The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-04-11
TT V'so H10o'oSt PPsl1'ss
MATTERS AND THINGs---No. S.


having children to educate, feel the deepest
interest in the subject of "home education"
am opposed to sending our sons and daugh-
tiers into free States. But what are we to do?
Keep them at home and sustain our own
schools That would be our duty. But some
one objects and says, "Well they have in them
teachers from the North and if we educate
Nour children in our own houses we have also
% employ Northern teachers" True But
bf two evils choose the least. The least evil
is to keep our children at home. We can
there protect them, as Southern children. from
mischievous influences; for Northern teach
er under our roof would hardly be so fool
hardy as to risk the loss of her position, by
intoxicating any Northern notions Of she had
them, for all Northerners are not Of necessity
aboltionists as every intelligent reader knows,)
into the minds Of her pupils.
If possible, it would be far preferable to
have Southern-born teachers; but for the rea-
sons given in my previous number, they can
. not Be obtained Our educated young men
and young women must first be reduced to
the necessity Of teaching for support before
they will do it We all know this But
kind Heaven forbid that we should here in the
South have to come to such pass as TO have
among US large class of poor but educated
persons compelled by poverty to teach las is
the case throughout all the free States) in or
= dar tat x.-a mar h.va Co.,3b.-, l,--. s,..l.
ers! Yet sir. this is the only way in which
the South could be supplied with them -
You know that no Southerner (there may be
here and there an exeepton) of finished edu-.
cation and fit to teach (male or female) will do
it voluntarily, or as profession, as Northern
people make it. Voluntarily to become teach
'ers they must be forced to the choice by pecu-
MARY embarrassments or else froH q very
ultra patriotic spirit 1t is true that here are
Southern teachers, and they take very high
rank as such, at least the few it is my pleas
ure to know, both males and femalesl But
how limited is the number! Not ten of them
teach. by choice. Some of them are young !
widows who were once daughters of opulence
gGd educated at the, North, married unfortu-
9ately and their >dissipated husbands either
dying or running off left them to theft own
resources Then their.elegant education be-
came to them means of support! Others
ware daughters or neices of men once veal
1y but who could not now maintain then!-
As for the Southern gentlemen who teach,
but three / have ever seen took to teaching as
a profession Usually they had been unlor-
thnate in other directions Of their talents
Within three or four years have metwith
half dozen young men, born in our smaller
towns and sons of merchants, or not Yiab
lawyers, doctors or ministers, who have aevo-
ted themselves TO teaching, not however as
profession, but as q stepping-stone to one of
the Professions know that at one Of the
late commencements of our State University
gentleman present desired to engage one of
the graduates as teacher, but could find on
ly two IN the whole College who were willing
to make teaching their profession and but
three or four who were willing to teach tenn
porarily. know that it was an occasion of |
great surprise among his friends when young |
gentleman. graduate of Yale, and the SON of a |
wealthy planter, offered himself few years
ago as teacherin oneo Of our Southern colleges,
saying be intended to make it a.his profession /
Every one regarded It as an eccentric move,
until a few months Afterwards the estate was
sold under mortgage and his father proved
to be ruined The son had been aware Of the /
condition of things beforehand and hence his /
determination! But IS he teacher now?-
No. He taught two years, read law, and Is |
nov one of our most prominent lawyers. It
wont do There is no tying the Southerner
down to the schoolmaster's desk Wei are
no: atall pedagogously inclined! But give
me thoroughly educated Southern woman
orSouthern man as teacher and will match
thsm against all corners
Moreover, and sorry l am to say il, teach
ing among US at the South is looked upon as
in some sort an inferior calling! The great
majority of our planters of the middle posi-
ton in society who have raised themselves to
wealth, regard teachers as peg beneath their
wives and children! but the true Southern
gentleman and lady of wealth and education
never evince, am glad to confess any Of this
sort of parvenue pride, but treat their govern
nesses as equals, if they have true ladies' as
eovernnesses, which our most wealthy and re-
fined planters are sure to have; and in such
cultivated families the position of gosernness
is an agreeable and desirable one. But the
great majority of the planters treattheir teach
ers IS interiors tand sometimes they are, for
all our teachers are not as refined IS they
might be, and poor pay gets poor teachen) and
their position BY no means agreeable.
1To teach" Is TO be dependent and needy in
the Judgment of most Of Southern people Of
certain class Of minds. What / assert can
not be denied; and until q teacher Gf he be
gentleman in character) and . goyerness Gf
he be Iady-like) IS regarded IS an equal in o-
1s;t;ou with the family she Is in, teaching viii
continue to hold low grade in the South,
and Southerners viii not engage in its thank
less drudgery, and the Northern teachers win
continue to educate our children! But even
.hen. the avenues to eminence and wealth
through the bar and the forum, and By medi-
cine and cotton. are 90 full Of promise and