon native int ilect and talent, and they say,
t1dI VII consequence Eto USCity Nuat f'o"y " S
state scholars have proved to be SO deficient as to
M incapable Of embracing the psaincst rndiments
Of education; and that thereby the object OF the
states bounty has been unhsppii, defeated, Aud
they requested the attention OF your committee %
ihesuhirct as one requiring legislative ihterposi-
ton. But your committee are ofopinion that this
matter can with the whole subjectsbe safely ell
trusted to the pnbice juries, who arc fully competent
TO prescribe such rules and regulations tor their
action on the subject, as viii provide 8 remedy for
the erii.
Yonr committee requested the trustees to exhib-
il a statement ofthe manner in which the last state
appropriation had been applied, and they lid &C.
cordingiy furnish them with a statement. The ac-
count duly states the names of the persons and the
amounts paid to them bat it ap pears tlsst the whole
amount was applied to the psym ei,t OF debts which
were contracted previously to the time OF the indi-
vidual who now presides over the institution.
From the history of the institution since its eom-
memo, ment. II appears that uninterrupted health
has preyailed within its precincts. No spot in the
state is more favorahly situated-in reference eli
ther to population or facility Of every species Of
travel and communication--situsted on the first
highlands OF the Mississippi, at few hundred
yards from its banks aud a~ffnrding a commanding
view Of the river Tor many miles both up and down
lit is thought that the advantages of the locality
can scarcely be surpassed.
aThnre are now az the institution City students
and from the improved character Of its admins
tration here is every prospect of increasing NUM-
bers. Your deem ii a duty Incumbent
upon them to declare their belief that this college
" from the various facts anti reasons adverted to in
this report, as much entitled to state patronage as
the others upon which such immense sums have
been expended, aud yet q brief statement will show
that an immense disparity exists in the amount OF
patronage extended since their creation.
The following appropriations have been made to
the colleges of the state up to the 3ist December,