The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-03-14

! II, 1850, and the battle for her goods,
chattels and real estate has been going
ON ever since.
Education of the South.
It is we'll known to those who are
cOnversant with the past history Of the
Southern people, that a large number
of families employed private teachers
of their own. These "gOvcrnesses"
and "private tutors" We're, of course,
excluded from the census returns, and
hence, the actual number Of children
| enjoying the facilities of education can
not be readily ascertained in the South
as in the North. Notwithstanding this
fact, however, and the previously men
toned fact that very large number of
our vOuth of both sexes. is placed to
the credit of institutions in the North,
we have no reason 10 shrink from a
comparison of sections in regard to-
! Academic education.
Let it be borne in mind that the
white population Of the eight Northern
/ States. viz six New England, one Cen
/ trail, and one Western, exceeds the
/ white population Of the Southern States
/ 3,584 persons. Let us now inquire rs
/ to the number of academies and private
/ schools, mot family Schools returned
/ in 1850 from the respective sections
/ The Northern States returned. 25g schools
The 10 Southern States returned. III schools.
We have here an excess of 40 in
| favor of the South. Proceeding fur
| ther, we find the same proportion hold
ing good in the number of teachers en-
pIoyed:
The Northern States employed ,I2I teachers.
The 10 Southern States empIoye ,yA teachers.
Thus we have a larger number of
schools III proportion to white pOpula-
ton, and a larger number of teachers
employed in them. The question arises
now: Did the people of the South avail
themselves of these advantages, or were
these schools supported by a few wealthy
. aristOcrats How do the sections com
pare in regard to the number OF pupils
receiving the advantages OF academic
education? The census replies:
The Northern States had o. 329 academic 7,npils
Tie IL Southern States had co 100 academic pupils
He we find the excess in favor Of the
South amounting to $3.50 pupils in
Academies and private Schools. In the
North we have an average of Il pupils
to the School, and y pupils to one
teacher-in the South. we have 80 pu-
teacher, excluding the fractions of both
sections. These proportions, as every
teacher knows, are highly conducive to
thorough training and discipline But,
inasmuch as the average of pupils to
each teacher is smaller IN the South,
may it not be true, that the cost Of the
education is likewise less. and thus the
South may be justly chargeable with
delinquency in the support of her
schools. The census answers
income of Academies the North was. 1854, ,75l.
Income Of Academies in the South pa. .S67
The South paid, then, 1858, 116 more
than the North for Academic education, |
the salaries of teachers being nearly
equal, viz Sl17 per annum, North ; |
1923. per annum South. Now we have
already stated that the Southern States
paid a larger amount than the North
ern for collegiate education in their
home institutions. For the purposes Of |
advanced culture in schools OF higher
grade than primary, we have the follow
ing sums paid 10y the respective sec |
tions
Eight Northern States for Collegiate c,lu-
Eight Northern states for A"aderaic edu-
cation. os4, ,75I. |
Ten Southern States for Collegiate edu-
Ten southern States for Academic eiu-
Total paid south for higher branches I,83i.6s2.
Excess paid by the South.............. s622 GgI.
Now we submit the question to every
candid reader: Does this show Grim
inal " Indifference" to education among
the Southern people? 1t is Just to
IL ,rs,,rrr
less and Indifferent about the future of
Our youth, when We have shown IN our
past history. n greater interest in the
mental culture of our people than any
other section of the United States We
fearlessIy assert, and are prepared to |
prove, that no equal number of people |
in the United States, Great Britain, |
France, Belgium or Germany, can COM |
pare with the people of the Southern
States now under military government, !
in regard to the number of students en-
gagged in, or the amount of money ex-
pended for, the higher branches Of edu-
cation. Let us place the figures upon
the record. that we may, at least among
our own people, receive the credit that
is due us. We presume that Prussia,
in Europe, has established the most |
successful system of common school |
education in the world. BY law,
parents are compelled to send their |
children to school between the ages of |
seven and fourteen years. The result |
of this system has been. that almost |
every Prussian child is taught to read |
and write, certainly very desirable !
attainment, but by no means an cdUca
ton. lin Prussia, institutions OF learn: |
ing rank as follows: 1. Universities |
2 Gymnasia or Colleges ,. Acade- |
mics l. Primary Schools. Now, if we
take the whole number of students in
the Academies, Gymnasia and Univer-
sites, rs returned in lS49 and find the
ratio OF students IN higher departments
than primary schools, to the whole |
number of inhabitants, We have the
following results:
In Prussia, in IO3 receives Academic education.
In the eight Northern States, In 63 receives Acad
Il, the Snthern States. in Sc receives Academic
These figures will explain themselves,
and, therefore, we do not purpose MAX
ing any argument whatever upon them.
We shall examine, in due season, the
subject OF common school education
what has been done, what may be done
and what cannot be done III this section
oI country tOr ages 10 come. We CON
clude this paper with
TABLE 80. Z-HIGHER BIT ANCHFS OF EDUCATION.
NORTH Income. !
,NeEes..-2 p IeaChers 2g3 Pupils 1861 S324, ,24O
A.adr ,269 Teachers 2,12l PUuils52 329. SS4 Isl
Total 7, DOG 2,4I4 $3.50 81 DOS. .99I /
colleges IS Teachers, 39l Pupils. G.4s4 .s5sa, a,sl5
Ar.dD LII Teachers, 944 Pupils, co 709 247S
Total ,756 1855 67,l93 >, SO. .Gs2 /
EXCESS N FAVOR OF THE SOUTH.
IIs'tious $40 Teacher 92l, Pupils II eos S622 69l
Some questions very naturally sug-
gest themselves to an irquiring mind.
An amatuer farmer wonders why on
all this fair earth, the ground is bottom
side mp 50 that it must be turned over