The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-05-09
From WllIsIxycIaftto.
WH1skYonIrro, April %, 1885.

y h't'AA = ~ ~ = L - -
Editor Lake Charles Echo;
A few lines from this quarter Q
the parish may prove of interest t
your many readers. Farming Opera
tions are suspended for time, on ac
count of very heavy fall OF rain
ovcrAowing the creek bottoms, and il
many places carrying away fences
soil and crops. This is the thirt
frcshct we have had this spring, ant
the second one which has damaged
the growing crop, carrying ava.
fences and throwing the farmer be
hind in his work. Still he is not dis
couraged ; there is time yet for goot
crops, with favorable weather from
now on.
Corn and cotton look very well
considering the surroundings. Mos
farmers are done planting corn, but
some are not yet through planting
cotton. Taking it altogether the season
has been more favorable for planting
this spring than last. With few
weeks now of dry weather, so farm
ers can finish planting, and clean theil
crops, the outlook will be exceedingly
good for a surplus yield in this sec
tion, all having made, and are still
making, extra efforts to bring about a
result so desirable. ....
I sec by the Echo that the State
Superintendent of Public Education
is to hold a Teachers Institute at
Lake Charles. Circumstances permit
ting, / shall be most happy to attend.
But one word right here. would
ask what good win Teachers Insti-
tutes do under our present worse than
useless system of public education
Give us public school system that
will be of some practical benefit to the
children of the parish, and thep
Teachers Institutes are in order for
the better education Of the teachers
But under the present condition Of
our school system, each neighborhood
of the various wards get, perhaps, a
little three months school, once in
three or four years, taught by any
kind of a teacher they can pick up,
generally some transcient fellow, whose
only object is to make a little money
to leave the parish with, or to help
himself to some other business, with
out any intention of making teaching
business or to qualify himself for
such a position. The result is, no
discipline in the schools, no proper
instruction and no one materially
benented, but the teacher.
Again, / would ask, what good does
a three months school, once in three
or four years, do children, even under
the best instruction and discipline !?
Better put what little school funds
now on hand out at interest; let the
present generation of children grow
up in ignorance, and save the money
for the next generation, or at least
until it has accumulated a sufficiency
to give each neighborhood of 25 or
80 scholars at least a three months
school every year, Unless there can
be some plan adopted by which this
parish can raise a sufficient school
fund to give each ncighborhood
throughout the various wards, where
90 or more scholars are found, a three
months school every year, better call
the public school system farce, rub
out the slate, and have no more of it;
let every man, who can, educate his
own children, and let the rest grow
up in ignorance as servants for the
more favored class.
And again, ] notice the principal
of the public school at Lake Charles
is to receive salary of $75 per
month, while country teachers, with
80 or so scholars, get but $50 out of
which they must pay an assistant, if
they have one, No man, be he ever
so good a teacher, can do justice to
school under such arrangements, and
the consequence is no good is accom-
plished.
No doubt the School Board is doing
all it can under the circumstances.
The system is at fault, and will never
accomplish any good without change.
If a plan could be adopted, by which
a fund could be raised sufficient to
give every neigbborhood of 30 sehol-
lrs three months school each year,
provided the patrons of the school shall
cause a three months's private school to
be taught, before they shall be enti-
tied TO the public money. Then we
would have the nuclus of system
around which the people would rally,
and the children would have the bone
it of a six months school every year,
instead of three months in every third |
Dr. fourth year. Let us have some
hing better than we have, or quit and |
vote ourselves opposed to public
schools. TAcITUs,