New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-31
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

III session IN this city during portions Of tt
last and present week. At the closing Sc
sion OF the board, held on the twenty mint
instant, the following address was dehve
ed by the president in taking leave of hi
associates in the educational work:
Gentlemen of the State Board of Edpcf
ton, as this will be the last meeting sha1
have the pleasure of attending with YOU.
deem it alike duty and a pleasure to sa
a few parting words.
Little over two years ago we held on
first meeting. Since then one of our mem
bers, General MfCleerY, has been called t,
| his final rest, and another, Rev r. K
DiOssy, has been removed from office Boil
these gentlemen, during their association
with as, won our highest regard, not alone
| for their personal worth, but for theil
earnest devotion to Che cause of public edu
cation in this State. AT our first meeting
! we had occasion to lock with pain on the
| educational condition of the youth of om
| commonwealth. There were more than
100000 children Of educable age, and not
schools sufficient for 10000 Of this vast
number. There was, therefore. a great
| work to be done. Against US were arrayed
| all the forces of religious bigotry, political
| intolerance, and that deep-seated prejudice
begOtten Of slavery and developed by the
Ehl4u1OaIGlCS dlIkh pdSSIOl5 lHGlu6uB 10 our
great civil war; but in our favor we could
count the highest and best Judgment of the
age, the consciousness of right and the ap-
pr0val of Almighty God.
During the time which has elapsed since
our first meeting we have been enabled to
report the attendance of more than 100000
pupils, the establishment of upward of
1900 schools, the organization Of school
boards in every parish and Incorporated
i AZ /
forms and books Of record to every school
corporation and teacher under our charge
The system of education. which, in this
brief period, we have developed from
nothing is the equal of any in the Union
and by far the most economical. The OPP
position which manifested itself at the out
set has now dwindled into insignifcance,
and the majority Of the people are found
ready to compliment us for what we have
d0nes
The present State government can point
to nothing connected with it with so much
pride as to the establishment of free pull
lie schools in every part of the State.
You, gentlemen Of the board, are to con.
tinue in this noble work, while | am to
withdraw from it; but before doing so, /
wish to express my hearty acknowledg-
ments Of your fidelity to duty and your
uniform courtesy to myself during all the
III
a new superintendent is soon to be placed
at the head Of the educational work, and it
is to be hoped that, under the guidance of
d wise providence, one will be chosen whose
sympathy for the school system will be un-
doubted, and who, with you, will carry on
the we'll begun work till an education in a
free public school shall be blessing within
the reach of every child in the State of
Louisiana, irrespective of race, color or
condition.
At the close of the address of Mr.. Conway,
the following resolutions, offered by Super
intendent Stoddard, Of the second division,
were adopted
WHEREAS, The official term of the present
Superintendent of Public instruction is soon
to expire, in view thereof wey members of
the State Board of Education, desire to ex.
press our sense of the services rendered by
Hon. T. w Conway to the cause of popular
education in this State; therefore, be it
ReS0Jredo That to his perseverance and
energy in securing the passage Of the pres
ent school law the State is largely indebted
for the wise, efficient and economical sye.
tenn of public education it possesses and
that to the courage and vigilance displayed
by the State Superintendent is due much of
the success with which the work has been
crowned
Resoleed That in the prosecution of this
hUIh ulSkCA IIiG tIulluI5UIdLlOu OI lIUIls 4.
W. Conway we have seen order evolved
from chaos, and harmonious and effective
system of public education firmly planted
in the State, while the HOO schools outside
the city of New Orleans, now established
where four years ago none existed, furnish
undeniable evidence Of the ability with
which his department has been admins
tered.
ReS0lced, That however widely the future
may separate us. we shall ever cherish the
recollection of our personal and official as
with him in the educational work
of this State: and. in exchanging his present
position for another sphere of
duty, he will be attended by our best
wishes for his continued usefulness and
Superb tendent Carter, of the division of
New Orleans. offered the following Tese!u
ton, which was unanimously adopted:
Res3}red, That the members of the State
Board hereby tender to the president there
ot-the State Superintendent Of Public
assurance of theig deep and
heartfelt sympathy in connection with the
severe domestic Affections he has geceutly
experienced
On motion, it was resolved that she force
going resolutions, together with the address
IT the president Of the board, be published
Z the New Orleans REPUBLICAN.
WILLIAM ROBINSON, SocEesaryo