Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-15
The Pablo scbOoIs-A Few .Sugges-
lions.

| The PublIc scbOOIs-A Few .Sugges-
lions.
To the Editors of the Union and American:
| notice in your report of the proceedings
Of the City Council that bill was intro
duced and passed three readings by the
Board of Aldermen allowing persons own
ing property in the city and living out
side of the corporate limits 10 send their
children to the city schools. Now l would
call the attention of the City Council to the
fact that persons owning property in the
city and living outside rent the property,
and with the property the school privilege.
Now would it be Just for a person owning
a house in the city and renting the same
to family that have the advantages of the
schools, and then the persons living out
side to claim the privilege that he has al
ready sold to another party. l ask is this
Just
The city school privilege is a difficult
subject to legislate upon, and l would say
TO our City Council that this subject re-
ceived the earnest attention of some Of our
best and wisest men at the commencement
of our publicschool system. Such men as r.
J. Meigs, Francis B. Fogg, NJ. H. Howard,
DIR. J. B. Lindsey, DrJ. w. Hoyte, and the
Iamented John A. McEwen, and number
others, and they considerd the present
as near a just law as could be
and before opening this gap to any person
that may have valuable property near the
city, and desire to avail themselves Of this
greatest of blessings to purchase a small
lot In some of the various low and marshy
places about the city, just TO secure the
great blessing of our schools. / would ask,
what is it that keeps people in the city
when taxes are so high2 1t is the various
privileges, among others the noble free
schools, at which the little orphan boy or
girl, that has not a dollars worth of
property on earth, stands side by side with
the mans child that is worth thousands,
yes, hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Let these persons that live outside Of the
city bring their wealth into the city and
have all its advantages and share its
burthens. Let our people only visit our
schools and witness in some OF the large
buildings over four hundred bright, up.
turned faces, and think that in few wears
the affairs of Church and State are to be
COmmlLleu 10 lnelf care L enlTedL our
people to visit our oWn schools. 1t will
make them better men and women, and be-
sides will encourage the teachers. They will
always be glad to see any and all visitors.
1t does not interfere 10 have visitors at
any time, for they do not have days for
showing off their schools to advantage.
The work is not changed whea visitors en-
ter; they just proceed with their work as
though there was no one present.
The public schools will do much for the
rising generation that is now coming up
among us. 1t will keep the males from be-
ing thieves and highwaymen and murder
ers, and thereby filling of warehouses,
jails, penitentiary. By careful training
the females will bo destined 10 Gl some
useful sphere in society and be saved from
a life of shame, that is SO often the lot Of
the orphan girl left homeless and friend
less. Let us look after these little orphans
and discharge our duties if we do not do
this, all of our church spires pointing to.
wards heaven are but mockeries of God.