The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-01-21
THE PEABODY FUND.

tlHG fhAPY11 FUND.
The CHIEF is indebted to DR.. J. L. N
Curry Of Richmond, general agent of the
Peabody education fund, for copy Of
the proceedings Of the Board of Trustees
of this great benefaction at their TWEEN.
tieth meeting, held at Fifth Avenue
Hotel, New York city, on the 5th Of
October last. Incorporated with the
minutes Of the session is an extended and
interesting report from the general
agent, detailing the work done and the
money expended in aid Of education in
the States which Mr.. Peabody desired
should receive the benefit of his donation
that is, the States whose people "suf-
fered from the destructive ravages and
not less disastrous consequences Of civil
war" We copy from the report the
paragraph devoted to Louisiana:
The latest census Of school population,
between the ages of six and eighteen, is
N3,845. The number of public schools is
between 1900 and 100. The amount OF
money expended from public funds for 1880
was about &225,O0O. Notifications Of the
present school law are needed, SO a. to
ensure q larger appropriation from the
State and the parishes, lengthen the scs-
sions of the schools, and give better salaries
to :he teachers. and thus increase the eff
cheney. A growing sentiment in behalf of
Free Schools is evidenced by the continu-
ance, through private aid, of the schools for
q longer period than the State appropria-
ton provides for. The arrangements entered
into hy DIR. Sears, in reference to the Nor
NAL Schools in New Orleans, have been
continued. To the Peabody Normal Semi
nary is granted the sum of fifty dollars each
for forty scholars; For eleven years this
Seminary has afforded free professional
training to teachers; about five hundred,
mostly graduates of the New Orleans Pub
lie High Schools, or Colleges, have ayailed
themselves of the boon. Two hundred Of
the graduates are employed as teachers in
Louisiana or elsewhere. Silver medals were
awarded to Miss Nellie BOulware and Miss
Julia X. Hedges. Tho Normal School for
coiored pupils, opened in 1877, graduated
Board furnished accommodations for this
school. To Miss l.. V. Miller was awarded
o bronze medal. A newspaper said that the
graduates, in point Of appearance schOl.
arsI,ip, maturity Of character, and enthusi-
asin in their work, will prove great credit
to the profession upon which they are enter
ing Efforts are making to secure State
clusively sustained by the Peabody Fund.
They occupy an anomalous position, and
more consistency would be given to our
work if they were taken under State super
vision and help.
Appended to the report of the general
agent is table showing the distribution
Of the income Of the Peabody fund from
February to October, 1881. The amounts
expended in the various States were as
follows: West Virginia $1,000, Virginia
$50, North Carolina, s4125, South Caro-
lima, $4o5o, Georgia $500, Florida $4,000,
Alabama $500, Mississippi $3.50, Louisi-
ana 100, Texas SIC, 800, Arkansas $4,000
and Tennessee $500, total, $50,3 It
will be seen that Texas received the
largest sum and Louisiana the smallest.
\ statement Of the securities held by
the trustees Of the fund is given by the
treasurer. The aggregate amount is
81, 49,, POS 81. Among the losses sus-
tanned since June 80, 1879, two items
have attracted our special attention.
One is loss Of over $50, 900 on Louisiana
consolidated bonds sold, and the other a
loss Of nearly $25, 900 on bonds of the
same State funded at the rate of sixty
cents on the dollar. IF all the invest
ments of tho Peabody fund had been as
unreliable and Improbable As those in
Louisiana securities, the effect on the
great donation would have been disas-
trous in the extreme.
Concerning the conditions under which
aid from the Peabody benefaction in
behalf of popular education may be
secured, we shall have something to say
hereafter. It may be that, with proper
effort, our immediate section can realize
some Of the benefits the fund was inten-
ded to confer.