The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-12
EDUCATION IN LOUISIANA.

The war ended in 1865 We state only the
fact when we assert that for all the white
children in Louisiana under twelve years of
age, when it commenced, there has been no
free educational facilities to this date, except
in New Orleans, and for short period in
Baton Rouge. For fourteen years the bars
have been up against the white youth OF the
State, and the consequences are now becom-
ing manifest, and they are deplorable. Thou
sands of stalwart fine looking young men, who
can barely read and write, are mingled with
our population, and many thousand chill
dren are growing up in ignorance, more
dense, to take their places. When The whites
governed Louisiana, public schools were open
to all, and we were free from the stain of this
reproach. 1t is no use waiting for radiance
from the Kelloggs and other curses that
weigh SO heavily upon US. 1t is in our power
to educate the white children Of this State,
and we must do it.
Three energetic men in each community
can remedy the evil Will they come to the
front and receive the eager support of the
mothers and fathers, who can do nothing
individually, but whose gathered "mites y
will accomplish much.-Baton Rouge Advo-
cdte Dec. 4.
The truth of history compels us to admit
that before the war the school facilities for
the children of the poorer classes in sparsely
settled rural sections were none of the best.
1t so happened that very considerable frac-
ton OF the fathers and mothers of such chill
dren were without school education and with
out proper appreciation of it. 1t was their
misfortune in part and in no small degree the
fault and neglect of the wealthy classes that
good public schools we're by no means nu-
merous outside of cities, towns and villages.
The public schools of New Orleans, Baton
Rouge, Shreveport, Monroe. Alexandria, OPP
elousas, st. Martinville, franklin, Thibo-
daux, Clinton, Bayou Sara, Minden, ETC.,
were all more than fair, and some of them
would bear comparison with those Of older
States. 8 III
But at the same time there were vast num-
bers of children by whom the appliances and
means of education were not easily attainable.
There was a great amount of productive
wealth in the State-three times as much as
there is now, but there was at the time great
deal of poverty, of the kind that would be
classed as almost wretched, except for the sur
relief from the sufferings OF want These
poor families were not educated to the idea
of the Uses and necessity of school learning.
They did not feel the want of it
and therefore made little effort to get
it. Officers of the companies which
formed the forty odd regiments of Louisiana
volunteers to the Confederate army, well re-
how large a proportion of the pri
Yates signed their payrolls with crossmark,
being unable to write. There were q great
many private or family schools, teacher
being almost invariably employed by every
rich planter having young children, and not
to village school. These private
tutors or governesses had the care of the
of girls and boys until of suitable
age and advancement to go to seminaries
academies, and colleges. A great many
of those who employed private or fam
lily teachers opened their schoolrooms to
the children of their poorer neighbors for
such small compensation as they could afford
to pay. On the whole, it is well remem bered
that the facilities for free schooling for the
white children Of the poorer classes were very
deficient outside of cities and villages. A
plucky boy, living on the prairie, ten miles
from any school-house, might get an educa
ton in spite of difficulties; but in the ma
iority of cases there was the lack of ''will,
without which the "way" can seldom be
found.
The war brought education of all kinds and
for all classes to full and long halt The
soldiers from eighteen to twenty
four years of ,age came home 10 find their
Young sisters and brothers suffering for the
want of tuition, and very large proportion
Of them have become men and women, with