Mississippi Democrat. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1875-1???, 1875-09-01
school Qsssssssss, We. ..
Editor D.m0crdf:

Editor D,mocrdf;
We undertook In a recent number
la class the open enemies OF our
school system. A word or two now
upon disguised and unavowed enc
mics.
And first; the free school il com
paratiyely untried in our State, and
the people unaequainted with the
theory and practice OF il. II Is there
fore natural that political parties
should make II the ladder BY which
they would climb TO power. Unfor-
tunately, rs soon rs they have
reached place their FIRST impulse Is to
kick down the ladder, unless they
can devote Il entirely To their own
use. For this crime we arraign a.
the greatest and maddest culprit the
party now In power in our State.
They have shamelessly proclaimed
through their representative men
everywhere, aud many times over
In the pages OF their Estate annual
reports" that the school system must
be run in their interest, and that the
ofiiec OF county superintendent must
be EARNED oat" Il quote the exact
words OF report for the benefit of
the party.
Some OF the natural results Of this
system may bee mentioned here
First, the management nay the very
creation of the schools is turned
over In most cases TO men destitute
alike Of scholarship and of practical
knowledge of teaching. These men
have not the capacity IL they have
the will to decide in regard 20 the
character and habits Of such ~
should preside over the most import.
ant institutions of our land. Second,
Under instruction, pledge and neces-
sity 30 usc this blessed institution for
party ends, these superintendcnts
have supplied many schools with IN.
norant negroes whose services would
be worth In the field at the most,
elS 90 per month. That compensa.
ton is very far above what they
could honestly earn by pretending
30 teach. IL l. not uncommon 10 find
them unable to spell their own
names. To write an English sent.
ence or 10 explain an operation In
Arithmetic 10 FOR them as hopeless q
task as for q Hottentot. Their APP
pointment = o swindIe, their exam
nation h q farce, their teaching q
comedyj its consequences, alas, q
tragedy of sad import. The negro,
who OF oil creatures most needs q
competent and Discerning instructor,
In provided with the worst class
known 20 history or To experience.
The blind leads the blind,--the dark.
ness deepens and tho great ditch
lice not far beyond. In some States,
especially, In Georgia, o better sys-
tenn prevails and the colored schools
are what they should be. In Louisi-
ana the case is worse, II possible,
than with NJ; 40 bad indeed that the
Peabody fund has been Withdrawn
until there be o reform.
The results Of this system of I'M
position and craft, are manifold. The
decentralization and disaffection of
ell classes, the degradation of the
higher schools, the exodus OF capa-
bic and faithful teachers, and the
probable collapse OF the whole
scheme are among the rcsults
We arraign this party In especial
for utter mismanagement OF the
State school fund, and for having
placed and kept Of the head Of this
department o negro every way untit.
ted 10, and incapable Of, the dnt.es
1T hls high once. We win not Law
stress upon hls long confess with