Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-20
CONSERVATIVE TICKET.
PEABODY SCHOOL FUND.

The report Of the proceedings OF the
sixth annual meeting of the trustees oil
the Peabody Educational Fund has been
nublished DR.. Barnes Sears, general
agent. presented an elaborate report.
He SAYS: II is only question OF time
until the South has q system OF pubic
instruction. of which the whole country
will be proud. The difficulties to be
overcome are. The legislation in many
States is crude; the school fund in some
has been plundered by carpet-baggers
Tennessee, for instance); in some places
suitable taxes cannot be levied, owing
to unrepealed statutes; in others the In
Auential business men and lawyers
of the country fight the tax levy for
this purpose. Despite all these draw
hacks DR.. Sears takes a hopeful view OF
the matter. The total amount appro-
priated in aid of public instruction in
the South since February, 1871 is SAL
$50. and the amount contributed by the
people themselves, 100000. Itshould be
remarked in passing that by the terms of
the bequest no moneys can be and none
have been appropriated to any college or
academy or to any private, pay, or sec
tartan school. Only those public schools
in operation under the superintendent
of State and county officials. can claim
any assistance from the fund. The su-
perintendeHts of public instruction in
the various States act as agents of Pea
body's donation in their respective
States. The following is the scale &C
cording to which appropriations are
made For well-regulated public schools
continued about ten months of the year
aud having regular attendance OF not
less than 100 pupils averaging s. per
cent, the agent pays $780, 200 pupils
averaging So per cent, the agent pays
5000; $50 pupils avering So per cent,
the agent pays $500; 300 pupils aver
aging s. per cent, the agent pays $1,000.
The report refers to the following States
in this manner:
Alabama is tied by its constitution,
which gives a kind of Polish veto to the
Legislature over the action of the Board
of Education. Received $4,000 from this
fund.
Mississppi-Children of the legal age
to attend school, 304,762, of whom H.
600 attend public schools. School laws
faulty School fund, 100000, from
which the schools receive no benefit
Received from this fund, $3.50.
Arkansas has been teaching its teach
ers to live on nothing and teach school
besides. The public school system does
not thrive under this training. Received
$3.50 from this fund.
Tennessee-Waking up to its bad emf
hence in the ranks Of illiteracy; received
$26 900 from this fund.
This is a sad, disgraceful but no
doubt true, commentary on the condi-
ton of the school system in the above
mentioned States. Tennessee should
wake up to the great Importance OF the
subject and stand in the front rank Of
advocates Of education We notice
that Mr.. S. Watson, Of this State, has
been elected one Of the sixteen mem
bers of the Board of Trustees, and Gen.
Richard Taylor Of Louisiana, another,
appointments that will no doubt be ben
e6cial to the school interests of the
States bordering on the Mississippi
river At the last meeting committee
was appointed to see what measures
we're necessary to recover the value of
the Mississippi bonds in the hands Of
the Trustee, which have never as yet
been repudiated and yet never paid.