The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-23
COMMON SCHOOL EDUCATION.

COMMON SCHOOL EDUCATION.
The following, which was published owe
the signature of Taxpayer" in a recen
issue of the New York Tribune, is equally ap
plicable to the so-called system of "commo
school education in New Orleans. Wit
free tuition in music, French, German, math
ematics and the classics, the rising generation
of the poorer classes offers no prospective
laundresses, cooks or nursery maids. Yet al
cannot hope to enter the already over-crowdet
ranks of teachers and governesses. Tht
thing is being overdone here as well as il
New York:
| To the Editor of the Tribune
! Sir-Mr. Bonamy Price says we are not a
saving an economical people, and perhaps
he was right, though if he had seen more OF
country and less of city life, he might have
found still many notable examples of thrift
and economy. Occasionally here we have a
fit of economy and make a desperate plunge
at some one evil, forgetting that mischief is
too widespread to be reached by any mere
spasmodic effort. When a man runs hope
lessly In debt, he is supposed to be in bad
way. When city is wasteful and extrava-
CANT, the same reasoning ought to apply, and
it is not little plunge here and there, but a
thorough and systematic reform that is going
really to help us.
One of the latest and most curious small
economies was proposal to cut down the
salaries of the teachers in our public schools.
FOR these places as teachers the supply is
always supposed to be greater than the de-
mand, for reasons which may come to our
notice now, or at another time. And, there
fore, 1t was supposed that those who filled
the places would submit to reduction rather
than lose their positions. But, as I write,
learn that this move has failed, and that the
threatened reduction of salaries will not be
made. This was one form of economy. Per-
haps another, and wiser, would have led
us to inquire whether our whole system
IS not extravagant and unwise. We
have grown into a system, and upon
the principle that whatever is, is right.
have come to regard with more than admira-
ton our whole admirable" common school
system, as we We are pleased to term it. But,
to 60 back step. what law is there, human
or divine, which makes it right to tax me to
educate another mans children to teach
them music and French, German and mathe- |
mates! Or, as in the case of the free col |
lege, to give them a classical education free
My neighbor is more prosperous than 1, and |
yet am taxed Tor this luxury, and he sends
his children free. If we had not been edu-
Gated and grown into it we should see the
tbsurdity OF this custom, and the propriety,
n free country, of allowing every man to
educate his own children.
1t we had been contented, like reasonable
people, with the present plan of compulsory
and given each child the simple
elements and nothing moe, we should have
scaped the endless wlangle over the Bible
n schoo!s, and the sectarian appropriation of
he public money. 1t people want an eiuca-
ION, they will usually manage to get it, and
hey will value more what they strive for than
THAT IS urged upon their acceptance. More
han that, when children are sent for in ear
lagos on rainy day, and waited upon by
ervants In livery, one does not see the rea-
ons tor educating them at the public ex-
ense.
There are some miner evils, as tina. these
hlldren who thus save tuition at private
chools are able to dress so well and SO show
y that they put to shame the poorer class of
hlldren, and either exclude them from the
;hools or lead them to dress better than they \
IN afford. 1t Is too great strain upon a
MD OF feeling to be shabby in the midst of
merry. Moreover-and here comes a more c
eighty reason-we are over-educating the
hole class upon system. They have begun
lind this out, and to talk about it in Mas
chusetts; and the sooner we learn the fact
e better.
Even boys get notions. and are in danger of
'splslng good, honest work; while upon
rls, as a class, the effect is disastrous. They
arm but one thing-their lessons and have
no time" forsooth to help bear the burdens
nome. Their arms are loaded with books, y
lch their Woodworking parents could not
lderstand. They have neither time nor al
'ength to walk to school if there are cars pl
ywhere near them, and if they have any &c
are time it is devoted to literary pursuits. =
the reading of dime novels and trashy
pers, which they find much more agreeable
an work.
You will find these girls with no knowledge
sewing, which, in spite Of the talk about
lchines, is good and laudable accomplish
mt and pursuit for women; with no knowl- co
&c OF housework, no habits Of neatness or
'nomy, and many of them come out of
lool feeling utterly above the st ltion in
ich it has pleased Providence to place
I'm. OF course there are exceptions, but
'se are the general facts, based upon the
oerience and observation of years. There
1ot room within the limits Of newspaper r
lcle, in columns always crowded, to dis
IS this subject fully, and doubtless much
ght be said on the other side. Tn
There are strong reasons for making peo-
inteliiBenc 1ne question IS, whether 'o
S is sc intelligent y in the best sense, and ,
ether, also, it may not be better to give the e
ing people the tools, in the way of an ele-
ntary education, and then let them work
the rest for themselves It is an evil thing
have them learn to despise good, honest
*. Moreover, were our vision clarified. wa
int perhaps see that on truly republican !
aclples, there is no more reason tor ..School ne,
State than there is for Church and gel
10 TAXPAYER sel
lew York, Dec. 20, 1874 s sev
r.. W ~ vii
lon. Wayne McVeagh, leading Pennsyl- M ~
Ia republican, and son.in-law of Senator /"