St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-04
NO PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING.
INCONSISTENT.


The South and its people are desir-
able, rs we have often heard was the
opinon of visitors from afar, possessed
Ut many fine qualities, yet it does take
a long time for us to open our eyes to
some things.
This applies more directly 10 some
localities than others. That we take
pride in our country, and desire its de-
velopment, prosperity, aud Influence in
matters commercial. and intellectual,
goes without saying. We wish that the
stranger shall come iB and possess the
land, by paying for it, if they do their
duty Us good citizens, because We know
that this will aid, in all the desirable at
tainmsnts just mentioned.
But we cannot appreciate, or SEEM
ingiy cannot, the importance of one
great factor in our social and judicial
economy. The people of ODeloasas,
and other places not too far oil, do not
certainly, or there wonld be visible
expression of this appreciation, calcu
lated to invite and impress the visiting
| immigrant.
The Court House of Opelousas is an
| imposing building, q worthy exponent
of that mighty potentate in whose
majesty we are taught to believe, the
| Law. The Churches, thuso visible en-
bodiments of the CREST reciaiming aud
saving power that leads mankind, are
in number aud size. what they should
be.
The Hotels arc creditabIe to the town,
commedations. comfortable, satisfying.
Even the Market, cvinces, by its pro-
portions and finish, considerable
Thought and much expenditure, be-
slowed on a fairly praisewortlIy object.
These all. whether by private enter
prise or public choice, have t,een erect
ed, resulting III the adernnens, i'm
pgoyement. and advancement of tho
Parish seat of St. Landry.
The sweeping glance of a stranger
visitor, after noting and admiring these
displays of architecture! skill, would,
naturally look further, expecting to
find tie never omitted accompaniment
uf these evidences OF civilization. But
10 the modification OF every resident Of
the town, the spectator would look in
vain, for that primal necessity, iultia-
tive of. and abreast with progress and
culture; the home OF free education, tho
mightiest element of good government,
the Public School building, spacious.
we'll appointed, without which no right
minded people are content. The visi-
tor concludes one OF two things; tho
Opelonsians are strangely negligent of
their best interesiss or, they are so ut
teily behind the times" as not TO know |
what constitutes their own best good. |
Whenever a settlement is made, lie it |
ON river or railroad, piney Wsods or d {,
neighhoring metropolis, the first build |
ing put up, along with the Church is the I
school house; primitive it may be, but !
suited to, and consistent with the de- |
mands and surroundings Of that cnm- |
n,unity, and il is an object and source |
of pride, on the part Of every settler |
that this is so, and gDEla Le Their !
shame and regret if it were not. Yet !
Ope!ousas with q population OF 5000, and |
the legal center OF its Parish and its |
largest town, can not afford to have |
a substantial Public School building .
to Eleet its requirements. I
Truely Il lamentahls Situation, and alle /
had better enter her name on the heue-
ticiary list of some charitable Craesus. !
Public education, des, ,btless many think,
can he carried on wlatput a fine set OF
tered without handsome Court House:
but justice demands stroDg bulwark
to give dignity to its mandates; hos
equally IL it necessity that all dignity
should be given an institution, concern
I'd SO intimately with the enforcement
and obedience Of the law in a commu-
nifty.
It 10 the dnty uf a government to i'm
press the n,assee, in whose education
.onsists its safety, viii, the Importance
IF its every department; but what
1oor contempt the great body of the
population must have for system that
Hstracts in detached, unsuitable, poor
y appointed rooms, and thunders forth
ts Judgments frDia elegant rostFams.
IT there were the will, this state of
hinas might saan be changed. and that
90 without "bisque suppersh or "rail-
'ad excursions: