St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-09-09
THE SCHOOL QUESTION

On Sept. II, 1898, the properly
owners Of Covington, at . special
voted to tax themselves
Eve mills for . period of ten years,
for the purpose Of erecting . High
School building. One year has
elapsed since that election. and the
sum collected amounts to about
$500, with the taxes of 1899 and
eight more years yet to come.
It is on: OF the question 70 expect
our town to wait until the entire ten
years. taxes are collected, before
we build our High School.
The State Legislature, at its re-
cent extra session, adopted An act
which provides for the issuing OF
bonds, by incorporated towns, for
public purposes, and it appears %
US that We could bond this special
i've mill tax for ten years, and have
the High School building erected At
once, and . first-class school estab-
lisl,ed without any further delay
with . kindergarten department LOT
the little ones.
There is no more important
ouestiun than this before the people
now. nor one whose proper solution
is fraught with more genuine good
to our town. In this important mat
ter, We have not kept pace with the
progressive spirit OF the times.
That our children ought to be
given every advantage of an educs-
ton that is possible for us to give
is an axiom that requires no demon
stration in this civilized and en-.
lightened age.
Acknowledging, as we must. that
our children will suffer from any
neglect on our part in not making
proper educational provisions for
them, it becomes the bounden duty
of parents. guardians. the town
authorities, and in fact all classes
Of our citizens, to see that We have
. fine school established here, and
one that will compare favorably with
those Of other progressive towns
throughout the State.
The education of our children
cannot and must not be neglected.
We need and must have . good
High School. complete in all its de.
partments, and one that will offer
to the youth of our town an oppor.
tunity to fit themselves for tue
labors Of life, aud the duties Of
citizenship, the equal Of that possess
ed by any town in the State.
1t is q common occurrence to heal
Ut desirable people who would
gladly locate in Covington, but are
unwilling 70 do SO, simply because
we have no High School for the
educs ton Of their children.
One Of the greatest drawbacks To
Coyington is that it lacks N educa.
tional institute that could properly
equip its young boys and girls. jus,
budding into manhood and women
hood, for the great battle of life.
In this age Of enlightenment this
matter claims the attention OF the
average prospective settler more
than anything else. Few parents
care to move from . place that Is
we'll supplied with educational "a
cilllies 70 another place that 10 ab-
,olutely lacking in these facilities,
notwithstanding any advantage in
other respects the latter place might
possess.
They feel as all good parents
ought to feel, that they owe = grea.
duty to their children in this respect
"A duty that must enter into and
assist il shaping any plan for the
future that they might map out.
With the establishment of . well
conducted institute of learning, the
whole community, in q very few
Years. would be raised to . higher
and moral plane. This
has been the case elsewhere, and
there is no reason why it would be
otherwise here.
We repeat, That il it il possible
to issue bonds, with the prospective
special tax as collateral, it should
be done without delay, and the
High School building erected as
soon as possible, and It's doors
thrown open 10 the children Of our
town and vicinity, unde- the tutor
ship Of an able and efficient corps
OF teachers.
We have expressed our views at
some length, on this all-important
subject, and would like to hear
from some Of our readers, il they
have any suggestions to make il tins
matter, which vltslly concerns our
in all the walks OF life.