The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-11-18
THE SCHOOL QUESTION.

space in your columns for few words
in behalf of the educational interests
of Milan. That interest is at pres
ent in very delapidated condition;
from some cause or causes in the past,
the people have, to a large extent,
withdrawn their patronage, a host of
private schools has sprung up, and
the college has degenerated into
mere earicature of the successful
school which a chartered institution
should afford. Here are the plain
facts: With q situation unsurpassed
III West Tennessee, school popula,
of over three hundred, and nine
thousand dollar college building, Mi
Ian gives the pitiful patronage of
about one fifth of her sister towns of
equal size.
Now, what is the trouhle? Is it
because you think that this school
will soon be out, and you may then
have the advantage of a free school?
Public schools, when carried on con-
tinuously, are undoubtedly much
more successful, and we ought to
have one every year in this place, but
in the name of all that is reasonable,
as you voted down a supplemental
tax, be independent, and resolve to
do something yourself for your chill
dren. Secondly, is it because rates
are too high? Tell me, candidly, can
you get them cheaper at any similar
institution in the United States?
paid eight dollars per month for a
collegiate education, and think the
money well spent; here it ranges from
two to four. Cheap tuition is one of
the most prolific sources of evil in
the educational system of our coun
try; it has flooded the land with a
perfect sea of incompetent situation
seekers, whose underbidding has de-
luded the large mass of people, and
thereby forced from the profession
men whose superior talents would
have made them eminently successful:
and we hope the time will speedily
come when general recognition of
merit will force this miserable multi
tude of pedantic pedagogues from the
field of professional labor.
Thirdly, is it because you have had
personal differences with your neigh.
Dor, and don't wish to undertake any
enterprise in which he has hand?
Then trample under foot your petty
Fersonal spleen. and look at the inter,
est of the community in which you
live. Sacrifice your individual pref
udices to the public welfare, and let
us have a grand concert Of action.
The interests of Milan and surround
ing country are of too vast impo, tance
to be hampered and trammeled by
the personal antipathies of d few in.
dividuals. .
People of Milan. do you want a
good school--a school that will attract
settlers to Milan, build up your town
and be your pride and delight? If
you do, then don't wait till the next
week, or the next year; don't pull
back, and grumble at imaginary der
elections on the part of teachers;
don't send your children to Knox
vile. Nashville, or Brownsville, but
send them to us, and put the old coll
lege on a perfect boom; and my word
for it the closing exercises of next
June will proclaim in clarion tones
that our efforts have not been fail
ure. The school interest here has
nearly oied a natural death. Let us
have a renovation, a reformation, a
resuscitation. The spirit of public
enterprise, the well>being of the COM
munity, the progress of the town,
and especially your children's inter-
ests demand an earnest cooperation
on the part Of the people and trus-
tees, and unanimity of consent to
trample past discords in the dust.
Respectfully.