The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-02-19

now TO say few words in reference TO the fuo-
lie Schools of our city. -
Power was given in the city charter, granted
to Louisville in 1898, to the Mayor and Council
to establish one or more free schools in each
ward Of the city. The first school, under the
exercise Of this power, was established April
18th, 1879. This school was conducted upon |
the monitorial system, which continued in use
until September, 1910, when, in accordance
with AN ordinance of the city council, the pres
ent system was adopted.
Under the former system, though the schools
were considered free schools, small tuition fees
were received from such children as were able
to pay; but with the adoption of the present
system, all fees were prohibited, and the schools
became eaaiHsly free, free in fact as well as in
= be introduction Of the COM
into Louisville, the success
80 IVA. regarded by many of our
citizens, as doubtful, by a few as utterly hope
less. Some said the schools would be regarded
as charity schools, and that the pride of parents
would revolt at the idea that their children were
to become recipsn of charity in any form
This obstacle has 81 proved insuperable. II
was greater in any eipaton than it has been
found in reality, tkough, doubtless it delayed
| for a time the successful issue Of the expert
| ment. The objection may yet weigh with
some minds, but We apprehend that the great
majority of our citizens now feel that there is
no more degradation in the reception OF the
benefits Of public education, than Of the bene-
fits of public legislation and We have yet to
learn that the pride of any of our citizens is so
great or so sensitive, as to cause them TO refuse
for themselves, or for their children, the enjoy
meat Of the peace and good order conseq uent
upon public legislation, because, forsooth, that
Legislation seeks the welfare of all. Education
has come to be regarded as it should be, not as
a luxury purchased by wealth, nor as a boon
granted by charity, but a right to be demand
ed and obtained, not by one child or by few
lchildren, but by every child in the community
Another obstacle in the way of the successful
operation of the common school system, an OBJ
stace regarded by some persons as absolutely in
superable, was found in the existence of slavery
in our midst. Free schools, it was confidently
I said, never could flourish in a slave State. This
remark is frequently made now, in various quar-
) tiers, to the friends of education, when contend
, ing for the establishment Of common school.
throughout Kentucky. We cannot stop to en-
quire whether the objection be well -founded oil
, not; but We would remark, in passing, that If il
be wellfounded, if it be fact, that free school,
, cannot live when breathed upon by the slave in
stitution, what powerful, what a resistless ar.
, gument does this fact present against the insti
tuition. How wrong in nature how whitening
in influence, must an institution be, which, mo-
content with denying intelligence to the bond
. breads and forbids its diffusion among the free
Less fatal would be the poison-tree Of Java in
the midst Of our majestic forests, than such
death-tree us that in our land; for Java's fearful
4 Upas destroys only the body, and leaves un.
touched, unxithered, the immortal mind.
But whatever the nature Of the influence O
slavery may be, that influence has not been suf
fciently powerful in our city to prevent the es
, Enlistment and successful operation Of the pub
, lie schools
q Nearly nineteen years have passed since tbs
/ opening Of the first city school; a period Ions
enough, surely, 10 test the experiment. AnC
what has been the result In lS29, we had on,
public school in Louisville, now we have TWEEN.
ty-four. Instead of the small number of pupils
who could be instructed by one teacher, we now
have seventsen hundred pupils, who are undel
the care Of twenty-fou teachers, aided by ten
T assistant teachers. These facts Indicate, TO say
the least, that the experiment has not proved an
entire failure.
But there are other evidences Of its success
and one Of the most satisfactory is presented in
the fact, that some of the persons now employed
and very successfully, as teachers, not long since
, were pupils incur schools. Whatever intellectu-
al advantages hey have enjoyed, have been pre-
sented in the public schools. This is an ex-
ceedingly interesting and encouraging fact
How strikingly does it illustrate the wisdom and
true economy, as well as the lberalty, of the
policy of prpvidng means of education fol-
every child in the community. A few hundred
dollars are appropriated for educational purpo.
sss, a sum scarcely felt in prosperous city, anc
in dollars and cents, but in treasures Of infinite
ly greater value, in minds enriched by knowl-
edge and expanded and adorned by intelligence
We hear much discussion among our citizen.
and rulers TO the best mode of appropriatinQ
the public income, and often dssensions anc
alterations arise from the great variety of opin.
ions advanced. But here is mode of invest.
mentwhich must commend itself TO every think.
ing mind, to every humane and patriotic heart
for wisdom is money. Yes, II is more than
money, as the sacred writer says, 1t is better
than gold, yea, than fine gold. We pretend tC
no acquaintance with the mysteries of finance
but one thing we do know, that any amount o.
money, however large, is wisely and well ex.
pended. when appropriated to the promotion O
Intelligence and virtue, for in intelligence ant
virtue, the prosperity and happiness of a com
munity consist.
We speak warmly of our public schools w,
cannot do otherwise, for feel deep, an in
tense interest in them, both because of the grea
good which they have already effected, and be
, cause Of the unreasonable good which they ar,
destined yet to accomplish. We regard them a
absolutely essential to the welfare Of our city
Not that we are insensible to their defects, TO
we feel too deeply interested in their success, an,
A appreciate too highly the Importance of the in
fluence which they are capable Of exertng, no
to perceive and lament many defects. We know
that while some Of the schools are excellent, il
others there is a want of energy of life, teach