The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-29
Educational.

By special request we give place
in our columns, to the following admit
rable letter, believing that our readers
can be but interested in its perusal:
MARKsvILLE, JUNE 2Ist, 1863
d. f. Boyd, Superintendent Louisiana State
Seminary, near Alexandria:
DEAR SIR-Your very polite invitation
to attend the examination and public ex-
ercises of the Louisiana State Seminary,
on the oath inst, was duly received. !
sincerely regret my inability to avail my
self of it. The success of this Institution
is of very great Importance to the youth
ertions Of every head of a family and lover
of learning. From my earliest reflections
on the subject of education, have been
astonished at, and rered to see. the apathy
and indifference Of the people respecting
the success of home institutions. Favored
by benefcent Providence with gener-
ous soil and a healthy climate, they have
realized degree Of pecuniary prosperity
enjoyed by the fewest number Of commu-
mites on the habitable globe, and yet, IN
its expenditure, what educational moswme~ts
have they rear for the dissemination OF
knowledge anu the benefit of the rising
and future generations of their children ?
Louisiana presents o lamentable picture in
this respect. think it attributable to q
proverbial ssisxse of the very advantages
they possessed. They had
Gold, and gold and gold without end,
They had gold to lay by, and gold to spend,
Gold to give, and gold to lend,
And reversiOns of gold in future.
In wealth their families rcvell'd and roll'd,
Themselves and wives and sons SO bold;
And their Daughters sang to their ha,ps Of
gold
o bella eta def orc -
Thus the wealth of the parents thwarted
all efforts to establish necessary discipline
in our Colleges, Seminaries. Sc. If . stu
dent became refractory and ungovernable,
instead Of being obliged to submit to pre-
scribed regulations his parents almost
invariably took him away, and thence sent
him North to build up institutions there.
It has been truly said, that distance
lends enchantment to the view," and we
find it peculiarly 50 in reference to the
imagined superiority of Northern Colleges.
The simple truth is, that, but few can lay
any claim to superiority, and that where
yer this is the case, it will be found upon
investigation, Southern patronage has con-
tributed very largely to the result. Had
our opulent planters been as liberal in
their support of educational enterprises in
Louisiana, as they have been in patroni-
ziDg the institutions of tho Northern
States, whose defects are as numerous as
those Of ours. the Seminary you have the
honor of experimenting might have pre-
sented very different appearance to-day.
As it is, I do hope the more Invited means
of tine people win henceforth compel them
to patronize the State Seminary of Learn.
ing. and thus speedily build it up, proud
monument of learning and q perpetual
proof of well applied resources. 1t does
seem palpable enough, that, if we can
build up Northern Colleges, we may do as
much at homo, and save enormous travel
ing expenses. Another advantage sug.
gests itself to my mind, which may not
have been duly pcndered by many parents.
1t is that, in building up home institutions,
the parents may never lose that influence
they should WELD over their children
This they often do in sending them abroad.
How often have we seen boys unrestrained
by parental authority, and inveigled into
vices by evil associates, at a distance from
home, foolishly expend the hard earnings
of anxious parents, and, after the lapse OF
few years, return to the family firesidc,
by no means scholars, to cheer tho hearts
that love them, but addicted to all the 60
cial vices and far ON the road to ruin I?
Let us indulge the hope that these follies
may never more be repeated, and that in
our dire misfortunes we may become wiser.
Let it be the duty of every Cadet of the
Louisiana State Seminary Of Learning, to
make himself recruiting officer during
the vacation, and thus bring it patronage.
If there be those who arc not altogether
satisfied with it, let them reflect, that
other institutions may have pleased them
less, and that probably their own parents
may have offended them even more fire.
quently than their Professors have DONE