The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-19
EDUCATION IN TIE SOUTH.
Rapid Growth of the School System and
Great Increase of Enrolment

Rapid Growth of the School System and
Great Increase of Enrolment.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18Th. n. r. Daw-
son, the Commissioner of Education, has
filed with the Secretary of the Interior his
annual report for the year ending June so,
1889. in the course of which he says that
from an analysis of the statistics of public
schools for the decade 1S76-77 TO lSS6-S7 it
appears that the growth of the system. con-
sidering the whole country. outstripped
during that period the growth of popula-
ton. the excess of the increase of enroll
ment over the increase in population, six to
fourteen years of age. being 1.6 per cent.
This gain, the Commissioner says is due
entirely to the progress of the public
schools in the two Southern sections. and
more especially in the South central divi-
sion. Here the increase of enrolment
shows an excess over the increase of popu-
lation probably never before parallelec IN q
country SO long settled.
The sentiment in favor of free schools
supported by public funds. he says, is be-
coming each year more universally preva-
lent. The public school systems of the
Southern States have been undergoing an
unprecedent development under laws
adapted in each case to local circumstances.
a permanent basis Coiored children are
apportioned an equal share of the school
fund.- unless In the State of Delaware. and
their schools are kept open as long and un-
der as well-paid teachers as those of the
white children. The funds for the support
of these schools are furnished mainly by
the white inhabitants, and after making
due allowance for all the sums that have
been furnished for the education of the
negroes through private sources of benevo-
oh ba fox
themselves. it may still be said that the
children of those once held in servitude In
the South are being educated by the sons
of their former masters
In discussing the conditions affecting
public education In our country. he con-
tinues, the necessity that the Southern
States are under of maintaining two separ-
ate systems should ever be borne in mind.
1t is apparent that these States are at pres
ent the least able to maintain one sys stem in
an efficient manner. The. statistics show
that about 81 per cent. of the white popula-
tion of school age in the Southern States Is
enrolled. while of the colored population
only about 5S per cent. In the District of
Columbia alone does the colored en-
rollment. considered in relation to
the colored population of school
age, exceed the enrolment of the white pop
ulation of school age. Compulsory educa-
tion, the commissioner says, forms no feat
ure of the Southern school system. The
arbitrary proceedings" he adds, (which q
compulsory attendance law suggests-its
sinquisitorial methods, the Interference Of
the State in the parental control of chill
dren, the effect upon parents of sending
their children to school under compulsion,
IN the Impairment of that self-respect which
lies at the basis of character and good citi-
Zenship-would seem to render a compul-
sory-attendance law an instrumentality to
be resorted to only to suppress great and
crying evil.n
In the course of his remarks upon the
public schools in principal cities, the COM
missioner says: In 10 department of city
school-work is improvement more manifest
than in the primary schools; and this for
the reason. perhaps. that in them there was
the greatest room for Improvement. The
number of cities in which the inexperi-
enced teachers are habitually assigned
to the instruction of the Youngest chill
dren is rapidly diminishing. Indeed.
in many places the primary pupils are
| now taught by the most efficient of the
teaching force. This fact, coupled with
the increased popularity of kindergarten
methods, has resulted in a wonderful adj
| vance in the quality of primary instruc-
| tion." The commissioner says that though
/, thousands of dollars have been invested in
apparatus to be used in the dev evelopment of
| the mind. no provision worthy of serious
| consideration has, as yet, been made for
strengthening the body, upon whose sound
| condition effective me3tal effort greatly de-
\ peudS