The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-19
NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Their Future.
From Mr.. Lusher's Annual Report.

| lfTOm MT LubneT Annual hepOrt.J
| II no provision can be made for an increase
In the rates OF compensation allowed the
teachers OF the city schools, or for the regu-
lar and punctual pay ment OF the salaries now
| fixed for them, IL iS obvious that 1t would be
proper 30 to amend the existing school law
as to relieve the city board OF directors OF the
obligation OF keeping the public schools In
operation nine or ten months In the year, and
OF dividing the annual compensation OF teach
s eps ih az, twelve monthly payments; 80 that
the schools free and paying the teachers fixed
salaries for certain months only. 1t would,
however, be no less detrimental to the morals
IMAM 10 the mental advancemento OF the twenty
struction, to shorten the session to less
| than nine months in the year. Hence,
1t ls necessary to suggest some less injurious
modification OF the law to secure a remedy
| Tor the d1i1cultes which are necessarily en-
| countered In attempting to provide for the
maintenance, intact, OF the present organiza-
ton OF the city public scoools.
In this connection 1t should be observed
overcrOwded with children OF tender Years,
giving the aspect Of domestic nurseriee'
rather than OF school quarters, to the apart
ments In which they are huddled together, In
little more than maintain order among them.
Section 81 Of the school law wisely prohibits
the entru5ting OF more than sirty children to
any one teacher; but this essential feature Of
an efficient system OF schools Is daily disre-
garded In the primary schools Of New Or
leans, and In a manner Inconsistent with the
laws OF hygiene, thus impering the bodily
vigOr Of hundreds of children, who need fresh
and healthful exercise much more than the
mama Of instruction, which is supposed
to be ministered unto them In the crowded
school-rooms In which they are ENGAGED.
The chief cause of this manifest abuse is an
insuficiency OF schOol-houses, or school
rooms, for the accommodation and proper In
NJ nh plair
admission to the schools; and this INSULT
cheney arises from the inability of the city to
build, or OF the city board to rent, suitable
houses, properly located, and to employ an
young children between six and eight years
of age, who are presumed TO seek CON anore
the restraints OF school discipline.
The only practicable remedy, therefore, for
this unfortunate lack of school accommodate
tions for young and tender children, Is to be
found In the enactment Of a law, which will
restrict free public instruction to youth over
eight years OF age. There are grave doubts,
progress in learning between six and eight
years OF age, which 1t would not effect, with
far greater ease and advantage, during it's
eighth year alone, with the robust health and
invigorated intelligence which 1t would have
acquired by freedom from school drill and re-
straints, up to that age The precocious
child, also, would, by such freedom, be pro-
tected from undue cerebral excitement-fr
an abnormal development OF the memory, at
the expense OF the understanding; and then,
on entering the public schools at the age OF
eight, with mems sana in sasaO corpore, he
would illustrate his school life by healthy
display OF judgment as well as Of beaming
intelligence.
What young children under eight years of
age most need Is physical Development coupled
Nth moral and religious trdining and care
ful cultivation Of the observing and the inven-
tive. or artistic faculties. These are best at
tainedain kindergarten scholastic rational
system OF the immortal Froebel-in which
The mind OF the child Is unfolded, or educated
by natural processes and without fatigue to
the brain, and the body strengthened, part
pdeSu, by easy, graceful exercise under the
guidance Of skillful mentor.*
The State Is not now able to confer this
boon upon Its young prote0es, nor can the
city OF New Orleans at present lend a help
no ~, pa t0Wards it, It must be confided to
private erterprsss:- winch, n on will
establish kindergarten schools In vaf76tB
neighborhoods for children between five and
eight years OF age.
Meanwhile, however. the primary depart |
ments OF the elementary public schools Of
the city should be retieued Of all pupils under
eight years of age: so that more efficient in |
structions may be given to children over that |
age. The younger children have ampler |
time before them than their seniors and, de- I
ferring entrance into the schools until the |
age OF eight years, they will be pupils OF
robust health-the essential basis for solid In
struction.
"A lucid writer and lecturer on Education,
Prot Joseph Payne. judiciously remarks:
lnstruction-that is the systematic impart-
ing of definite knowedge-should be the se-
Guel, not the precursor, of the training of the
Intellectual powers which are to be employed
upon the acquisition. In other words, the
object OF elementary education Is to develop the
natural faculties: that OF elementary instruc-
ton our chief ain. we necessarily Introduce
dogmatic. didacttc teaching, which. as q
general rule, de1 Tssses The adtiue poqoers.