New Orleans Republican., 1868-08-25

same year: '-- -
II is impossible TO report, with any preci-
sion, the number of children who do not
attend school, etc.
9. NJ. Peques, Treasurer of parish of De-
Soto, wrote in the same year:
Our schools are generally good ana well
attended. They are mainly supported by
| private subscription, but for want of reports
from the directors 1 am unable to make a
report OF the amounts SO paid.
W. B. Warren, Treasurer parish of Jack
son, says:
| You will observe that this (report)is incom-
plete from the fact that the Directors of the
Districts lave failed, as heretofore, in ren.
| derlng any statement to me as contem-
plated by the twenty-third section of the
school law. 1t appears that they manifest
very little interest in furnishing any in.
formation, etc.
W.. Il. Gale, Treasurer, parish of Qua
chita, says:
The majority of the schools are supported
by private subscription.
E. r. Boissat, Treasurer, parish of
Rapides, says:
The Directors, and the people generally,
seem to care but very little for their sue.
cess, and give the matter no attention. In
6. word consider the money applied under
the present system entirely squandered.
james A. Williams, Treasurer, parish of
st. Helena, writes;
again have to report failure on the
part of District Directors of this parish, to
furnish materials lin the way of annual re-
ports for the treasurer's annual report,
W. A. Darby, Treasurer, parish of
Union, writes:
l have not received single report from
| any of the School Directors.
S. w. Bickham, Treasurer parish of
Washington, writes;
| The School Directors seldom perform their
| duties, but think they are very excusable,
Tor they have no means of knowing what
their duties are. ...-.
The following extracts from reports of
Parish Treasurers appear in the annual
report of DR.. Samuel Bard, State Superin-
tendent, in the year 1858.
N. Bolton, Treasurer, parish of Vim,
says:
l am entirely unable to make full report,
as the Directors all failed to report to me
the condition of the schools generally.
W. H. Gale, Treasurer, parish of Qua
chita, writes: ...5. r
The School Directors in the various school
| districts, having almost unanimously failed
to report tis not within my power to state
the general character of the schools.
E. Leblanc, Jr., Treasurer, parish of Yer.
million, says:
If you could only see who we have for
| Directors .bolF Of yuh aa1- bai,
crosses to their signatures.
G. L. Lester, Treasurer, parish of Terre.
bonne, writes:
The School Directors take no care or in
terest in the discharge of their duties, ant
our Inhabitants themselves, l regret very
| much to say, seem to care very little about
electing Directors with necessary qualitica.
tions.
G. G. Fournet, Treasurer, parish of ST.
Martin, writes:
This shows the pitiful condition of oul
schools in the parish Of st. Martin.
Oneze A. Guidry, Treasurer, parish O
St. Landry, says:
Generally the teachers are scholastically
bad and morally worse-the Directors un
educated, and consequently incompetent K
Judge OF the requirements of applicants, etc
George Colmer, Treasurer, parish of Liv
ingston, says:
The school system, therefore, needs refor
nation, but how that is to be effected l d.
not presume to point out.
Joseph H, Balch, Treasurer, parish o
Iberville, says:
We have no schoolhouses in the propel
acceptation of the term. The schools ar.
generally taught in dingy, rickety, half
rootless sheds or shanties that a planter o
ordinary capacity for managing Affairs
would not allow his negroes to inhabit.
myself have taught schools for months il
an apology for u schoolhouse, through tht
cracks and holes of which | could easily
throw good sized urchin of sixteen years
R. H. Cuny, Treasurer, parish of Cata
houla, writes:
The present condition of public schools
OF this parish calls loudly upon the Legisla
ture for some revision and modification o
the present system.
The reports from nearly all the Treas
urers of the parishes bear the same testi
mony as to the almost utter worthlessnes
of the old system of public education il
this State.
The following conclusions are clearly es
tablished by all this testimony:
First The old system has proved fail
ure and should be discontinued.
Second. An entirely new system il
needed.
Third. The public school funds of tht
State have been in large measure squan
dered and misapplied, mainly for want o
proper supervision through State Boari
OF Education, or the State Superintendent
or both.
Fourth. Parish Directors should not bt
elected but appointed, as in most cases i
has been shown that they have been utterly
incompetent for the duties required O
them.
Fifth. Any system Of public education
before it can work well must have con
trolling head. -
THOMAS W. CONWAY, =
| State Superintendent Public Education
New Orleans, August is, 1868.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES.
The Committee on Judiciary submittet
the following report, which was received
and accepted: =os fss= g
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Room.
| sass 1854 August q, 1868.
To the Honorable speakerand House of Represent
atives: ---4--- s----s----- --sz-
GENTLEMEN-In case of Senate bills Nos
81 and 10 your Committee on Judiciary con
And in cssa nj House hiu No 1s0 an oc