The Opelousas courier., 1890-11-01
The Press at Baton Rouge.

at Baton Rouge OH Oct 90 to 90, inclu-
/ sive. Some so or go papers were repre-
sented and about twenty new members
were admitted. Considerable business
was transacted, a number of important
resolutions were adopted, and SOME
| practical steps were taken looking TO
/ the adoption of a better system for the
Conduct of the financial affairs of the
1 newspapers of the State. We hope to
give the proceedings in full at an early
day. The old officers were all elect
ed without opposition, viz : Gen. Leon
IJastremski, President; A. j. Lafargue
fand Mrs. E. E. Bentley, Viee-Presi-
/ dents !; Mrs. Addie MeGrath Lee, Secre-
/ tary Jos. w Hyams, Assistant Seere-
/ tary,
/ The Association was welcomed to the
Capital City by Mayor Way in neat
speech, after which President Jastfem-
ski delivered his annual address in
which he gave a brief history of the
organization of the Association in the
town of Baton Rouge ten years before,
| and closed with many wise and practi-
cal suggestions looking to the moral
and material advancement of the mem
| bers of the Association and of the news
paper fraternity iB general
Of the founders of the Association,
numbering about twenty-five, only a
/ half dozen were present at this :" tin y
meeting. These were Gen. Jastremski,
of New Orleans, w G. Annis, of Baton
Rouge, Mrs. Ella Bentley, and L. C.
Bentley, of Donaldsonville, A. j. La
| fargue, of MarksVille and T. Al. Sandoz
hof Opeiousas.
An excursion to jackson, La, had
been planned for the 21st by the eiti-
zeos Of Baton Rouge, and early In the
morning the train was in waiting for
the Association but the weather was
so very inclement that this joyfully an
ticipated trip had to be abandoned, and
the opening Of the State Fair, which
was to have taken place that day, was
postponedsuntil the 23d Interesting
sessions " fie held in the State House
Oh the 2isfeand 22d, and on the morn
ing of the 23d the Association was pho
tographetl in a group on tile steps at
the main entrance, for reproduction I'D
Harperts Weekly, after which carriages
provided by the citizens committee
were entered and the various public
institutions in the city were visited.
The members of tile association, among
whom were u goodiy number of ladies,
were first driven to the State Univer-
sity, where Col. j. W. Nicholson, it's
worthy President, cordially greeted
them and showed them through the
spacious grounds and buildings, which
are gradually recovering their ante
bellum beauty and elegance This in
stitntion is splendidly equipped, both
as regards The faculty and modern edu-
cational paraphernalia and appliances,
and we are pleased to know that it is
now being more literally patronized
than ever. This is as Ii should be.
Louisiana ought to educate her youth
at holnss
TffS editors next visited the spaci0ns
and elegant Institute for the deaf and
dumb, which is under the supervision
of Mr.. John Jastrenlski, and were struck
with the serupuious neatness, the order
and the system avery where visible.
The pupils, ringing IN age fran 6 or Z
TO 90, appeared to be cheerful and cor
tented, and are making satisfactory
progress in all the various branches
tangLt There are only so or 60 pupils
now, and twice that number could be
easily accommodated. Board and lodg-
ing aud tuition being provided at t5h
expense qS the State, and the inmates
being tenuefly cared for and educated
and made 10 feel a6 home, We See no
reason why this noble institution should
not at an early day be filled to its Ut
most capacity and made to yield the
full measure of IDS possible usefulness.
Tie State Penitenfiary was next vis-
tied, but the forbidding aspect of its
frewniBg walls and gloomy cells and
dungeons was not calculated to induce
ID long stay. However, everythingS
about tile place appeared to be scrnpu-
iously neat and clean. Judge Ford,
acting coInmissary, serving a 20-yeaTs
sentence for completely ID the Cap.
Murphy killing, was seen by d number
of tile visitors with whom he chatted
pleasantly giving much interesting in q
formation concerning the institution.
There are over 500 conyicts on its rolls,
but only about le-and they sick or
infrnl within its walls. The others
are lit work un tGIe levees in various
parts Of the State
The institute for the blind was the
tsext place visited It is under the i'm
mediate supervision of our old friend
Prof. W. III IN Magrnder, an educator
Of distinction and ex-State Superinfen-
dent of Public Education, who takes q
very deep interest in the noble work ID
which lie is engaged The building now
occupied is an elegant one, just erected
at Il cost of S IL 900, surrounded By large
aud beautiful grounds, and supplied
with all necessary appliances for i'm
Isas ting TO its unfortunate inmates all
aIse various branches of knowledge
which they are susceptible of being
taught. Board and tuition are also free
here, and the branches usually taught
ID schools for youth with sight, besides
having the comforts of q home and
careful training In music and calisthen.
les. iii addition to these great aCiYan-
tages boys are taught several trades
aud girls may learn sewing, knitting
and much Of domestic work. If these
facts were generally known this noble
institution. it seems to us, would soon
ba filled to its utmost capacity, whereas
iii ii NOT half full and onr readers
whose neIghb0rs have blind children
would be doing them q service of ines
Unable value If they induced them to
avail themselves of the great aiFan
tages tendered free Of change by the
State.
On leaving tho iustisilte we were