The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-05-06
TO SUPERINTENDENT AND TEACHERS
OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF
THE STATE.
ALEXANDRIA, RAP1DEs PH., La, !
April &c, 1891.

public teachers, similar to its own, and
pursuing the same objects, might be
established in other parishes all over
the State. From mere handful Of
earnest men and women the Rapides
Teachers Association has now grown
to be an imposing body of teachers,
devoted to their noble profession and
enthusiastic for the cause of education.
1t was only natural that among such
a body, assembled as it was at Lee
comte, in full fruition of rich intel
Iectual harvest, the wish should arise
that the brethren in the other parts of
the State might have share in slmi-
lar opportunities of professional de-
velopment.
To every one it was evident that
this could only be obtained by means
of organization, and the President OF
the Association was requested to issue
this earnest Appeal to all the superin-
tendents and live teachers of the pub
lie schools in every parish of the State
of Louisiana, urging them to at once
take steps towards the organization OF
Teachers Associations in their respec-
tive parishes.
This accomplished, and the various
Parish Associations being in working
order, the next steps would be to elect
delegates, or still better, to decide to
come in a body, to Convention OF
the Public. School Teachers of Lou
isiana, to be held at Alexandria some
time in August next.
On that occasionthe Rapides Teach
ers' Association proposes to be in ses-
sion, and will delight in showing the
sister associations what can be accom-
plished by we'll organized and we'll
directed effort.
The main object of the convention,
however, will be to organize the State
Teachers Association and to take the
first steps towards a united, deter
mined and we'll directed forward move
ment in all matters pertaining to the
profession.
The Rapides Teachers Association
during its last session, also selected
one of its number to 60 as a delegate
before the convention of Parish Su.
perinteudents, which is to meet at Ba-
ton Rouge early in June next, and to
urge them personally in the name of
the Rapides Teachers Association, in
the name Of the good cause in general,
and in the name of every fellow
teacher in the State of Louisiana to
nse their utmost efforts and all their
official influence towards the imme-
diate organization of their Parish As
sociations and ultimately of the State
Association.
Any correspondence relating to the
subject will be gladly and promptly
answered by Capt. w. J. Calvit, pres
ident of the Alexandria High School,
or the undersigned President of the
Rapides Teachers Association.
Scarcely any one who has not seen
a we'll organized Teachers Associa-
ton at work will be able to realize
the immense amount of instruction the
individual teacher derives from such
meetings. A professional spirit is up
built or strengthened, an esprit de corps
fostered; old fogyism pushed to the
wall, new ideas, new resources, new
methods are constantly evolved by the
frequent interchange of ideas; intel.
lectual life is quickened, enthusiasm
is aroused, and love for the profession
generated by the inspiratiug tonrna-
ments OF the floor of the educational
arena.
Who of you superintehdents, who
of you teachers, who have the veal of
the children entrusted to your care
really at heart, and who do not con-
slider your work drudgery and mere
ly stepping stone towards another
calling or towards political prefer
ment, would not like to see new life,
pulsating through educational circles
all over our State? None of you, we
hope, and therefore we are confident
that our appeal will be needed and
acted upon by all of you Immediately
for your own good, for the good of
our sacred cause, and for the advance
ment of our grand old State.
Fraternally,
F. WEspY, Pr. D,
President Rapides Teachers Asso.
citation.