The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-11-26
THE PEABODY FUND.



The eighth report of the General
Agent Of the Peabody Fund.- DR. b.
Sears, was lately submitted tn the
Treasurer of the Fund, in New York
city. DR. Sears strongly condemns the
effect of the civil rights agitation upon
the school-system of the South. He
regards mixed schools as an impossi-
bility. The attempt to compel the
co-education of the children of both
colors, if persisted in, will close every
public school below Mason and Dixon's
line. In these views, the Special
Committee, appointed by the Trus-
tees to report on the subject of mixed
schools, heartily concurs. The COM
mittee consists Of j. Ii. Clifford, Wet
more, and w. NJ. Evarts. Dr. Sears
report takes up each State in detail.
We subjuin his more important state
ment.
Virginia shows a healthy zeal for
public instruction. 1t is newborn,
but vigorous. The city of Richmond,
which has 1886 children at school,
will hereafter support its own schools
without outside aid. Virginia has re-
ceived S3S, 425 from the fund during
the past year.
North Carolina has been sluggish
in educational matters. Reform was
promised year ago, but the promise
has not been fulfilled. Aid to the
amount of Sl2, 800 has been given.
The South Carolina school fund is
hopelessly in arrears. Except in the
city Of Z Charleston, scarcely any schools
in the State are kept throughout the
year. They are, moreover, SO poorly
supported and badly managed that nc
aid we can give will make them at
tractive to intelligent families" Tn.
der such circumstances, aid seemed in.
advisable. Only 5000 was spent in
'fhe PROSTATE State"
In Georgia there is "a deplorable
state of popular ignorance" Out o.
400, 900 persons between 6 and Is
$50, 900 attend no school. Thirty-hvt
per cent. of the population over II
years old cannot read. The cities arr
organizing public instruction with
great zeal, but the State and the coun
try districts are Indifferent. The pub
lie expenditure on schools, last year
was S250,000. The Peabody FunC
contributed S10,350 more.
Florida has good school system
but her population is illiterate. Out o
200, 900, II, 900 can neither read mol
write. The State spent $50, 900 OIL
schools, privately about 81, 800, anC
the Fund $4,000.
Alabama is doing little more thar
she has heretofore to educate her Cit
zens, but the work is Numerically be
hind hand. She received $4,000
from the Fund.
Mississippi reports a good progress
Schools and scholars are increasing
She go: 81, 400 from the Fund.
Louisiana shows the effects of mix
ed schools. "The white population
are said to take little part in them be
yond paying their taxes. In The
country parishes few white children
sre attending any school The Fund
donation was s3,250.
Texas changed its school law foI
the worse in May, 1878. 1t now has
a very defective educational system
1t had no aid last year.
Arkansas, without formally abol
ishing its system of public instruction
seems inclined to reduce it to its mini
mum of efficiency. If the Peabody
Fund had not donated $500, the
State schools could not have been KEEP
open through the year.
Tennessee isdoing remarkably we'll
1t "has made extraordinary efforts fol
the multiplication and elevation of it,
public schools" There are 13, 500 pu
pills in the schools supported, in whole
or in part, by the Fund.
West Virginia allows each county
to support schools or not, as majority
of the inhabitants please. The vote
has been almost unanimous every
where for the required tax. Educa
ton il advancing. The aid given WA
s1E nO0