The weekly Louisianian., 1874-03-21
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Next to the question Of food-the
dailybread OF the millions-nothing
50 vitality affects the people, as the
matter of education for the young
especially are we concerned, not
only for it's immediate but prospec-
tive consequences, that the public
school system of Louisiana should
prove a success. We have not sue
ceeded as was desirable and posi-
bic. The system is defective in
that it is too complex and cumber-
some; also novelty may have con-
tributed to delay the realization Of
our just expectations on this sub
ject. But our partial failure III
realization in this State,s is largely
referable to two causes, to wit: the
attempt in The past to use the ma
chinery Of the public schools for
political purposes, as was done I'M
der the administration of the former
Superintendent to some extent; and
dishonesty and incompetency in the
subordinate officers charged with
the. administration and protection
of these important educational in
terests. The present State Superin-
tendent, is laying open the sources of
evil and applying the corrective, as
will appear from his report, and his
honorable labors appear to be ap-
preciated by the people, as will be
seen from the subjoined comments
Of journals of the country:
The Daily Mississippi Pilot Of March
Sd, has the following:
"We have a report from Hon. ".
G. Brown, Superintendent Of Pub
lie Education, charging gross neglect
and corruption in The past, and con-
irming what I said in 4 former letter,
that We have never done Our duty i'll
this matter. Many of the County
Superintendents have been guilty Of
downright robbery, and much of the
school fund has been misappropriated.
Mr.. Brown makes q fearless expose of
this fraud. He is an able, earnest,
and indefatigable officer, and will ef-
| fectualiy check these abuses. / hope
your State Superintendent will throw
all his energies and intelligence into
the system in Mississippi, where, in
many counties, I am told, owing to
the in%eficiency or hostility Of the local
authorities, the school system is in
operative. We must have universal
| education az the hand-in-hand COM
panion OF universal suffrage and pop
ular government"
From the Attakapas Register of
March 4, we clip:
State Superintendent Of Public Edu-
cation Brown has published a report
of the financial condition OF the diff
ferent Parish school funds, and there
is but few boards in the State that have
properly expended the money for the
cause of education. Highway robbery
is manifest in most all Of the parishes,
and the children have been deprived
the privilege OF schools or that &C
count. We sincerely hope every per-
sou interested in stealing the fund will
be severely punished. People growi
terribly ut having to pay the school
tax, but to have It collected and then
stolen is beyond the endurance Of
every one."
The Plaquemines Sentinel of March
z, says:
eve learn from the city papers that
Hon. ". G. Brown, State Superin-
tendento of Public Education, has issued
his report relative to public schools,
and the operations of the School
Boards Of the several parishes during
the wear 1873. This report comprises
424 printed pages, and those who have
seen it speak Of it as being an able,
thorough and conclusive exhibit of all
matters touching the public schools.
We regret exceedingly that we have
not a copy of this interesting docr-
ment; for from what We CLEAN in
in the city papers, and other sources
of information, it contains revelations
of a startling character. It has fallen
like bomb-shell, The Superintendent
has laid bare not onlythe maladminis-
tratiou of the public schools in the
rural parishes, but he has stripped
school officials of the covering with
which they concealed acts Of reckless
squandering, embezzlement, and the
theft of public moneys-moneys which
had been wrung from q tax-burdened
people, and entrusted for the sacred
and needed purposes Of public educa-
toni
The new Cabinet as approved by
tn 1870