The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-03-07
TEXT BOOKS FOR SOUTHERN SCHOOLS.

Among The resolutions passed by the Convention
which met in Savannah last year. was one looking
10 the preparation and publication of u series of
school books for the use of teachers and primary
schools throughout the South Tire resolution, ~
adopted by the Convention, is not before Us as we
write. but remember, with some distinctncss,
that IL Objectionable in several respects a. pub
li,hcd, though its main object met our cordial APP
prevail aud "c are sorry that il should have been
suffered 10 fall into the Oblivion aud ncglco, which
attend most Of The resolves Of Conventions whether
merited or not.
For years we have been impressed with The con.
ycton that the greatest want Of the times in The
Southern States. is series of well prepared school
books, the product Of Southern intellect and skill
Heretofore. the books used in primary schools.
academies and colleges. have been. almost without
exception, gotten up by Northern and pub
lished BY Northern houses. The Northern section
Of the country has enjoyed rs complete monopoly
in this line ~ If pat'nt had been granted which
Southern scholars and hrk n red not infringe
Whether the child would learn The alphabet of the
English, The grammar Of the Crock. scan the yerFe
of Virgil. master The clements of NJ tnetic or study
tie laws Of logic whatever III study. the text book
Of the Southern student were prepared by Northern
men and printed ly Northern publishers.
This cntir" dependence upon Northern learning
industry and skill Tor all he school book, II. 4 rs
our youth. would be ds graceful 10 lie South ir
there va. perfect omogenconenrss of feeling sd
fcatiin"nt between the section, of the country. II
coald only hc viewed a. a tacit confession by the
South Of it. ipiorori;y to the North, Of il lack
either Of ability industry 10 produce and of its
willingness 10 have lis intellect moulded and shaped
~ mon who are stranger" 70 its soil
But with the antagonism between The North and
South upon subjects intimately connected with the
peace and wcl-hrng Of society which has existed
from the foundation Of the government, the course
which the South has pursued in this matter is moth
ing loss than suicidal. Why wonder Than then that
the defence Of the patrarchal institution Of the
South has been feeble, when the children imbihcd
anti-slaycry sentiments and false, social philoso
pey, from heir earliest years. Their parents learn
cd. from school books gotten up 10y Northern men
to regard slavery great evil. social. political
and moral, aud the children in turn CLEANED the
same sentiments from Ike sources: and 50 II has
gone on. year after year, the South growing weaker
every year. while anti-slnyery sentiments became
more widespread among all classes of The commu
nifty
Long AFRO. some men at III" South saw how this
lcaycn was working, and attempted TO do something
TO check IT, The effort could not succeed then. for
two reasons first because not only did the North
furnish all the text books for schools but fur
nishcd all the teachers too. and these teachers, with
all the preiudces of education. would hardly have
adopted books prepared at the South, even had the
books been offered for their acceptance; and Sc
condly the educated men of the South gave them
selves so much concern abont political matters. that
they had no leisure to bcStow upon so insignificant
thing as books for primary schools and academies.
These two causes will readily account for all the
apathy which has dsgraccd and weakened the South
Her sons were content that Northern mon ehonld
make school books for the nation, 80 long ms they
could be Presidents, Senators, Congressman Govern
ors, Cabinet officers and foreign Ministers.
The times have changed, and greatly for the bet
ter" Thank God we have in the South something
superior to the Yankee pedapogucs of thirty years
ago. The Colleges and Universities of the south
have given us corps of teachers. born upon south
soil, educated at southern schools familiar with
southern society. just the instructors for southern
boys and girls and who are gentlemen and ladies in
the school room and in the paror. All honor to the
teachers of the south who contributing so largo
ly TO our progress in science and learning.
Now, that we have raised up in our midst corps
Of able efficient and honorable teachers, what him
ders our having school books prepared and published
mere at the south? There is now market for such
school books, why, then, shall we not have them?-
Can 1t be that there are no educated men at the