, 1873-07-18
THE PEABODY FUND.

Condition OF Education and Public
Schools in the eSolath--s135,SA0 Con.
tr1butod by tho Peabody Educational
Fund.
General Agent Of the peabody Fund, br. Barnea
Scars, gives IN encouraging rovioW of tho gen.
oral condition Of the public schoolsin tho South
ern Btatos, and saya: The encouraging circum-
stances vastly prodo1ninato over tho dlscourag-
ing Thero is ono claBs Of mon, the report says,
whoao influence is to bo dreaded, who do NOT
profess to bo unfriendly to the common schools,
but reluctantly consent to lot the experiment DO
triod, provided It DO done cheap1y, not consider
fatal to SUCCESS. Tho eject Would
bo, and in moro than one State
is, to croato q widespread dissatisfaction among
tho people, who, having paid their school-ts1,
reducod to weakness or inattlcionoy by the re-
moyal Of go many pupila, and that, for want Of
sufficient funds, no respectable public schools
have taken their place, so far as tho education Of
the children Of tho State generally is concerned.
in weakening oach other. Either, to bo pros-
porous, requires all tho money TINT ia paid for
both. Mon will not be satisfied to bo reduced
to tho Of nottng up schools Of their own
having contributed thoir sharo to tho public
school fund. Such aro tho results Of what poo
plo aro pleased to call economy in expenditures
for public schools; The report goes on to rofor
OF tho people las been frequently raised against
them. Ho insists that pupils should not be fro
quent1v changed. and says no must wait a time
for tho roRults Of tho Change from the private to
to be regarded rs aminble woaknossos, and there
arc men enough in Southern States who pro-
nounoo for abandoning tho antiquated
sya syss% Of private schools nd adopting
necessary: Tho following etatistica are
takon from tho report Of Virginia, Tho num-
bor Of public schools in the State for tho year
ending Ang; 10, lS7 is se95 and a1 tho oed school
Ppa f. acaae 1ss
In North Carolina tho condition Of the public
schools and education WIS generally far from sat-
isfactory, there being an alarming indifference on
tho subject among tho, common pcople, and q
part Of public men. Tho amount appropriated
was s12,550. In South Carolna few schools are
reported. Throughout the year application was
made for Charleston as follows Tho Logs-
laturo at ita laaat session appropriated over
100000 for educational purposes. Not ono dol
lar OF tho amount has boon received from tho
Treasury, aud the result has boen that ncarly all
tho public schools in tho State haye boon closed.
Amount paid, $1,000.
In Georgia, tho effort thus far to establish q
public school systam has resultod in . eompara-
two failure. The fund contributed 910,260 to
twelve schools,
In Florida, tlree-fourths Of the youth of the
tom, but tho ratio ia rapidly changing. The fund
contributed %, 900 in aid Of fourteen schools.
In Alabama, out Of population Of 1000, ,00o,
1888, 600 can noithor road nor write. OF tho vot-
ing population there arc 01 900 blacks and II 900
wIitoa who cannot read or write. The Slate
fund paid eG06.617 during the yoar, and tho
Peabody fund 800 to five schools.
In MiaHissipps, thoro are 4,G50 public schools,
with an ayorago attendance Of 125,000, and 400
private Bohools, with 148,780 pupils unroled.
The oxpenso Of common schools ia 81, 1856, ,9a9.
and the Peabody fund contributed 4,460 to aid
six schools,
schools. In tho unsettled asato Of school mat
tors in Texas tho TruBtoes did not feel justified
In making donations. In ArlanBas, the number
Of children Of school ago is 19i,514; number
Of porBous attending school, 828G3 teachera,
2036 !; amount paid teachers, s365, ,625, and
amount contributed from tho Peabody fund,
$9500.
In Tennessee tho number Of children OF school
ago Is about 400, 900 school fund, $2,512. 500;
amount available for schools, 1000, and the
Peabody fund contributed in MD of s5 schoola
s25, 600.
III Wont Virginia there aro 5000 schools ID
operation, run at tho e1pense OF $3.50, coo annu-
ally, aud 10000 scholars In tho graded and
high schools. The Peabody fund contributed
$3.50. Total contributed to all tho States,
&13G.H40,