New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-07
GRAND MEETING OF TEACHERS
Teachers Institute a Success
A Lecture, Speeches. Etc


High School, 80 Burgundy street. was yes.
terday denseIy packed by the largest assem-
bly of public school teachers ever held in
this city. The occasion Of Inc meeting was
the presence in our city OF Mr.. T. AZ Allen,
long connected with the public school work
in the North and West, who offered to hold
Teachers institute for the encouragement
and instruction of teachers, before he should
take his departure from us.
At half-past nine o'clock more than five
hundred teachers bad assembled from all
parts of the city. Not only were the teach
ers now employed in attendance, but also
those who expect to procure situations in the
new schools soon to be established here and
! elsew where in the State. At The appointed time
Mr.. Allen entered the hall, accompanied by
| Mr.. J. 8. Carter, Division Superintendent
i for New Orleans; Mr.. E. S. Stoddara, Divi-
| sion Superintendent, Second Division. and
, Hon. Thomas W. Conway, State Superin-
| tendent.
Mr.. Allen was at once introduced to the
| audience by Mr. Carter. He then enter
! tanned the teachers for nearly two hours,
! with a most Interesting address on school
/ work: giving Information Oh teaching and
! school management generally, such as has
, never been enjoyed in this city before. The
| teachers seemed remarkably cheerful aud
! happy considering how shamefuliy hey
| have been treated. Never did any audience
| more cordially appreciate al address than
| they did that 10 which they listened on this
most interesting occasion
After the conclusion OF Mr.. Aliens lecture
Mr.. Garter introduced Hon. T. ". Conway,
the State Superintendent. AS the teachers
! had heard so much pro and con in regarC.
to this officer, reading both good and bad
about him for years, it was but natural 10
| expect them to await his remarks with
| unusual anxiety, especially as they remem-
bered, as Mr.. Carter remarked, that it was
| through the persistent energy and devotion
he had manifested. that the present school
interest of the State betokened a success
| which could never have been attained under
former systems. Mr.. Conway said:
Ladies and Gen,lemer-Nothibg in the
whole course of my life has SO gratiied me
| as this demonstration, especially when
consider the depressing circumstances sur.
| rounding most of the teachers here assem-
bled.
There are few things Of importance to
| YOU which | wish TO mention on this occa
sion. l state them merely for the purpose
of giving you an idea of what you may
| look forsin connection with the future ad-
ministration of the public schools of this
city and State.
First-I wish, by every means in my
power, in public and private, to exalt the
otiice and profession OF the teacher, so that
| he may no longer be considered as occbpy-
ing position whit less desirable or less
| attractive, or less honorable than any other
| known TO our time or country.
The public school teacher is considered
by all good citiz ns everywhere as the most
usefu III and deserving Of all public servants
When We reflect on the magnitude ard i'm
portaDce of the field to he cultivated by our
| public school teachers, that the number OF
educable youths IL our State is more than
| double what it was anterior 10 the war, and
that in few years the duties and privileges
ot ciiZt nship will have TO attach to these
little ones of whom | speak, surely we must
| not only honor the teacher and his work,
but maritest the most earnest interest in
both This is necessary, not only as the
teachers proper due, but also as means OF
.preservation to any community. | be
hold with the most cordial pleasure Gudg-
ing from the appearance of this noble band
before me), that the teachers ut our city
honor and respect themselves, for assuredly
no one can fail 10 be astonished at your
good spirits and happy faces, when it is
borne in mind that you have not had cent
| of pay for six months.
Second-I wish to speak of the matter of
pensaton. / am aware that most of you
have been eager to hear from me something
as to this important feature.
It has already become fact fully set forth
in the history of our State, that. during the
past year the school fund in the hands Of the
treasurer of the State was unlawfully dis
posed of by the State Auditor, whose crimes
are already fresh in our memory. Not far
from three hundred thousand dollars of this
fund was disposed of by this officer leaving
none to be used for the payment OF your
salaries, and the salaries of Others SINH
larly employed in other parts CT the State.
| | have, under authority of our present
school law, recently apportioned thirty
thousand dollars to the city OF New Or
! leans. This sum Will be used to at least
meet a portion of your necessities. How
| many days will elapSe before it will be paid,
| depends upon the rapidly with which ward
boards of directors will be organized, for the
law requires that this money appropriated
by me shall pass into the hands of ward
treasurers. l am hoping. from the neces-
sity of the case and the spirit of the new
law, to be advised by the AttOrney General
to allow the treasurer of the city board, MIR.
| Van Norden, 10 draw this gum, ano pay it
to you at once
AS to your back pay-pay due before the
, new board cameliltO control of the schools
! | have to say that members of the City
-
| subject careful attention. and my conviction
Is that they will, at an early day, make the
| necessary provision to pay salaries due YOU
| salaries SO well and faithfully earned. l
| wish to say another word en- this matter OF
compensation: / have losg been amazed that
female teachers, performing like services
with males should receive so much less
pay. In order that this unjust distinc-
ton should no longer exist, l recently
| drew up rule, which the State Board
| adopted by unanimous vote, that females
should be paid as we'll as males when they
| perform like service. | saw that we had
| wiped cut cruel distractions because of
color and previous condition, and | favored
obiittratiDg similar distinctions because of
sex. l deem it but right that we
. should be as radical for woman's right to
| honest compensation as We were in regard
| to the rights of the black man, the poor
man. the rich, the proud, or any other.
| Third have been panied at theIcondi-
ton of the school buildings, and have some
!! times thought if l WAS compelled to teach
! in some of them, | might deem IT wise to
| begin by making a contract with some good
| physician to guard my heath. These build
ings must be made attractive, conducive to
! health and to the interests of education, and
! it will be our purpose to take such steps as
| will soon bring about the needed reforms.
| Fifth-We should have frequent meetings
of this character, for by means of them We
! become acquaisted with each other with the
| trials and triumphs of the great work We
! have in hand; and it will be my aim always
&! to do what / can to make you happy, con-
| tented and hopeful; TO encourage these
! meetings as very important means OF