The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-18
THE PEABODY FUND.
Annual Report Ofthe General Ager

NEW YORK, July 1.-THE annual re-
port Of the general agent Of the Peabody
fund, Dr.. Barnes Sears, gives an encour.
aging review OF the general condition ol
the public schools In the Southern States,
and says the encouraging circumstances
vastly predominate over the discouraging.
There is one class Of men, the report says,
whose influence is 10 be dreaded, who do
not profess TO be unfriendly to the CON-
mon schools, but reluctantly consent to let
the experiment be tried provided It be
done cheaply, not considering, probably
nor caring, that such condition is fatal
10 success. The effect would be, and In
more than one State Is to create wide.
spread dissatisfaction among the people
who having paid their school tax find that
private schools have been broken up or
reduced 10 weakness or inef1ciency by
the removal Of so many pupils, and that
for want OF sufficient funds no respectable
public schools have taken their place. So
lar as the education of the children Of the
State generally Is concerned the two sys.
tens Co.exisLing are chiefly efficient in
weakening each other. Either, TO be
prosperous, requires all the money that Is
paid for both. Men will not be satisfied
10 be reduced TO the necessity and eX.
pense OF setting up schools Of their own,
or of sending their children from home
after having contributed their share 10
supply the school fund. Such are the re.
suits OF what people are pleased 10 call
economy 10 the expenditures for public
schools. The report goes on to refer to
scheming Legislatures, and shows how the
voice ol the people has been frequently
raised against them; insists that Superln.
tendents should not be frequently changed,
and says he must wait q time for the re.
suits Of the change from the private 10 the
public system. The past Is coming 10 be
regarded as amiable weaknesses, and
there are men enough in the Southern
States who pronounce for abandoning
the system Of private schools and adopt
ing the changes which our present con-
dilion to renders necessary.
The following statistics are taken
from the report Of Virginia: The
number Of public schools In tho State
for the year ending August 1st 1879 is
1906 and the school population Ali ,09l
persons, of whom 247, 7,002 are white. The
amount appropriated was $S2,S00.
In North Carolina tho condition Of the
public schools and education generally is
far from satisfactory. Thcro Is alarming
Indifference on the subject among the
common people and want Of union and
cooperation among public men. The
amount appropriated Is $12 500.
In South Carolina few schools are re.
ported throughout the year. Application
was made for Charleston as follows:
1.-THE Legislature at It's last session sp.
proriated over three hundred thousand
dollars for educational purposes. Not
one dollar Of this amount has been re.
ceived from the treasury, and the result
has been, that nearly all the public
schools In tho State have been closed
In Georgia tho effort thus far to cstab.
lish a public school system has resulted
in q comparative failure.
The fund contributed in Georgia was
$4,000 TO twelve schools. Three.iourths
Of the youth OF the State Is yet unreached
by the educational system, but the rate
Is rapidly changing. The fund contrib.
uted was 5000 In aid Of IA schools.
In Alabama, out of a population Of 1,000,- |
900, $4,000 can neither read nor write.
Of the voting population, there are 81 600 |
blacks and 1900 whites who cannot |
read or write. The State funds paid |
$G0G,8l7 during the year and the Pea.
body fund $1,000 to 8 schools. In Mis-
sissippi there are 1850 public schools,
with an average attendance of 125,000,
and 400 private schools, with 14S,7S0
pupils enrolled. The expense Oi the
common schools was 81, ,136, ,0Ss, and the
Peabody fund contributed $4,45O in aid
OF six schools. ...
Louisiana-$7,s9O was contributed to
aid the schools.
Texas-In the unsettled state Of school
matters the trustees did not feel justified
in making donations.
ArkansSs-.Number Of children Of school
age, 1914; number Of persons attending |
school, 82S6S; teachers, 2,0S5; amonnt
paid teachers, 1856, ,625, and amount con.
tributed from Peabody Fund $500.
Tennessee Number Of children OF school
age about 400 900; school fund g, ,519, $50;
amount available for schools $3.50 90; Pea
body aid oil fNy.flve schools $25,600. In
West Virginia there are 800 schools in |
operation, run at the expense Hoi three
quarters Of q million annually, and $780, |
900 in the graded and high shoots. The
Peabody fund contributed $15,950. Total
contributed to all the States $l35,940.