The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-07-15

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and while | may not shed a tear, or
manifest the least emotion, that is no
evidence that do not feel the keen
est pangs in my heart.
Yet | feel that it is duty which |
owe to you, and which / owe to my
self, that | should resign the position
which hold here, to one who is more
competent to fill it than am. So far
as have heard, there has been no
complaint; but want to say to you
frankly that | am not satisfied with
the degree of success have had here.
| attribute it to three causes: first, the
inability of the teacher; second the
squandering of time by the pupil;
third, the want of interest manifested
by the parent.
As to the first | have little to say.
| know that | have made mistakes.
1t there is one in the house tonight
who is looking fer a man who has new
er made any mistakes, let him not
look towards this stage. have made
mistakes which think | can correct
by going into new field and begin
ming anew, but which | tear could
never correct mere.
TIE squandering of time by tie pu-
pill How like milestone this must
tall on the cOnsciences of some of these
boys and girls before me Tonight
Their parents have been at an expense
t" feed them and clothe them and buy
their books, and here they have been
squandering their time.
Eut they have nOt oil SpuopIaroI
their sine there are those who have
studied, who ave'taken advantage of
every opportunity to improve them
selves; and they have learned, and l
feel proud of them.
They think like Franklin, "An in
vestment in knowledge alwavs paws
the best interest,"" and they practice
it,
AS to the third cause, l scarcely
know what to say. Would to God
that could get the parents here to
see the advantage of an education as I
see 1t! And by that / do not mean
simply how to read and write, though
that is better than none. believe
that ever, child in Louisiana should
be compelled to attend school for at
least eight to ten month sessions dur
ing his youth. Yes, compelled, for
believe in compulsory education. 1t
is much easier and cheaper to educate
our people than it is to keep up our
poor houses and our iails. And it is
fact generally conceded that ignor-
ance tends towards idleness and vice,
and as consequence poor houses
and Jalls are necessary.
Besides the permanency and pros
perity of this great country of ours,
whose one hundred and seventeenth
birthday is being celebrated through
out the land to day, depend upon the
intelligence of the people who by their
ballots decide the great questions of
the day, and elect those who admins
ter the affairs of our government.
If | were called upon to state the
greatest draw back of the school here,
the one which has offered me the
greatest Encouragement. | would an
swer, ''poor attendance" Who is to
blame for it Evidently the parent.
For every fiimsy excuse, and oft times
with no excuse whatever. children are
kept at home. The weather is Il little
cold and "Johnnie" can't go to school
to day. but he can stay at home and
play in the street. The road is lit
tie muddy and jimmie" can't 90 TO
school to-day, he might get his feet
muddy, but he can stay at home and
play in the ditch all day.
Lucy has the headache and must
stay at home to-day, hut after the last
bell has rung, her head gets better,
and she goes across the way to. see
Martha who staid al home to help her
mother do something which might
have been done before school.
But there is a brighter side to this
subject, for there are pupils in this
school who, as [ said while ago,
! have manifested great interest in the
school. THIS school has scholars in it
now, and has turned out others, since
| have been here, of whom any school
in the state might feel proud. There
are men here before me tonight who
have stood by the Lockport School
through many troubles and reverses,
and who still stand by it as firmly as
ever Stoncwall Jackson stood before
the Unlon Soidlery. All honor To
such men! Ny only regret is that there
: are not more of them.
But | must bring my remarks TO /
close. | want to say. before doing so
F.: that-some of the happiest days of my
life have been spent in Lockr ort, anC
wherever | may so, whether it BE- by
the rock bound coast of Maine, by the
calm and peaceful waters ct the Mis-
sissippi. or where the sun sheds hi:
last faint rays through the Colder
Gate OF California, the thoughts o
many happy hours | have enjoyed il