The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-08-29

state UmATersffys
EDrroRs CLARIoN My last was de-
signed to cali the attention of the public to
the .poIicyp OF the Radical party who have
complete control Of the State University in
bringing it down to the grade of common
school and thereby crushing out the best
schools in the State. No one will pretend,
we presume, that a lad who is inveigled
into the State University by the seductive
influence OF money or otherwise can be pre-
pared there as well and thoroughly as he
could be in the preparatory and classical
schools of the State. It is well known that
when he goes into the University as a Aprep'
he drops spelling, reading, writing, arith-
mesic, geography, and noao, English gram
mar-for what can the ddjunct-the head of
the chair being cut of "for the want of
funds" do with 123 boys in English Gram
mar, and assist in Latin too? Weregard it
as virtual abandonment of English Gram
mar.
Their whole time is occupied in Latin,
Greek and Mathematics. They tell us
English is included, but we think it is poor
English, If any at all. They say 'commer-
cial science, including pennmanship and
bookkeeping" belong to the department
of preparatory education. Have they any
Professor teaching either of these? pre-
sumo not, and "for the want of funds"
probably, bu. why hold out to the public
the false idea that if they will only accept
the bounty, and parents will send on their
sons and put them aboard of the Radical
craft that they will be taught in the prepa-
ratorv department commercial science,
including penmanship and book keeping ?"
A labored article which appeared in the
Oxford Falcon, over six columns long, 18th
July, gives to the public some rare facts,
and besides is a rare document in many
respects. We do not know the author, nor
do we care to know. We take him to be a
Radical, or Radical sympathizer, or one
who is deeply interested in exhibiting the
Radical Board to the best advantage before
the public, and is,as he supposes,very adroit
in keeping in the back ground many of
their tergiversations. This document we
presume is published, &c cathedrG. 1t seems
to be in part recital of the commencement
exercises; so far as the young men are con-
cerned-we have nothing to say-God bless
them!
1t is the acts of the Board which this
writer commends so touchingly and loving
~ to the public-their policy as delineated
with his reckless and facile pen, and the
blowing in which he INDUCES so freely, and
some facts TO which he refers so bOastngly,
that We propose to examine: $l2,50 given
away in tuition to start on; 81, 600 given as
a bonus in currency to 116 boys to enter
the University. This makes $24,1O0 90.
$4,000 60 besides is appropriated by the
Legislature per annum.
Is it necessary to eXpend so much on the
education of 123 "preps" and l27 in the
regular college classes? We leave it to ev-
cry right thinking man to decide for him
self.
How are these evils to be remedied? Send
the "preps' to the preparatory and classical
schools now IN existence, carried on by
private enterprise, and instead of crushing
them out-build them up. Reserve the
character of the University, as College of
high grade at least. If it cannot command
more than 100 or 12O, diminish the number
of Professors, until the intelligent and pa
triotic people of this country get confidence
in the institution and send their sons back
to fill it up.
Instead of diminishing the number of
Professors, except that of English literature,
they were increased! 1t is published that
the Chancellor is assisted by eighteen Pro-
fessors and instructors"-if he gets a pri-
vate Secretary, the number will be twenty
How many hours in the week do some of
these Professors labor? Is it four hours a
week? If more, how many more? How
many weeks do they labor? About thirty
four. They call it nine months session, we
will show 1t is only eight. ThirtY-four
weeks, four hours per week, makes 136 hours.
This makes not quite six whole days service
in 365. $25O0 per annum and a residence.
But am led off, intended devotlng
separate article to this branch of the SUBJ
ject.
They are making a nice thing of it, and
sometimes we think we may do the Radical
Board injustice, especially the carpet bag
wing. From the estimate our people gem
orally place upon them, it would seem a
difficult matter to do them injustice, but
we say fiat justitid radt coelana, and if the
other members, by quitting their heads
together" with some of the cunning and
artful of the Faculty, if such there be, do
things there that will not stand the test of
human scrutiny, it shall be charged to the
carpet-baggers, account. Rest assured of
that. The idea suggests itself here, do not
the Faculty mould the policy of the institu-
ton, for the Board If in our estimate of
time occupied by some Professors we have
made mistake and we can learn the fact,
we will make some new figures in a subse-
quent number and go into the whole subject.
We will endeavor to be fair,
A TAX PAYER.