, 1865-04-03
Mt1ifaga5 :.Mrtbups,
MONDAY, APRIL 8 1w5.3


no Pubic bEQUul 1QE COl0TcQ CQuQ[Eu UAN
ever existed, although the free colored popu-
lation averaged more wealth than the whites
and were taxed to support the publtc schools
for the whites. Occasionally, some wealthy
slavchold1ng black, mulatto, or ' 'creole," as
those were called In whom French aud Span
dsh blood mingled with tho mulatto and<oc-
tproon, would succeed On the score of his
wealth, slaycholding af1ilia lions or fair com
Dlcxiou, in scouting admission to the public
schools for his children. Generally, how
ever, such taught their children at home, pro.
cured governesBes for them, or sent them to
prfyate SCHOOLS, Of which there were lew for
this class only. For the poor blacks, free or
slaye. there were no schools, and education
was crime ..
To thfe statc OF facts there WAS In New Or
.eans cne execution. Mrs. Mary D. Dr1cc, of
Ohio. q student Of Antioch College, went
with her husband TO New Orleans In 1858 to
cnracc in tho "incend.ary" occupation Of
teaching colorcd r oplc. They were as poor
as the blacks themselves, hut after nearly
ycat spent in overcoming opposition and OBJ
staclcs, they opened school in September;
1860. They were compelled by the mob to
closc 1t in June. 1861. In NoEembe. follow
Ing she again opened it, and continued It amid
warnings ~ from the "Confedesatc off.
Gers and threats Of every kind, until the guns
OF Fauagut commanded the city. Mrs. Bricc
8 now M honcred Principal in employ Of the
Board Of Education.
By the "labor order" Of February, 1864,
Gen. Banks bridgsd the chasm between
slavery and freedom, removing the governing
power oycr the slaves from the planter to
the Provost Marshal. On march o2d he is-
sued q further order creating "Board Of
Education" with power to establish com
mon schools, employ teachers, erect school
houses, 1egulate the course Of studies, and
hare generally the came auth 1rity that As
SCISSORS, Supervisors and Trustees have In the
Northern States in the matter Of establishing
and conducting common schools" .'f for the
1udimentai instruction Of the freemen Of the
Department, placing within their reach those
elements Of knowledge which give greater in
tellIgencc and value to labor" The report
furnishes us with the following interesting
results of less than one yca1's operation of
the Public School system:
In fptc Of state OF war, Of the fierce opposition
ofprejudice or pa.sion, Of FL obstacles md dsa-
utuc months existence, the Do1rd OF Educattou
asS =; IS sshoos
age monthly increase Of u schools, Is tenchers,
aud $50 0pnplls.
II aaditton the n9ss Of eolofea + aaglss 9 Of
day tchoole, under the ausplccs Of the Board, is
over 400.
OF the scholars in attendance in December there
were ass writing on slstes; l,1s writing n
tei III ireorraphy isS stnosinE pracfie j arithme
III: faS studytpt mental arithmetic: 7Ga3 read-
fnr: S.3l1 speiline: e,l05 learning he i arnabct,
Esrly in he spring uf 1864 a ccnzus was taken
By tire pa11sh Provost Marshatt. Of the co,ored
yeart within our lines The returns Of his cen
sns Indicated school pouusat.ou OF l5,sio Later
in the sesson this number was swelled By the In.
ennntrT. and h1 colored people enter1u. our Inns:
at ali avoI able potn,e 1t Is estimated that the
number oi co1orcd children, Of school-attend,ns
n Innfsi.na' exeeeds "a '0o0 or shat number w
hsre, al this writing, over i, 600 in school.
Many OF 1he leachers, especially taose IL
the country parishes, have to struggle witt
cve-v mspner IF d;f17ru1tv- -,nsnffac,o,t oc
commodatlous-~leaky sheds With ground
11oors-dirtv negroes to be taught. and eoual
- ,.7axo,,t ~-,;4.- ea,,.;.-,. -,
y oHly anu 1eAo1AHk "4les eteAAns 10 oT!Fs
of tie 'snigger teachers n-prrjuuiced Pro
no Narsbs,s who don,t i,s1;aya !, cut
aoot naae1iA.e, WV w. oeie ~ Suci
to1dfpr <t up1onist >, rebels 1are1v skn1,f,ns
$500. -.th 80 :,;,I .,-,.,,-. - 49, ~
oen1no Tue DALI anu slAl praying io' Inc oie
order of things and cursfng the neW-rebe
ra,ds 3,v dav md r1,ff}an}v aftacka hv nirht-
- ~ - .r-
poverty abuse and sco1n-these are soMs
The unInyitinr features In this field Of mis-
.,o,.v v1.f,,r vat nearly +hnna.nd a ,noD,1
s4oAa15 A0pt' 4et AeA'3 tAoaoeuo .lont4
art being added to these schools, showing
~erne-ka1,1e .. oe,ness o,, thu mart If Tho ~.
'4 H[ cs.-NN.,sN ~ ~
ofed race loE eauca1on- tnis Is, however
but the beginning Of work which mus
~ ssas tsa.,.s 49, 49, o,r,ost ao1.,,1 ~.
not@A 'i%eA u''1e0"S @' e ~eS 'aaN1J Is