The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-04-24
State Normal School.
AT HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS,

airy, 1881, we find' .
Sup to this date no report from the
State Normal school has been receiv-
ed. / am assured by private advices
however, that it is in a prosperous
condition and ably fulfilling its mis-
sion. ] recommend the customary
appropriation for its support"
In his message of January, 1886, he
says: "The State Normal School at
Holly Springs is reported by the
Board of Trustees to be in Il Satisfac-
tory condition. The average atten-
dance during the last two years has
been about 40. The attendance ap-
pears to be broken and irregular, and
only small per cent. of the pupils
complete the course. Since. the Or
ganization of the school, sixteen
years ago, only thirty-tive pupils
have graduated"
All was lovely in 1884, but in 1886
not SO rosy, it seems, although it has
been under the same management
the last two years that it has been the
past eleven years In the Govern
or's message of January, 1881, when
he speaks of Alcorn College, he says:
"One great difficulty the institu
ton encounters is the broken and ir-
regular attendance of the pupils, but
few going the entire session. There
has been but three graduates since
the college was founded. 4 =
The College is practically Il Normal
SCHOOL,
In the report Of the president OF
Alcorn, he says:
"Four young men were graduated
from one course in June, 1854, and
one in June, 1851
Making eight graduates from AL
corn since its organization fifteen or
sixteen years ago. The Governor III
his message of January, 1886, says the
attendance at AlcOrn this term is l4J.
He also says the appropriation o.
$4,000 for repairs, lthe last two year,
we presume has been judiciously
expended. The appropriation OF
II 900 for library, has been expen-
ded. With a small annual expendi-
ture the college will soon have a IL
brary sufficient for all purposes, anu
winds up by recommending an ap-
preparation of $11 600 per annum.
We have made this resume to show
that great men are very inconsistent
sometimes. One of the troubles with
the Governor seems to be that the
Normal School has turned out but
thirty-fve graduated. That is nearly
five times as many as Alcorn has
graduated. We presume the thirty
five We're all who were prepared T."
graduate. Must a school send out a
great number Of graduates, prepared
or unprepared, in order to get the
favor of the Governor? The general
complaint is that too many graduates
are turned loose on the world, bul
there the unpardonable sin is that
there are not enough. Our Governor
believes in quantity more than quail
ity. He wants a heap Of graduates: ::
There is reason for broken and IL
regular attendance and for so few
graduates. We know, if the Govern
or, does not, that these cOiOred pupils
are poor. 1t is strange that the Gov
ernor is not aware that this is the
condition Of this portion Of his sub
jects. We can tell him it is an actual
fact-they are poor! They have nc
bank account to keep them ~ school,
but they go out through the country
and teach q public school through
the months of January, February and
March, and two months in the sum-
mer TO get money to pay expenses the
balance of the time. This makes
them slow in getting diplomas. A.
the number of graduates seems to bt
the measure of usefulness when ap-
piled to the Normal, the Governor
should have recommended II larger
appropriation, as, according to his
own showing and that of the Presl-
dent of Alcorn, it has done much
more work than any other colored
school in the State. There are some
cardinal principles which should al
ways govern Il chief magistrate. One
of these is that he should do strict
Justice to all his people.
The Governor suggested a Commit
tee, So some two weeks ago the
Committee came up to investigate
One of the gentlemen came day or
two before the other two. The Presi-
dent of the Board-who Is mayor OF
this city-ofIered him the use of his
Office next day. Next day the office
was ready, also carriage to carry
the Committee to the school, but the
Committee met at another place anu
rave the Trustees no notice OF the
change. They found it out best they
could and four of them attended.