The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-04-25
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Catl0nal lDJeFeStS VI tue Chll"lou VI
our Parish, and are sure that when
all others here, fighting for our other
rights were too busy in various re
forms, we found time on many occa,
sions, in these columns, to break our
school lance with the enemy on our
public schools. In plain words we
thought then, and believe now, that
these schools were Of paramount
good to US and the cause we were
battling for and they were the best
sinews of Democracy to control in
the future the ignorant masses yet
in their minority, and make men and
useful citizens of them. There can
be no better land mark to civiiza-
ton and no better touchstone to
break down the party, which has ia
ken advantage Of these same "chil
dren in savage state" pocketed
their school monies and continued to
keep them in that ignorant state that
they might retain them in use for
voting purposes. Seeing and know
ing all these woes unnumbered we
threw ourself into the breach and
fought the good fight for the children
of our Parish, and we are yet ready
and willing to pursue the same
course.
These thoughts guide our pencil
and crowd us thick and heavy, as we
announce the fact, long delayed and
tardily granted, that Rapides has
been allowed and given School
Board. And, mind you, reader, as
we write we only know it by common
rumor around Town, but have heard
it often enough in that way, to learn
the names of the appointees by heart,
and here we give them: B. c. Duke,
G. o. Watts, Julius Levin, Isaac c.
Miller, DR.. j. A. Cruikshank, BENZ.
Turner, Stephen White, Carter Carr
and Labanius Kennedy. Right here
we candidly confess and admit that
this Board on its personal merits.
good standing in the community and
competency for the position cannot
be bettered in Rapides, and of course
is herculean improvement and re-
form on the stupid masses of igno.
rance we have been cursed with since
reconstruction. This we freely and
candidly admit, but here must STOP
our good words Of the appointees and
strike the iron which the appointing
power has heated for US.
A great mistake in forming this
Board has been committed, which
were we to permit to pass without
our say, would be construed that the
Democrat also is like the rest O
them, sweet on good promises before
the election, and anything but con
sistent when victorious. Wepreach
ed reform on the whole line, specially
on this very question, and in preach
ing this reform, plead for the minor
ity rights of our party; wrote
about the Board all huddled in ont
locality, and that some of them coult
not even read or write. These were
great sins on which we waxed hot
and waxed so honestly, and now tina
we have the reins and are in powe
we intend to wax just as hot to keey
in consistency's track. Therefore
here are the objections to the Board
or rather to the manner of its ap
pointment or selection as the reade
may understand them. And thes,
|
objections do not come alone from
US, but are heard in every nook ant
corner of the Parish where fair pla,
is wanted. Seven of the nine mem
,bers of the new Board live and resid
within one square mile of each.othe
in and around Alexandria, and tn
other two within fifteen miles of tn
same point, thus leaving the Who'll
populous and fertile regions of Ba
] yous Robert, Lamourie and Boeuff t.
the Avoyelles Parish line; the entir
Western Hills of the Parish, tn
whole Of Cotile, both low and bill
lands, entirely unrepresented in thi
new Board. And this very slighte,
portion Of the Parish actually com
poses over half of our population
over half of our voters, and over hal
of our children. And to close. 70
the present, one of the ne,
School Board can neither read no
write, and the Republicans are en-
tirely ignored thereon.
l ~-~---~--~.~Aes~~~~-
The RAINBOW in the sky is
sign of Gods promise that the worl,
should not again be destroyed by wa
<or. on1 rsau;po tho %opoo:t,r ,r:e