The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-02
r THE cLAn
An Answer TO "Justicen.

The article by Justice in The q
CLARION of the 18th, met my attention
100 late for notice in last weeks issue,
put it treats of subject not likely to-
soon pass out of date, viz: sOur School
Funds it Wisely Administered"
The point Justice" endeavors TO make !
is: "Money raised by taxation for edu
cational purposes, should be applied
where it would do the greatest good, to
the greatest number" Also Higher
education, at the cost of the taxpayer,
is unjust favoritism and discrimina-
ton" "Justice" wishing to strengthen
his judgment as to aohdt is the standard
of a needed and sufficient education,
quotes from Mr.. Jefferson as follows:
ITO instruct the masses of our fellow
citizens in their rights, interetts and
duties in primary schools, whether
public or private, there should be taught
reading, writing, numerical arithmetic,
the elements of measuring, the outlines
of geography and history"
Justice" quotes from Mr.. Edward
Everett:
"To read the English language well, |
to write with dispatch in neat, leglble |
hand, and to be master of the first four |
rules of arethmetic, / call good educa- |
ton, and if you add the ability to write |
pure, grammatical English regard 1t an
excellent education"
Justice" thinks that those who at
tain this degree of education have
sufficient to absolve the State school
fund from all other charge on their &C
count. This is certainly good founda-
ton for a higher education. But how
many men and women versed in Indus
trial and Collegiate Education would
the State possess as products OF this
standard7 "Justice" admits that the
State does need learned and properly
equipped teachers. The majority OF
the teachers now employed in MIssIs-
sippi were educated in other States.
In the field of Industrial Arts, including
the mechanical and agricultural profes-
sions, we find the leaders to have been,
| almost without exception, trained in the
schools OF distant States. Bome-trained.
or rather State trained, proficient
workers in these branches have not been
found to meet the demand. The
most prosperous and progressive States
are those from which Mississippi and
other Southern States draw their nate
| rial when first-class workers are needed.
| The States that have wisely established
| schools for higher education and Indus
| trial Arts, are an example, which we of
| the South have been too slow to follow.
| The steps that Mississippi has recently
| taken in this direction, have attracted
attention from distant States, whose
chief educators and thinkers declare it
to be the greatest evidence of progressive
good Mississippi is not able to lift the
standard of education in he public
schoolsinlt ecounties. This gives enough
to support pubic schools four
months during each year. Cnil-
dren of average intelligence can, during
these months, fit themselves for higher
| education. The amount of taxation
required to carry on these higher lnsti-
| buttons evenly distributed to the public
schools, would lenethen their sessions,
it is true, but it would not give the
State home material in the educational
and industrial arts We would simply
be, as in the past, turning out thousands
of men and women with enough educa-
ton to carry them through life, but
without the knowledge necessary to win
bread, or to SUCCESSFULLY teach Others. 1t
is economical extravaganza to give a
little to all without perfecting any, there
by in the end not materially blessing the
masses.
, Justice seems to point his remarks
more directly to the appropriations oil
money for the Industrial Institute and
College for the White Girls of Mississip
pi than to any other State College
Would the distribution of this money
among the the public schools, solve the
problem of woman's independence? Ii
this Institution we have three hundred
= girls who are given the privilege o.
taking sustaining education. The
r girls are taught at home, what it ha:
been impossible to learn heretofore il
D any of our Southern Colleges. To cal
t it "The Colu mbus School," is beneath
/ the dignity of Justice" AID weaken
4 his article. Four-fifths of the counties
are represented in this school. Some o
}, the counties sending more than thei
l. proportionate number. The dornitor,
building is filled with girls from all owe
= the State-the majority, the larg,
majority of whom would never hav,
received the benefits of higher education
but for this glorious College. TIL
q CT .RIoN states that this College is al
= experiment To go through this Institu
ton one is convinced that it is the mos
z sublime experiment" ever tried il
b Mississippi. Three hundred girls train
b ing for teachers, book keepers, short
hand writers, EIodelers, designers, etc.
means more than education has eve
;. meant in our State before. To max,
a iris experiment successful will requir,
IS appropria tons of money. Mississippi
: can afford to appropriate money to thi
College as it is her most telling advertis
o ing card. This College rightfull,
is fostered will draw to us the from othe
}. States, will send out its cultured ant
skillful students to teach Throughout
3" the South, and will give us reputation
Is abroad more valuable than the advertis
y ingl of rich prairies and pine woods
h Rightfully cared for by the State, it Cal
. and will make Mississippi the art-centr
of the South, gathering to itself the un
T. polished jewels and giving them back +
1t our land brilliant gems conspicuous il
!. the educational and industrial markets
This College is the bright star in GU
future that is to lead ON the spirit o
lie the New South. l. marks an era in GU
g advancement more typical of real pre-
# gress than any other experiment pu
before the people.
y For these reasons the State shoul
e. support it gladly.
e We might go on to mention othe
e .easons touching upon the justice tina
: the State owes her daughters in givin
:. them independent professions, but thi
q side of the question has already met th
approval of our people.
Isl We trust our representatives who ar
soon to meet in jackson, will hold clos
to their hearts this Industrial Institut
y and College. Give us liberal appro
II priation, and learn the true secret o
IS wisely administering the State schoo
! fund. Keep up the public schools, Blu
y guard zealously the institution that is t.
d perfect the good set in motion, and re