Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-02-19

To The Hon. the Police Jury Of The Parish o
Deruile:
The undersigned, a committee appointed b,
your Hon. body at the last session of the Pc
lice Jury, for the purpose of taking into con
sideration the propriety of re-districting. the
Parish into new School Districts, and generally
to consider and report upon the necessity Of
Public Education in this Parish, suggesting
remedies for the same, and other matters in
said Resolution contained, have the honor, in
accordance with said Resolution, to submit to
the Police Jury the following
REPORT.
Your committee find a redistricting of the
parish would operate injurious to no inconsid-
cradle portion of the parish, which perhaps un-
der the present State laws, could hardly be
prevented, unless districts of two or three in
number could, through several Boards of Di-
~rectors, agree to the employment of a single
teacher, and that he should teach certain fixed
periods OF the year, in different portions of the
agglomerated district. And even this would
be but meagre food to those who are now hun
gering after intellectual nourishment. In this
way it is possible that the school system in our
parish might be partially kept, under the pre-
sent defective and unjust State laws; but it
would be p~artial-surfeit in one portion of the
parish and famine in another. Those who pre-.
served their schools within their %yicinage would
be satisfied, while those who were virtually
deprived of the benefits of taxation for the
support of public education, would have great
and just reason of complaint. Your commit
tee are forced to this conclusion, if any redis-
tricting is attempted, with the view of replen-
ishing an exhausted treasury.
The only question then is, in the opinion of
your undersigned, shall public educatien, free
to all, be continued and maintained in this pa
IRISH? To this question there can be but one
answer. And your committee have no hesita-
ton in recommending most strongly that the
public schools of this parish be not permitted
to languish, but that rather they be infused
with a new vigor.
The Parish of Iberville pays now largely in
to the treasury of the State for the purposes
of Public Education, and did we receive it back
in the general appropriations, the parish would
be amply provided for, and a surplus would be
constantly accumulating in the school funds,
with which a high school might be hereafter
established; but this, under no law that the
Legislature is likely to pass, are we entitled to
expect, though it would merely be the right Of
the parish. What then are we to do! Some
thing must be done and at once, or the school
room will be closed, and the schoolmaster once
again abroad. What is the remedy! We an
sWer taxation-a word which we are well
aware is odious to a large portion Of our pa
IRISH, because lis result is onerous to the people.
Yet, surely no good citizen will object to an ad-
ditional mill tax, if it be necessary to the main
tenance, of the primary school. The base of
Institutions is knowledge. The child,
reared in ignorance, is incapable of understand
ing and correctly approaching the institutions
of the government of his country; and possess
ing equal rights at the ballot box with the in
and educated, they will always be an
easy prey of the ambitious and intriguing, and
if venal, sell themselves to the designs CT the
partizan. Truly, with US, acknowledge
is Power" and while we acknowledge no SUI
bat claim perfect equality in our sys-
of government, we all bow down at the
of intellect. Let education then be ge-
neral, and let this parish be liberal in its appro-
to sustain the primary school. 1t is
he only efficient remedy which your commit
leo can suggest. 1t is the only remedy. 9th
ers may perhaps be suggested, but they would
only afford a temporary relief. In the end we
be driven to appropriations, or to an
abandonment of the system, an abandonment
We trust will never be entertained.
Your committee have drafted an ordinance
ou, the foregoing views, which they
submit herewith, with a recommendation that
he same do pass, and that they be discharged
rom a further consideration Of the subject
natter.
All which is respectfully submitted.
r. A. UPTON, Chairman.