Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-11-27
PUBLIC

The subjoined article on education in this
state, we translate from In Louisiana. The
writer reveals some rude ~verlt!ea, in terms
strongly expressive Of the pain and indigna-
ton felt by an enlightened generous mind at
the discovery Of the half voluntary ALI iinpo-
Bed ignorance and degradation Of his fellow
men. Our sympathies are with him; we
have witnessed-we daily witness-the same
melancholy, notifying scenes. We behold
a people unlcttored, unenquiring, thoughtless,
because Ignorant), exercising the privileges
aud assuming the discharge of duties which
belong to enlightened frecmen! Among this
mass go the olice-seeker and Fthe Office
holder, and they go to degrade, not elevate /;
to deceive, not enlighten to cheat them into
novel ~fooleries by impressing them with novel
errors.
Can it be wondered at that honest, sar-
prine minds-enthusiastic admirers Gf Anne
r;can institutions and the noble attributes of
the human inLellect--should bleed with pity
and boil with Indignation, at the sight OF so
much ignorance and so many abuses land
that, too, in times like these, When the ave-
nues to learning are as broad as the sea, and
smooth as the still-sleeping lake of summer !
when the intercourse between the learned
and the unlearned, the rich and the poor, has
become so free, nay, SO necessary When
schools are not only fruitful Investments for
private enterprise, but are instituted and sus-
tanned by law !!
Instituted and sustained! Yes but we'll
wager a new hat there are not ten members
of the legislature, the governor included, who
can inform you of the manner in which these
schools are Observation-Disclosures many
of them are ~bienniaily among the people soil
citing their votes. They know laws are pas,
sed appropriating SO much money, and the ex-
ecutive knows he signs those laws, but neither
they or the executive can tell whether that
money is properly applied or shametully squan-
dered.
we lltiGT lIis lIoH ldGts3 v nv phbIII
officer could be conversant with the gross.
glazing errors and mismanagement of our com,
mon school system, and suffer it to remain
as it is without a call for reform No: he
would tremble for his popularity as an officer
for his reputation as a citizen.
We had recently some conversation viii
well-informed teachers on this subject. On'
assured us that he was teaching twenty poo
pupils at the rate of $I,25 per month, while h
knew q neishboring instructor who received
at the rate Of IS per month for each pupil
Our informant resided in theeity, and his Gus
tolnary charge was 81 per month the othe
taught in the country at the rate of $3.50
The ipse dirit of the parent or guardian, rela
tive to ability to pay is generally taken by tn
school commissioners, without reference t
the tax roll or to facts. Another genttemaI
informed us that the whole public fund in Gil
particular section, amounting to between SsU
/, and $1,000, was paid for the attention give
during a year, by an artiui knaye, to n littl
Al aZ% -
, urchin +!
Louisiana is in less need Of legislation tina
I Of enlightened, active, discerning Legislator
, 10 revise, eorrectsand annul the crude, hal
done up measures Of former sessions.
We have spoken on this subject before, an
, we shall continue to speak with the hope OF
final hearing, as long as We can WELD a pen
h control a press. There. is no covert deslg1
S no unligniied sentiment, no individual
party motive in our course. It is the caIs
of our life, the only cause for which We WIS
to live. In connection with the subject
!, human advancement, all others are to us
. 8. dirt and ashes.' Men and parties, the
schemes and policies, we regard with COZ
!, tempt whenever they dare cross our endeavor
feeble Though they be, to elevate and expar
the public mind and i'll politics, religion al
: private life, our best friends are those VIII
with the least chicanery, the least cant, al
the Warmest devotion, abandon themsely'
most ardently to this glorious purpose.
- O that the time and treasure and mighty i
tellectual effort, annually lost-cast away
tribes ike water upon the dry earth, could
= controlled by some high power, and their i
~ f~uences for good shed upon those over who
i the reign of darkness is unbroken! tic
rich the ~blessings-how brilliant the resul
that must inevitably ensue!
But man is not what he would be, nor is
ciety all that the good desire. Aspira..t ITS
public offices and honors, (who have L in tn
6, power to do great service in the Cause of ed
cation), as we'll as those who for the time |
h ing occupy public places, usually neglect
interests except their W and the party's
which they belong, Candidates canvass th
respective districts and in their routes Witnt
the slave-like AFFECTION, the groFelling isi
=. rance of hundreds whose votes they solit
nd remark thereon, ridicule and deplore it, a
* vet. instead Of addressing them on these
'es fects, explaining to them the nature Of
evil, its dire tendencies III a political ser