The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1895-07-13

Barriers, Upper Bayou IIgfe, Lower
owe, schools have neither maps nor
globes.
The Perry school property is IN q dilapi-
dated condition. Nearly all the fence on
the north side of the yard has been torn
away, new cistern tr0ughs arc needed, the
tiue in the assistants reonI, and the water
closets need repairing, and the tlUor of the
house needs ievcllng and blocking up.
Becker'S school needs q new water closet.
There is no yard fence around ThealPs
school.
Briggs school, (col) requires the floor to
blocked mp in the middle.
The yard around Broussard cove school
house has been torn away, everything has
q dilapidated appearance and the water
closets need repairing.
Lake SlmOnet school house is old and
needs repairs; yet would not recommend
that much new material be used il repaIr-
ing the same, as the house il too far gone.
The water closets are sadly III need of re-
pairs. Well water is used and is brought
about a quarter mile from the school.
Upper Bayou Tigre school house is small
and uncomfortable. the ceiling is very
low. The yard fence has been torn down,
the stove is broken down, and the boys
closet needs repairing and is in q very
unSanitary condition.
The Rice school house is entirely too
small. being only 12x29 feet. The pupils
We're literally packed into the house, only
two rows of desks could be placed in the
house and then room enough was scarcely
left to pass between the rows.
The Conner or Frederick school, n Of
the latest established, has been we'll at
tended. The house is also entirely too
small to accommodate the pupils who
could come to school in that community.
so small is the house that ordinary school
desks can not be Rsed.s Two long plankS,
one along each side of the house (which is
about I2X13) are used Tor the pupils TO sit
on, and they sit SO close together that tho
free movements Of the arm and nand in
writing are INSTRUCTED. BY all means the
patrons OF that school should provide q
larger and more suitable house. [ viii
state concerning the above house that 1t
has no ceiling or window blinds and no
blackboard.
Grand Prairie schoolhouse yard needs
repairing in front. 1t has neither we'll nor
cistern. The water closets need repairing.
The pupils are seated on two long planks
same as Conner school.
The Cow Island school has neither well
nor clstern. 1t needs II new water
closet. The one'it now has needs repair
ing and there are no blinds to the win
dUws.
Gueydan's schoolhouse is almost a mere
snake shift" There is only one door to
the house, n plank being sawed out in
the back end for a door. 1t has no ceiling
and is very open and must be uncOmforta-
BILE in the winter. The water closets need
q new roof.
The school property inthe town of Alb
beVllle also needs repairs. The fencing
has become greatly dilapidated and the
girls schoolhouse needs repairing done to
the floor.
All other school property 1 found in
fairly good condition.
| wonld also call attention of the School
Board and the patrons of the schools of
this parish, to the fact as q rule the water
used by the pupils of the public schools.
where they have not been provided with
cisterns, is extremely bad, and ! would re-
commend that each and every public
school in this parish be provided, in some
way, with a cISteRn.
Good health is of greater value eve
than an education.
Our teachers during the past session
have worked faithfully and deserve credit
and praise for their earnest efforts in
teaching the youth of this parish. and all
of them, with some few exceptions are
efficient and well qualified to perform the
work which they have undertaken to do.
] may add that all of them without eXeep-
ton. who could, attened the Teachers
Institute held in our parish, at Abheyille,
for one week. The Institute was ably con-
ducted by Professor Caldwell and Stevens
VI lEID NIltt NOIIldi IbiEGNb at NhIGltiJO-=
ches. The Institute was instructive and
did great good to the whole community
by awakening q new and deeper interest
in educational matters.
Sons trouble has been experienced by
the teachers in getting fuel during the
winter months to keep up fires.
The law authorizes and empowers the
School Boards to levy q tax on each patron,
as much as one dollar per school session
for that purpose. Owing to the numerous
complaints that have been brought to my
knowledge, [ would recommend that each
patron who may send one child or more be
assessed as high as one dollar for each
public school session, for the purpose of
buying fuel. Said amount to be collected
by the teacher of each school by install
ments as needed.
Section 81, Act 81 of 1885. provides that
leach parish superintendent shall keep q i
record of all the business transacted by
hin as parish superintendent, the names
and numbers and description of school
districts, and all other papers and doom
ments of value connected with his Office, |
at all times subject to inspection and en-
animation by any school officer or other
person interested IN any question pertain |
ing to the common school"
The Police jury by an ordinance record
ed in vol. l, page $50, has set apart thei
middle room, on south side of the court !
house as a place III which to keep all re-
cords pertaining to the public schools of
VermiliOn parish. Up to this time moth
ing has been done to collect the records.
documents, etc, pertaining to the public
schools. At this time the teachers month
" reports are scattered about at a half
dozen places. The papers,, and especially |
the monthly reports. which are n complete
history OF the schools of the parish should
be systematically filed way in order that
they nay be easily inspected.
The room set apart for the aforesaid pur-
pose should therefore be furnished with
pigeon holes, so that the documents. re-
ports, etc, may be collected and properly
filed. This can be done with small ex-
pense to the Board.