New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-14
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

| Atthe request OF the National Bureau Of
| Education, ct Washington, an. examina-
ton OF the higher departments Of the
public shoots ofLouisiana has been made
and recorded in q prescribed form, and
the result forwarded to the educational
committee of the Centennial Exposition.
To accompany this record, Charles W.
Boothby, Esq, superintendent of the
public schools of New Orleans, has pre-
pared and printed a brief record of the
progress of education in the State, and
| particularly of the advancement of school
| interests in this city. From the reports
| of public officers to the Legislatures he
has culled some interesting items con-
| corning educational affairs. 1t can readily
be understood that popular education
had no firm foothold in the State until
after the war. Good schools there were
in New Orleans, for certain classes, but
education in the country was ill-provided
for. The working class was kept pur-
posely ignorant, the teaching of a
slave to read and write being made a
penal ofiense. The poor whites were not
forbidden education, but circumstances
and want of schools prevented instruction,
SO that thousands of whites grew up
nearly as illiterate as the negroes.
Charles Gayarre, State Superintendent of
Education in 1916, said Of the reports of
his predecessors since 1893: ''The perusal
of these documents has convinced me that
the system Of public education adopted in
this State has been complete abortion
from its birthday" AS late as 1866 Mr.
Lusher's report was not more enccurag-
ing He omplains of the lack of attend
ance il the country, of the imperfectly
provided school huts many miles from
the residence of the majority of the chill
dren, and OF incompetent teachers and
directors. The great blessing of good
school system, such as is now in practical
operation, was received with much re-
luctance by those able to educate
their own children at private schools, in
their own way. This prejudice is rapidly
being overcome by unanswerable argu-
ments in favor of the education of all
classes. Intelligent men and women are
wanted in every community, and the
means to educate all children must be
provided. Schools and churches are bet
ter than warehouses; and jails Consider
ing the progress of popular education in
Louisiana since 1866, the opposition it
has met with, the lack of buildings at the
beginning, and the limited means sup
piled to establish schools throughout the
State, it must be admitted that wonders
have been accomplished. Mr.. Boothby
says that "during the last five years the
schools have steadily gained in numbers
and efficiency, despite many obsta-
cles which they have encountered"
and what he relates is apparent
to al. In New Orleans the board
of directors have recovered enough |
of the Incorporated McDonogh fund
to build five fine schoolhouses which &C
commodate three thousand pupils. Other
school buildings have been erected by |
private enterprise and rented to the board.
When the States are called up at the GEN.
tennial to give an account of the condi-
ton of education within their borders,
Louisiana can not expect to stand at the
head Of the class; but it is certain that
few States can show more rapid progress