Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1857-01-31
Report Of Superintendent OF Public Edu-
cation.

Dr.. Bard's report, with the appendix
is moderate sized volume, containing
one hundred and twenty pages, and EN-
bracing much information, and many i'm
portant suggestions. We can at this tim
merely glance at few prominent points
The report acknowledges the glaring de
fects and inefficient working of our pre-
sent system of public education. Thu
laws on the subject are ill-digested, Blu
their administration is still more faulty
Dr.. Bard recommends that an Office
should be appointed in each parish, SINH
lar to that of parish superintendent; tina
school directors should possess certain
qualifications, and should be made to per
form their duties under penalty that the
unsold school lands should be let on lease
or sold on longer time than the law al
lows that normal school should be es
tablished, or normal departments in inst
tutions already established, as the mos
economical, and that in providing them
the wants, interests and rights Of females
should not be overlooked. The report
strongly urges uniformity and proper
selection Of text books, and suggests thai
the phonetic system Of teaching should be
subjected to fair trial. Also that the
responsibility Of the State Superinte nden'
should be enlarged that a Board Of
School Trustees should be appointed OF
elected, with power 10 decide upon tex,
books, and all matters not expressly reg.
ulated by law. The practice of educa-
ting free negroes is denounced as danger
Gus to our institutions.
The number of children between six
and ten years. in the State is 1892.
OF these 1890 attend public schools
exclusive Of New Orleans. In several
of the parishes, such as Jackson, Jeffer-
son, Lafayette, Livingston, Madison, La
fourche, Tensas and Vermillion, the re-
turns show that none of the children at
tend public schools. Others exhibit a
very fair average attendance-Bossier, for
instance. out of 9l2 children, sends TAI
TO the schools Carrolton City, out Of SIC,
sends 3O6 Claiborne, out of 1870, sends
1,743 East Feliciana, out of 1882, sends
s5l; Franklin, out of $40, sends $50, etc
. -e :-- IN. O. Bee
DR.. KANE.-The Boston Transcript
states that letter received in that city by
a friend of DIR. Kane, gives information
direct from his family, and confirms the
statements recently made pub
lie. One of his brothers, on receiving
news Of his departure from England, left
10 meet him in Cuba, although he. was
not then thought to be dangerously i'll.
But on the 5th inst, such alarming intelli.
yence arrived, that his mother left ;mme.
1ia,ely for Havana. His disease is in
rheumatism, contracted on
MS first Arctic voyage. and from which
Re was suffering severely when he sailed
he second time. e' I
A late letter from Havana says:
DIR. Kane has almost recovered the
Use of his leg, which was paralysed, and
lis arm is commencing to show signs of
'itality. He contemplates returning home,
f his health still improves, in the Quaker
City, which was to leave Havana on the
9th inst. DR.. Homer, surgeon of the
Wabash. and DR.. Royerand, celebrated
physician of Havana, were his physicians,
md admirably treated his case.
TRANSFER OF THE HERM1TAGE TO THE
United SrArEs.-The Legislature Of
Tennessee, at its last session, passed an
ct authorizing the Governor Of that State
o purchase five hundred acres Of the Her.
nitage, including the mansion of Gen.
ackson, and the tomb where now repose
he remains of the illustrious hero and
atriot and those of his beloved wife, and
0 make tender ofthe same to the General
Government, provided branch ofthe Mil
larry Academy should be established at
hat place. In pursuance Of this act Gov
rnor Johnson purchased the Hermitage
,r the sum Of forty Eight thousand dollars,
nd on Wednesday arrived in Washington
nd made formal tender Of the property,
With the condition annexed, to the Pres
lent. The President, in reply, stated
hat this offer by the State of Tennessee
you'd be promptly communicated by him
. Congress q ss.5ss-s,t.gz~rs
SAD CALAn1rY.--On Friday evening
sst small schooner was observed drift.
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