New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1867-06-29
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,

| pleted last evening after having lasted two
weeks. The result was about what might
have been expected under the circum-
stances. The pupils generally have shown
an aptitude to learn the lessons assigned
them by the board of directors; and the
teachers are in the main faithful and pains
taking But the majority of the books
placed before the children are filled with the
mercst. trash and are OF no possible benefit
to any one; especially is this true OF the his
tories and Biographies. The discovery of
the western world by Columbus is the most
modern event dwelt upon in the so-called
histories, although we heard some of the
skirmishes that occurred in the Pequot war
elaborated by one class.
If there has been an Indian war within
the last fifty years; if there has been agreat
and wicked rebellion against the Union; if
there has been an attempt to break up the
constellation of states composing that
Union, the children of New Orleans are as
ignorant OF these events as are young Hot
tentots, so far as any knowledge derived
from their teachers or their books is con-
cerned. If these children belong to a great
nation they are in profound ignorance of
its history, and they go forth from the
school-room to their homes without having
received a single practical idea on the sub
jcct
The history of Europe, as taught in the
city schools, is equally obsolete. No
notice is taken of the great changes
wrought by Garibaldi and Victor Emanuel
in Italy, for that now free and happy
country is said by the textbooks provided
by the superintendent and directors to be
partly under the dominion of Austria. The
German confederation is taught to the chill
dren to be exactly what it is not. The whole
scho oil year has been spent in teaching what
is not true has not been true FOR several
years, and what never will be true. Import
ant historical information has been wrongly
withheld from the pupils, and their minds
filed with trash which will only make
blockheads of them in practical life.
The Biographies are of sufficiently modern
date but of ancient information. The gram
mars are probably new enough. In fact,
they are SO new that none of the learned
collegians ever heard Of them. But they
are better than the histories. The directors
have carefully thrown out the best authors
in arithmetic, and substituted one that is
the laughing-stock Of every sensible mathe-
matician that ever saw it.
The themes of composition have been al
most invariably chosen from the most friv-
olous subjects, and have been treated in the
most commonplace style. We have not
heard half dozen that were worth the
paper they were written on. The declama
tions have been either trivial buffoonery,
like Mrs. Caudle's lectures, which occupied
the attention of both the girls high schools,
lived and died half a century ago. In New
Orleans the boy of 1867 has beer going over
the same ground that his grandfather
Travelled. The latter years of the worlds
history have been so completely
ignored that our directors may be
compared to literary Joshuas. They
have stopped the sun in his course and
taught the boys to believe that the latest
dates received from the rest of the world
are those of about 1900.
Thus, with liberal appropriation Of
money, good corps of teachers, intelligent
and diligent pupils, and in fact every facility
for making the schools useful institutions,
they have squandered the time of the chill
dren, taxed the patience of the teachers,
and abused the confidence of the public by
teaching things of no benefit to any one,
and rearing the children Of the country in
ignorance Of its true history. Not a patriotic
sentiment has been heard from one of the
directors, or from the superintendent.
And if loyal idea has been preached
by any of the teachers, it las been
with fearI and trembling for the
tenure of his or her situation. There are
many teachers yet in the schools who taught
in 1863 '6I, and '65, and they de-
clare unanimously that it is impos
sible now to impart that life and
animation in the classes which actuated
them in those three years. The country's
flag has been taken down and hid away Oh
torn up; some of the flag-staffs have beer
cut up for kindling wood. Loyal songs hav'
: been hushed, and loyal exercises of all kind
/ forbidden. Teachers distinguished for thei
attachment to the Union have been ex
: PEELED from the schools and their places sup
. piled by those whose political feelings dice
, | with the confederacy and are as dormant a
, frozen copperhead. The colored people
have been faithfully taxed for the supper
! of the schools and their children rigidly ex
: cluded from the benefits of the schoolfupd
: This is in direct violation of law and of thu
a much abused constitution of 1864. But tn,
3 directors are of that class who believe tina
t no law should be enforced that does not &C
4 cord with their prejudices.
n A reform is demanded in the direction o
!, the public schools. And if the people a
!, the next election do not provide for di
! ferent state of affairs then we are mistake
u in the signs Of the times. We learn that
= is contemplated by the present city counc
!, to reorganize the board of school director
J. and continue the management of the publ
j, schools. We can assure them that an
4 action they may take will be gratuitous o
a their part and will be set aside by the ne,
council. 1t is hardly worth their while me-
!, ding with matter that belongs to the me-
!. order Of things.
IsFoRAATIoN WAsTED.-A gentleman ye
e terday received from the city treasurer
v sum of money in one dollar bills, all quit
$ new, and signed by P. Mohan for controller