Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-08-17
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUC-
TION AND THE SCHOOL CENSUS.
From the Academy Journal.l

! From the Academy Journal.l
WIEN the present energetic Super in
tendent of Public Instruction Of Virgin
ia was appointed, unfriendly critics
charged that he was by no means a
devoted follower of Lindley Murray,
and that his photography was decidedly
different from that of either Webster or
Worcester. 1t may be that he is weak
on such small things as grammar and
spelling, but he is undoubtedly genius
Of the first order in statistics. Some of
city and district clerks of school boards
who are not endowed with his transcen-
dent ability in that line, and who want
to get through their work and draw their
munifcent salaries in case and idleness,
fail to sec how great man he is, and
are absolutely consigning him to sheol,
in this hot weather, because he insists
that they must 60 beyond the law and
their pay, and list all the children from
five years of age downward free gratis.
His enemies confidently predict his re-
turn to private life within the next nine
months, but he appears to have no ap-
prehension of such fate, and is evident
ly bent upon ascertaining the prospects
for the future. Who knows that fortune
may not favor him, and that the little
babies of 'S5, may not become school
boys and school girls, under his manage
ment, in 80? Stranger things have
happened in politics.
Then, too, it is objected that he de-
mands classification of the colored
children; he wants the clerks to tell him
whether they are negroes, mulattoes,
quadroons, or octoroons. fortunately
for them, he omits, Gov. Wise's class of
"molungeons.'') To this the aforesaid
clerks vehemently object. How are they
to tell, they ask, whether child is a
mulatto, a quadroon, or an octoroon ?
they don't see the children, and if they
did the children could not tell them.
Besides, of what earthly use would the
information be if it could be obtained?
There we see an exhibition, often before
witnessed in the worlds history, of the
propensity of small minds to question
the mighty designs of great ones The
feeble understanding of those clerks
cannot fathom the great and far seeing
plans of their diligent superior, and,
, forsooth, they grumblc. Historians tell
us that when the companions of Colum-
bus found themselves far out amid the
waste of waters and first observed the
variation of the compass, they became
so alarmed that they thought Of throwing
the great admiral overheard, and trying
to retracc their way to Spain; it is
doubtless lucky for our Superintendent
I that he is not on a sea voyage with the
clerks; he would, We much fear, reach
"sheol' by water But, the clerks may
retort. "Do you know, or can you guess,
) the object ofthis classifcation?'' "Why,
we reply, do you ask such u ques-
ton Do you suppose us to be inspired
by Apollo, or that we are lineal descen-
dants of the Cumaan Sybil? We have
never claimed the possession of great
minds, or that far outlook into the dim
: future, which is often their privilege
Still, we may be permitted to suggest
that perhaps the worthy Superintendent
thinks you are paid too much and wishes
to make you do more work. He may
want, too, to earn his own salary o
$4,000 and travelling expenses, anc
must have figures to wrestle with te
that end. Our limited understanding
:, can no more comprehend than yours
. what possible difference it can make
: whether child is pure negro or wha
degree of miscegenation he may repre-
t sent, since negro and octoroon mus
attend the same school, or why children
of French and Italian parentage shoulc
be grouped together, whilst those O
Scandinavian origin Of whom there art
probably not dozen in the state
should have separate column, but We
9 must not therefore infer that there IS nc
reason. Be quiet, therefore, and ques
: ton not the wisdom of the head of oul
$ school system. You have spent tht
t sultry days of June and July in gather
ING ''vital statistics" of what use-or M
!, use-soever they may be, and do no
initiate the man whom Girard is said t
, have employed in moving bricks from on
$ place to another and then bringing then
: back again, by inquiring what was tn
7 use of it. True, he got paid and yo'
didn't, but what difference does tina hi
make? you were contributing to tn
sum total of human knowledge, and tina
ought to satisfy you. Some bookmake
in the hub may derive valuable assistanc
from your labors in a "History of Misce
genation," or they may serve as tn
!. basis for an introduction of octoroons t.
white schools and the destruction Of th'