New Orleans Republican., 1868-08-05


Superintendent was gradually taken away
by successive Legislatures, so that he could
exercise NO salutary influence or control
over the schools. The Police Juries were
| generally neglected. Of their duty in regard
to education in their respective parishes,
and the treasurers of the school funds, In
not few instances, were either allowed to
| po 'ket them or divide them among a COM
pany of favorites who used to run the local
machines in the various districts.
The new system proposed on Monday by
the Il iuse Committee, and prepared, as we
undera and, by Mr.. Conway, the present
State Superintendent, aims at complete
remedy OF al the old evils from which the
State has sufere 81 long and so terribly.
The ca school laws of the State are en-.
tirely Ignored. Not line of them is pre-
servel. A completely new system is of
fered. 1t first proposes State Board of
Education, consisting OF the Lieutenant
Governor as chairman, and six others, to be
appointed by the Governor and confirmed
| by the Senate. To this Board will be
given the power to manage the public
schools of the whole State, and TO receive
aHd disburse all school moneys. 1t then
prescribes the powers and duties of the
State Superintendent, who is declared in
| accordance with the constitutional provis-
ion, to be vested with the power of control
and supervision of all the public schools of
the State, and who shall be the executive
officer of the State School Board.
1t provides for the appointment, in each
city and parish, of Board Of Public
School Commissioners to be appointed by
the State Superintendent. and confirmed
by the State Board, in like manner as the
appointees of the Governor, on the State
Board, are confirmed by the Senate.
1t provides for the division of the State
into six General Schools Districts, each
general district to embrace several
parishes; and for the appointment to each
Of General District Director, who shall
be to each district so created what
County Superintendents are to the Northern
States, where free schools have been
worked up to a degree of success almost
without parallel. These General District
Directors are to be appointed by the State
superintendent, and confirmed, aud their
salary fixed, by the State Board.
1t provides for a division of each parish
into school districts OF not more than ten
miles square
1t provides for uniform system of text.
books to be used in all the public schools
of the State, and for a State Normal
school; for high schools in each parish, or
for number Of parishes combined; and
for q system Of scholarships for the encour-
agement Of young men and women whose
desire may be to fit themselves for the work
of public school teaching in this State.
Each scholarship shall amount, if high
school or Normal school scholarship, to two
hundred and fifty dollars per annum; and
if college or university scholarship, to
three hundred and fifty dollars per annum
There shall shall be two for each member of
the House Of Representatives, and one for
each Sena .or-two hundred and thirty eight |
in all. The students entitled to receive this |
encouragement shall be nominated by the
Parish Commissioners, and |
appointed by the State Superintendent.
The system also provides like that of |
Prussia and the State Of Massachusetts,, for
education. No child, whether
be be an orphan or an apprentice, or with
parents who are capable of supporting and
him, can be allowed to grow up
in ignorance, and such as are wholly
neglected by parents or guardians may be
taken by the justice Of the peace and
turned over to the care of the State School
Board, whose duty it shall be to educate
them at least six months in each year.
In addition to the poll tax authorized by
the State Constitution for public school
purposes, it is proposed to levy tax of
twenty-five cents on each hundred dollars
worth Of properly throughout the State,
which shall be collected as other taxes
Are, and at the same time. The schools
ire to be free to all, regardless of color,
md certain penalties are prescribed for
hsse who interfere with them in the pur-
uit for which they are established.
We consider the system as complete as it
5 simple and practicable. |
That 1t will beadopted with but little if
ny alteration, we can scarcely doubt.
The author Of the bill must have given
he subject vast amount of careful study.
Ifit be adopted, we can hardly see why
! thorough system Of education may not be
n operation in this State within the next
Year.
The labor necessary to the success of
lystem Of public education, in this State
particularly, is very great. and we are glad
o witness a disposition on the part Of the
Legislature to give to the Istate superin-
endent all needful aid in this regard.
The fangs Of the serpent are perceptible
enough in The secession organs, despite
their well simulated efforts to conceal
,a -. f.. - ~ I