The Hickman courier., 1873-07-26
The Peabody Fund.
Report of the General Agent.

agent OF the Peabody fund, Dr. barnes
Sears, gives an encouraging review OF
the general condition of public schools
in the southern states, and says the en-
couraging circumstances vastly predom-
mate over discouraging. There is one
class of men, says the report, whose in
terest IS to be dreaded, who do not pro-
fess to be unfriendly to common schools
but reluctantly consent to let the expert
ment be tried, provided it be done
cheaply not considering, probably not
| caring, that such condition is fatal.
The effect would be in more than one
state to create widespread dissatisfac-
tion among people who, having paid
their school tax, find that private schools
have been broken up or reduced to
weakness or Indifference, by the removal
| of so many pupils, and that for want of
sufficient funds no respectable public
schools have taken their place. So far
as the education of the children of a
state is concerned, the two systems CO.
existing are chiefly efficient IN weaken
ing each other Either to be prosper
GUS requires all the money that is paid
for both. Men will not be satisfied to
be reduced to the necessity of setting
up schools of their own, or of sending
their children from home after having
contributed their share to the public
school fund. Such are the results of
what people are pleased to call economy
in expenditures for public schools.
; The report goes on to refsg to schem'
ing Legislators, and shows no the voice
of the people has frequently been
raised against them, and insists that
superintendents should not be frequent
ly changed, and says he must wait
time for the results of change from
private to a public system. Past pre-
judices are coming to be regarded as
amiable weaknesses, and there are men
enough in the southern states who pro-
nounce for abandoning the antiquated
system of private schools.
The following statistics are taken
from the report Virginia-Public
schools in the state for the year ending
August 1, 1872, is 1896, and school
population All, ,O21 persons, of whom
247, ,OO2 are white. The amount appro-
priated was S32, 800.
North Carolina-T condition of
public schools and education generally
is far from satisfactory. Alarming in
difference on the subject among the
common people, and want of union
and hearty cooperation among public
men amount appropriated S12, 40.
South Carolina-Few schools reported
throughout the year An application
was made for Charleston as follows
The legislature at its last session appro-
priated over 5000 for educational
purposes. Not one dollar of this amount
has been received from the treasury,
and the result has been that nearly all
public schools in the state have been
closed. Amount paid $4,000.
Georgia-Efforts thus far to establish
public school system resulted in COM
parative failure fund contributed S10,
100 to II schools.
Florida -Three-fourths of the youth
of the state are yet unreached by the
educational system, but the ratio is
rapidly changing; the fund contributed
S., 600 in aid of IA schools.
Alabama-Of population of one
million. 3S4, 900 can neither read nor
write of the voting population there
are 81 600 blacks, and 10000 whites
who cannot read and write ; the state
funds paid $50, ,6I7 during the year and
the Peabody fund 81. 900 to 5 schools.
Mississippi-There are 1850 public
schools; average attendance 125, 200,
and 400 private schools with 14S, 780
pupils enrolled; expense of common
schools 81, ,13e, ,98S, and the Peabody
fund contributed 81, 450 to aid schools.
Louisiana-S7. 800 was contributed to
aid schools.
Texas-In the unsettled state of school
matters, the trustees did not feel justi-
fed in making donations.
Arkansas-Number of children of
school age 1914, 81 number of persons
attending school 80, ,S63; teachers 2, 2,035;
amount paid teachers 1856, ,625, and
amount contributed from Peabody fund
50, 500.
Tennessee Number of children of
school age about 400, 900; school fund
s., 512, 500; amount available for schools
S65O,OOO; and the Peabody fund con-
tributed in aid of 55 schools $25, 900.
West Virginia = There are 5000
schools in operation, run at an expense
of three-fourths of million annually,
and $4,000 in the graded and high
schools; Peabody fund contributes
S15, $50.
Total contributed to all the states
$135, $40.
LONGEVITY OF SOME ANIMALS