St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-09-06
Education i'm the South.
N. o. Picayune.


Despite many diseouragements, the
heart of the Southern patriot must be
not little cheered by the reports that
are coming in from the colleges, and
academies now so fortunately numeF-
Gus in this section OF the Union. The
South has no internal resource, no germ
of greatness, at all comparable to the
latent intellectual power OF her youth.
Nothing could be more obvious than
the relation between education and
prosperity; every dollar expended IN
that cause is dollar put out at nsury.
For many years prior to the late war
of secession the political influence OF
the South-out of all proportion to It's
numerical strength-was accounted Tor
by the admitted superiority OF southern
craftsmanship, and that superiority was
due to the cultivation Of a class OF spe-
cially trained public leaders. In those
days the southern people were not
| boOkmaking people, and it has been
said very often that they were not
abreast with the culture OF the age;
| Those prepared to speak from personal
| knOwledg however, will not hesitate
to affirm that the dominant class IN the
South was thoughtful and scholarly
! one. 1t was composed OF men whose
minds had undergone the discipline OF
severe studies, and who were educated
with particular reference to the compo-
sitiOn of Orat0ry and debate.
| We know what sad changes were
wrought by the war in that respect
and how herd of small politicians
came to take the places of the states
men who had been forced into retire
ment. II we except Louisiana it will be
safe to say that the era of great men is
now evidently returning to the South
ern States. And even in Louisiana we
observe here and there, towering above
the LilIiputians, potential giant only
waiting an opportunity to assert his
strength. However that may be, it will
not be denied that the political lnt1u-
ence OF this section can only be restored
I to its former efficiency by sound ana
cultivated craftsmanship.
But it isno in reference to the pollti-
| cal future alone that we would congratu-
late the southern people upon their
successful activity In the good work OF
education. In the field and factory, IN
the laboratory and the market, wherev--
er the problem of physical comfort and
material prosperity are to be solved,
there is a demand for educated WORKERS
and that demand is one of constantly
incurring urgency. For now science
takes upon its broad shoulders all the
burdens of humanity, aud science is so
4 highly appreciated that there is not O
laborer so poor that he may not be en-
Tiched by a single invention Of practical
helpfulness. We need right here in the
South, more than anything else, skilled
labor. We want, more and more,
trained architects, engineers and ma
ehinists. Technical education should
! be constantly applauded and assisted,
and our young men should be taught
that '4earned professions are not the
only avenues to distinction and wealth.
In urging this view we do not at all
come in conflict with the opinion Just
expressed, that the South has need OF a
class of specially trained statesmen
The truth is, as the President of Hary-
and said the other day that the time ha:
come for division of education as vel
as for division of labor. Time was
when one might master all the learning
that there was bnt now an attempt o.
that sort would lead to the sheeresi
sci0lism.