The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-21
SOUTHERN SCHOOLS.

ANY criticism from the peu Oh OeoISe
w. Cable on Southern questions may
be taken not only as a dispassionate
view of the facts, but as a sympathetic
presentation of social conditions, of
which he has been himself an impor-
tant part during his whole life.
Il therefore with-mnre than ordi--
nary interest that the public will read
Mr. Cables recent article on the South
ern school system. The illiteracy OF
the cotton States is fully shown by the
census statistics. The result of that ig-
norance is amply proved by the
slow development Of their indus
tries and wealth, but the cause
for it all lies i'll the lack
of adequate interest TO the public schools.
The government of the Southern states
is a "gentlemens government"-a gov
ernment of the gentlemen, by the
gentlemen and for the gentlemen. Ever
since Mr.. Grady's eloquent description
of the "new South" we have been un-
learning most of his ideal statements
and the true state of the South with
it's illiterary, It's caste system, its indo-
lence. is almost like revelation.
The great free school system which is
the keystone of Northern prosperity has
not only no parallel but scarcely any
feeble counterpart in the South. There
are continual complaints among the
taxpayers because the schools cost so
much, and yet the increase in annual
cost does not even now keep pace with
! the natural increase in population.
In the cotton states the cost of pub
! lie education increased but per cent
in one year, and that rate of expendi-
ture is so inadequate to the growing
needs of the people, that as Mr.. Cable
notes, it would require at the present
rate of advancement, seventy years for
il to attain the present condition of the
system in Iowa.
South Carolina may be taken as the
typical state Of the South. 1t possesses
two state institutions of higher educa-
ton for young gentlemen, the South
Carolina Military Institute and the
University of South Carolina. Both in
stitutions have less than five hundred
students, but there are 100000 school
children in the State. The cost per
capita 10 the State per student at the
military school and the university re-
spectively is Sl52 aud Sls4 annually.
The cost per capita for the scholars in
the public schools is Sl.s4 annually. In
other words the State spends one hun.
dred times as much annually TO educate
young gentlemen as it spends in the
education of the average school child.
Omitting the four towns which have
greater population than 1900 which
have a total of nineteen school building
the total value of the States public
school property for the 100000 countr,
school children is less than one fourth
the value Of the two institutions o
higher learning. The average value pc
student of the military academy an,
university property is - 1888. The aver
l age value per scholar of the countr
! school property is 81 cents.
l should there be any wonder that th
state is Backward Do we need 10 see
: further for the causes Of that backward
9 nessy They are patent to all. IL is ais
IA patent to all that despite its protests
tions the New South does not yet eXi,
Al and has no prospect of existing. IL
J. many years behind the times. IL
E. parsimonious in its school system an
Ia gets poor returns for its outlay. Ho
70 long will the Old South stay in its stal
ia nant condition.