The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1882-02-25
Public Education in Louisiana.
THE DEFECTS AND WANTS OF THE
SYSTEM.

| 1t is matter Of regret, that educa-
tional statistics and facts show that
Louisiana is far behind all of the other
States in making suitable provision for
the education of her children This
subject seems to have received very
little consideration from our Legislators
up to the present time, and che laws
which have been passed contain more
defects than can be reviewed in this
article.
In the first place, the public school
fund is insufficient to provide for the
education of all the children between
the ages of six and sixteen, and to es-
tablish the schools upon a sound and
firm basis. To correct this defect, the
state tax should be increased to one
and one half mills, and the poll tax to
one dollar and fifty cents per capita.
Then our school system should be
amended so that each school should be
in session for at least eight months in
each year, in order to allow the pupils
time to make some definite and solid
advancement in their course of studies,
and also to assure the teachers perma-
nent occupation for each scholastic
year. A school for less period is of
no practical benefit to either pupils or
teachers; and. if possible, it would be
better to establish ten months, term.
In the second place, in order to give
each neighborhood, and the children
therein, the benefit of the school funds
accruing to them by law. our legislators
should amend the law and adopt the
" community plan" which is practiced
with splendid results in many of the
states: viz: Appoint sub school
treasurer in each school ward and let
the funds he paid over to him accord
ing to the number of educable children
enumerated in that ward. THE school
director from each ward could act as
treasurer for his respective ward,
Then let every neighborhood have it's
pro- rata of the school fund and where
they have not sufficient number of
pupils to pay the teacher from their
share Of the public money, let the pa
rents make up the deficit among them
selves. By this method every niegh-
borhood could arrange t9 have schools;
whereas, now, they have no schools
have had none, and have been unjust
ly deprived of funds which the law
gave to their children for years past.
The requisition of a regular atten
dance of twenty pupils, under the pres
ent system. to entitle neighborhood
to school is not only arbitrary but
also unjust, and defeats the manifest
distribution of the school fund as con-
templated by the spirit, if not the ex
press letter of the law. Z. IL
The people must be encouraged to
build school houses and to maintain
schools and to accomplish this object
let every neighborhood have it's share
of school money under the communi-
ty plan" as explained above.
Another gross error, and an injustice
to teachers, is requiring a teacher to
instruct, sometimes, as many as from
forty to sixty pupils in an ungraded
school. Nc teacher can accomplish
such task, it matters not what his
capabilities and industry may be. No
teacher should be required to instruct
more than twenty five or thirty pupils
in country scheols, if thorough and
permanent instruction is desired
Again. our teachers should be paid
salaries COM paeDsurate to the qualifica-
,tions required and the labors deman-
ded at their hands, to wit: primary
$50 per month; intermediate $40 per
month; grammar grade $50 per
month, &c. If you want skilled and
faithful work you must pay reasen-
able price for it.
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