New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-28
COMMON SCHOOLS.
The New Orleans Times and it's Opinions
Popular Errors Refuted-Hints fol

The New Orleans Times and it's Opinions
Popular Errors Refated- Hints foi
Voters.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
In the New Orleans Times of August 90
appeared an article concerning "Our public
schools" The subject was heated in char
acteristic manner. Compelled to champion
the spirit of the newly "Hatched" Demo
cratic address, it is not matter of sur
prise to learn its opposition to Republican
reforms, advanced for the education and in
dependence Of the labOring classes and the
protection of just government. The poor
mans school system is an eye-sOre to Demo-
Gratis, aristOcrats and kings. Fortunately,
we have no kings at present, but the logic
and political wisdom of the Times would
soon make an advent feasible, if gener-
ally entertained. Kings and nOblemen are
but human, and occasionally look with pity
upon the condition of their creatures,
peasants, commoners and servants.
The Democratic party and the Times fire.
quently indulge in loud professions of So
icitude for the people. The best friends -
of cOlorcd men have demonstrated their
affection repeatedly. To war upon Prussia,
Napoleon must first flatter and deceive the
French. The Times has its peculiar way of
dealing with such matters. With some
shrewdness it utters sufficient truth to be
plausible, but never burdens its columns
with too much of it. Says the Times:
In the indscriminate association of chill
dren OF all classes may be found an ex-
IRENE compliance with the letter and spirit
of unauthorized Democracy, but it is a
compliance which is not always safe, either
in moral or sanitary point of view. In
private schools the danger arising from I'M
proper association is much less, while the
facilities for acquiring an education are far
greater. Where hundreds OF children are
crowded together in q single room for in
structiOn, they can not receive that special
attention which their respective needs re-
quire, and they have necessarily to depend
rather on their own resources than on ex-
terror aids. The true teacher feels that his
energies are expended to little purpose in
the presence of such host
lndiscrlminate association" is unavOid-
able. 1t occurs upon the street, at places of
public amusement, in the store, the work
shop, in all the professions Men are So
cable beings, and seek congenial natures
There are, indeed, few spots conducive to
the rearing up of angels on this globe Of
ours. Does the Times oppose "indiscrimi
nate association at the theatre, in the
church or upon the street! If not. the obiec-
ton fails when applied to public schools
To prevent such association would compel
an exact separation Of the good from the
vicious. Will the editor of the Times ac-
cept that responsibility
private schools" are often excellent.
They may be patronized by men of means,
and excel in the higher branches of study
But it is forgotten by the Times that down
the dark alleys, in the neglected streets,
dwell a mass Of human beings daily strug-
Cling for the necessities of life, subject to
the changes in trade, the rise and fall in the
prices of labor, and who have but little
means to bestOw upon the education of
their children. Shall they be continued in
poverty and ignorance! Is it wise states
to allow this class to increase Ig-
norance can not be pleaded in extenuation
Of crime, or to escape the vigorous penalties
of the law. Cease to provide for the instruc-
ton of the INDECENT, and the administrator
of the law becomes the greater criminal at
the bar of justice. Government would be-
come tyranny
Crowded schools are not necessity.
They are truly grievance. Is the grey
ance beyond remedy9 / would suggest to
the Times a multiplicity OF schools and
teachers and the erection of cOmmodious
school buildings. Has the editor read the
school law! He must have noticed section
twenty-seyen, which provides that the State
may designate meeting Of
INC tlcClOTS VI IL district, 10 De
presided over by the President of the Dis
trict Board of Directors" and when legally
assembled, they shall have power to levy
such tax as they may deem proper, not ex-
ceeding ten mills, on taxable property, for
the purchase of schoOl-houses libraries. ap-
paratus, the necessary fuel and appendages.
and the compensation of teachers. The
of crowded schools will,
therefore. rest with the people, and the
Democratic party, as the opponents OF gen
eral education. 1t will be disgrace to the
State to publish abroad that hundreds OF
children are crowded together in one ROOM
Ohio and Massachusetts would not do it,
An honorable and generous public spirit
would forbid such a condemnation Of
boasted intelligence. In those States vii
lagos of less than fifteen hundred inhabi-
tants take pride in their forr-storv free
school houses and frst-class educators.
Shall Louisiana voters be content with
mere roof a shed or a narrow cell. and
guard of instructors
A tide of immigration is pouring over
the continent. There is universal cry for
more labor, skilled and ordinary The
peasant of Europe has heard of America.
her free institutions and free schools, and
hastens to sever himself from systems Of
government which deprive him OF the
exercise of natural rights, subversive1of
and which convert him into a
machine to do the will of the tyrant and
1espot. What attraction will Louisiana
offer to these immi grants, if her common
schools be neglected, while the great West
rears them up by thousands. and at every
village and cross-road! They are bone and
sinew of prosperity
Again, says the Times:
Had the system proved equal to all the
demands made upon it, the American
would have become of one heart and of one
mind on all public questions-thee opponents
and exemplars of an impossible equality
But though the seed was sOwn in faith, it
did not produce the desired fruit. Instead
of unanimity of sentiment, we have wit
messed the most extraordinary divergences
Oh all questions, whether of morals, poll
tics, philosophy or religion. Isms and
counter-isms sprang up on all subjects con-
corning which two opinions could be enter
tained and bitterness of feeling was Ell
yendered which had its legitimate culmina-
ion in the havoc and bloodshed of inferno
1--WE hostilities. For promised peace there
came q sword; for promised fraternity the
most determined vengeance and bitter per
,ecution."
l reply, had the common school system
been thoroughly and earnestly extended to
he masses of the slave and border States,
he dark and bloody troubles, and tue after
could scarcely have occurred. |
Jne of the highest encomillms which the
civilized world pays to education is that it
,egets freedom and the conscious indepen- |
lence congenial to moral culture, skilled Ia |