The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-02-20
The Council..T he School Dire ctOrs, and
the Twentieth Rule.

The Council--I he School Directors, and
the Twentieth Rule.
We have carefully RETAINED from entering into
the discussion of the exciting question growing out
of the recent attempts to repeal the rule requiring
the reading of the Scriptures and prayers in the
opening exercises of our public schools. As the
friends Of our admirable system of public schools,
have felt it to be our duty to do So for the
son that in our deliberate judgment the agitation Of
such question must result in serious injury if not
ruin, TO the Schools. There was no reason for it.,
that we could perceive, and no good end could pos
sibly be accomplished by it. 1t could be produc-
| tive Of nothing, it seemed to us, but evil. The
Schools have prospered and increased in usefulness
and public favor to degree unprecedented, we
believe in this any other country and this Rule
which has suddenly become so obnoxious in GER
tain quarters has been in force, and has been faith
fully administered from the day Of their organization
to the present 1t has, therefore, been impossible
for US, with all our charity, to regard the question
in any other light than as hobby contfived by
certain ambitious and aspiring men, who, while
they entertain the most sovereign contempt for the
Bible, and for all religion and morals would not
scruple to avail themselves OF the friendship and in
luence Of large religious sect, to secure to them
selves the offices of Mayor of the city, and Re-
corder of the Second Municipality But no mat
ter by whom or from what evil and corrupt motive
this question has been raised it is fully before
the public, and its agitation fairly commenced.
These men have succeeded to their hearts content
in arousing the prejudices and exciting the opposi-
ton and unrelenting hostility to this long esab-
lished rule Of that large and respectable body of
religious people, whose influence and support they
seek to obtain. 1t must be obvious, we think. to
| every rejecting mind, that such contest as must
grow out of protracted agitation of this question
in community in which the division of Catholics
and Protestants is nearly equal, must nevi-
taby result in the ruin of the Schools, no matter
which party may triumph. We therefore think it
should be avoided by all means.
We freely avow that we should be exceedingly
gratified to the Rule continued in force Its re-
quirements are in accordance with our views and
ceilings 1t is in accordance with our education
and training from our childhood up, and we ex-
ceedngly regret that it entered into the minds
and hearts of some of the most evil disposed and
dangerous men that ever exercised control in any
community, to disturb it for the promotion of their
selfish views and personal aggrandizement
But we are thoroughly convinced that it is a
thousand fold better to abolish the Rule, than to
suffer the evils that must necessarily result from
further agitation of the subject The Public Schools
were established for the benefit of all the people,
and are supported by the taxes of all the people,
without distinction as to religion or politics. We
therefore regard it the duty of the Directors to
avoid every thing lin their management, that may be
Objectionable to any respectable number of persons
1t NAV be said that the renesl of he ua will ,;ya nc