The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-11-18
Foa n czAnzon
Cur School Funds it Wisely Id
ministered?


ministered?
do not wish TO be understood as
finding fault with the friends and advo-
Gates of our State Industrial Institute
and College, at Columbus but at the
same time, it does occur to one who
takes lively interest in the cause of |
education, that their zeal and enthusi-
a.m, in one particular, is not wisely |
directed.
When am rejoicing at the good for
tune of the three hundred young ladies |
enjoying the advantages of this institu-
ton, | cannot but recoilect that there
are three or four hundred thousand of
the educable children of the State, who
are growing up with but the scantiest
conceivable educational advantages, and
who need assistance far more than the
comparatively few and highly favored
Columbus State benefciaries. Is it not
true, that money raised by taxation for
educational purposes, should be applied
where 1t Is most needed, and so applied
as TO do the greatest good to the greatest
number?
| The advantages of this Columbus
school are necessarily confined to those,
VINO. without State aid, would be edu-
Gated. The boarding pupils there are
able to pay their railroad fare, going
and returning, and to pay board and all
other expenses of living from home.
This is class which, without State aid,
would or certainly could acquire an ed
ucatien in every way fitting them for
the usual and necessary duties of life.
But there are thousands, and tens of
thousands of children in the Safe, who,
from the improvidence or misfortune OF
their parents, without State aid, will be
denied even the rudiments of learning.
r For this large class no sufficient provis-
ION is made by law, and until this press
! ing want is met, higher education, al
the cost OF the taxpayer, is unjust favor
itism and discrimination.
What is true in this particular of this
Columbus school, is also true of Alcorn
University, Tugaloo University, Holly
Springs Normal School, the Agricultu
raj and Mechanical College at Starkville,
and the State University at Oxford.
Each pupil attending these higher in
situations, costs the taxpayers, each
, year, not less than fifty or seventy-fye
dollars; whilst for the remaining four or
five hundred thousand children in the
State, dependent upon the State for an
education, the provision made does not
exceed one dollar and seventy-five cents
each. Equality is equity. The public
: school fund should be ratably and
{ equitably distributed; but if discrimi-
nation is to be made, by all means it
t. should be in favor of the most needy
; whereas, under our present system, it Is
in favor of those least needy.
| tho e
ton; but only to the extent advocated
by the enlightened pioneers in this field
OF patriotism and philanthropy. Main
tenance, protection and education, are
Y the natural duties of parents, and with
+ these duties there should be no govern
ment interference, except so far as may
be necessary to qualify all to discharge
\ the common and necessary duties o.
r citizenship. More than this is worl
of supererogation, and tends to impair
the self-reliance and manliness of gu
population. The remark is frequentl,
heard that nothing does more toward
advancing town in population, thar
n first class public schools. But would
t not comfortable free boarding houses d.
more still in this direction? Yet no on,
> carries his communism to this extent.
II Mr.. Jefferson has left it on record
n chat in his opinion, to instruct the mas
q of our fellow citizens Sin their rights
interests and duties" in primary schools
whether public or private, there shoult
Il be taught, reading, writing and numer
d zeal arithmetic, the elements of mensur
r ation the art of measuring and the out
lines of geography and history"
''To read the English language well,
said Mr.. Edward Everett, of Massachu
:, sets, "to write with dispatch in neat
e legible hand, and to be master of tn,
, first four rules of arithmetic, so as t.
dispose of, at once, with accuracy, ever,
question of figures which comes up il
= practice, | call good education. Anc
S if you add the ability to write pur,
grammatical English, i regard it an excel
: lent education" By comparing tn,
views of these eminent philanthropists
0 and patriots, with the conditions of admis
q sion to our State Universities and Col
leges, it will be seen that the favored
few who gain admission to these elee
: mosynary institutions, before matricula
: ton there, must have acquired degre,
O of education which should wholly alb
a solve the State school fund from al
further charge on their account.
In the circular of President Johe
4 of the Columbus school, he says
y The conditions OF admission are tina
e the applicant shall be fifteen years O
II age, and able to stand an examination
in the grammar school studies, to-wit
spelling, reading, penma1ship, descrip
tive geography, mental and practica
arithmetic, history of the United States
and English grammar" Why shoulC
n the few who are already profcients il
these several branches have thousand
!, of dollars out of the public school funt
lavished upon them, whilst not less thar
: four hundred thousand of the children
a of the State are so far overlooked o.
:, neglected, as to be suffered to attain
their maturity without that degree o
: education which will fit them properly
d to meet the duties and responsibilities O
+ life? Does not echo answer, why?
+. The State, we know, needs the ser
= vices of learned and properly equipped
{ teachers. But with a good system o
e common schools, there will be no desti
tuition of such. Teaching is as much
profession as engineering, architecture
medicine or law, and of the many VIII,
0 should be well grounded, at the publ,
s expense, in the rudiments of COCO
$ education, great many, without public
aid, will accomplish themselves fol
teaching in all of the higher branche,
i just as many now, at their own cost ant
charges, qualify themselves for what arr
called the learned professions.
JUSTICE.