The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-20
Bradwell's School Bill.

|
tional bill, introduced into the Senate day
or two ago, is to organize the public schools
Of the state and to keep them open at least
six months of the year. The senator
thinks this object can be accom-
plished without any increase in taxation.
He is an able and earnest educator, and is
strongly impressed with the necessity for inn
proving the public schools, but is he not
mistaken IN thinking that the schools can
be kept open six months each year, the
standard of them raised and the public
school system thoroughly organized without
any direct tax for school purposes! The
MORNING News thinks he is.
! At present Georgia is virtually without a
public school system. The school accoInmo-
dations in about every county are INSULT
Gent, and the school houses are, as general
thing, disgrace to the state There are
some teachers who are qualified for their
places, but great many Of them are not
There is an almost total absence of interest
in educational matters outside of the towns.
| There must be a radical reform in the
public schools. The people must be edu-
| Gated to the Importance of schools. They
| must be made to understand that their own
| prosperity and that of their children de-
ponds upon them So firmly must they be-
| lieve in them that they will encourage them
in every possible way and make sacrifices
for them.
Senator Bradwell seems to have the idea
that majority of the people object to a
direct tax for school purposes. He may be
lrirr foh hut ba ha
20 overcome the objection is not the right
way. He and others, who know the value
OF public schools, must create healthier
public sentiment with respect to public
schools. The legislature is well aware
Of the necessity for providing the state with
better educational facilities, and il must
take the responsibility of organizing and
improving the public school system.
The public schools have already been
neglected too long, and the longer they are
neglected the more difficult it will be to
create public sentiment that will give
them the proper encouragement. The great
mistake Senator Bradwell makes in his bill.
is that he tries to avoid placing any direct
school burden upon the people. The way
to make them appreciate the schools is TO
tax them. When they pay to support the
schools, they will take care that their chill
dren get the benefit of them; and in proper
ton as their children improve their hostil-
ity to schools will disappear. The sacrifices
they will have to make for the schools will
cause them to appreciate them all the more.
Georgia must have good public school
system OF get left in the race for wealth,
population and material development. In
an address before the Georgia legislature
the other day, Hon. j. L. NJ. Curry.
ex-minister to Spain, pointed out the fact
that the negroes were receiving educational
assistance from the north, and said: s"You
let the negro children get an education
where yours do not, let the negro be the
superior to you in culture and property,
and you will have a black mans govern
menr. Improvement, cultivation, educa-
ton, is the secret Of the condition, and guar
antee of race supremacy"
The people Of Georgia must bear the bur-
den of educating their children. They
might as well recognize that fact at once.
They will have to do so sooner or later, and
the sooner the better for them. 1t is useless
to waste time on half way measures or In
trying to avoid q responsibility and burden
that must eventually be borne This legis-
lature will not be true to itself. or to the
people it represents. if it does not lay the
foundation for first-class system OF public
schools