The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-10-31
COLFAx, GRANT PARISH La. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 81 1873;

ming q piece of work ON Friday, or doing
anything OF importance ON that day;
waiting for the moon to change tor q
change in the weather; the evils and dis
asters that come over q nation after the
appearance Of q comet, and many other
freaks of nature that presaged no good to
the people. ALI these superstitions must
surely be dissipated by the influence OF
education; and, as we know they are
fast disappearing, we can only account
for il by our enlightened and chastened
system Of common schools, and through
them, and them only. are we to be free
from the thraldom OF ignorance.
Edscatio. Imcrsasss TIE Prodsctivessss Of Labor
It is known by all that the best edu-
Gated are the best paid II education. as
We have seen, dissipates evil, it naturally
increases the productiveness OF labor
The question is asked, why is the labor OF
man more valuable than the same effort
of q brute? The answer il man combines
intelligence with his labor. A single
yoke OF oxen will do more than forty men
can do in one day, but one man will be
paid twice as much for his days labor
than that paid for the use OF the yoke of
oxen. Thus you see that physical ex-
ertion combined with intelligence or
ordinary skill is worth more thaa eighty
times the same amount OF brute force.
The OK with his great strength IL worth
nothing unless the man with his intellect
is there to guide him. So it Is with the
labor OF an ignorant man. 1t Is scarcely
more valuable than the same amount OF
brute force; the service Of an intelligent,
skillful person, il hundred fold more
productive. In proportion Is q mans
intelligence increases Is his labor more
valuable.
Twill make q brief reference to labor
in q mill of our country to show the
difference between skilled and unskilled
labor. It is only when the condition OF
things are equal-that is, where the skill
ed (intelligent, meanl and unskilled or
ignorant operator is placed side by side
that you can reach q correct estimate Of
the superiority OF the one over the other.
I am thus exact because / do not wish
any person in this audience to leave here
without being convinced that mental
culture Is of the highest importance, even
in the humblest walks of life. When
hundreds OF men or women work side by
side in the same factory, at the same
machine, in making the same fabric. Ia
boring the same number of hours each
day, and when the products of each
operator can be counted, weighed, or
measured, then, as have said. il is per-
fectly practicable to determine with arith-
metical exactness the production Of one
individual and class as compared with
those of another individual and class.
Satisfactory efforts have been made to
determine this question, with the follow
ing result: Statements made from the
books of the mill referred to show the
relative number of the two classes and
the earning Of each. The average wages
of the better educated is a per cent more
than the uneducated, and the difference
between the wages of the same in the
highest grade and that in the lowest is
66 per cent. These arc figures, and I
think I have said enough to convince
you that education increases the produc-
tiveness Of labor, and that You may not
grow weary, / shall pass to the next
thought.
Education DimiRiskss Pasperism and Crime.
1t has been said. The different countries Of
the world. II arranged according to the state OF
according to wealth. morals, and general happi-
ness; at the same time, the condition of the peo-
pie and the extent Of crime and violence among
said and without fear of contradiction, increases
the value and productiyeness Of labor, and 10 10
now my desire TO satisfy you that il also has
has been shown that mere knowledge, beneficial
as it il to the laborer, 10 not the only advantage
derived from the common schools. but that the
If
respectful citizens. think the best way for
those possessing the greater share Of good: to
to contribute ibsraiiy to the sasssnsnos q the
common schools, thereby educating the entire
people. and BY this making them an effective
snS %
tinguishcd BY superior moral habits IN every
respect They are sober and discreet in their en-
they are rsiined themselves and have taste for
read and are able 70 enjoy the beauties Of nature
and trussSO1tSy. Many countries have discover.
ed the true inw.rdness Of education, and az
putting forth their greatest efforts TO have their
caIadrsn s;vso ,50% p s,n ana ma ;me:
fosters crime, what must be the social and moral
condition Of . country whore Ignorance prevailsi
The tsssi mo II ssthsrsd, would FL volume:
in the Land Of Ignorance. Hhov me the country
where ignorance prevails. and there. hand in
hand VIII shoy peuperlsm and crime. bpaan1
lame because she Let ignorance crowd in upon
her. She only. needs 2. good system Of public
schools to make her bloom seain, 70 free her
rs from pauperism, from crime. from misfortune.
Education increases human happiness. DR..
Wayland said, AN happiness Of man 10 derived
from discovering, applying or Obeging the laws
Of his Creator; and ali his misery 10 the result Of
Ignorance or disobedisuce. Let ~ look Vt
man whose mind IL shrouded in ignor.nce that
We might be better able to appreciate the sdvsn-
tages Of education in increasing happiness in
the human family. This man grown like plant
or brute, unconcsrned about what 10 around him,
exerting his physical powers only 90 far - it is
necessary for him to do in order to get the neces-
sariss Of life. At homo he is dull and lazy. He
lives in the narrow confines of bis daily voca-
ton, he sees only those things that are within
the compass Of his vision; beyond the seas.
across the hills, AL is darkness. All beyond has
little of interest for him manners, customs,
habits, governments, create IN him no ambition;
~ he looks up and bsholds the starry heaven be
sees but little there to instruct 70 interest or TO
give him any pleasure; it troubles him not II the
stars are great or small. whether they move or
stand, whether they are near Or at great dis