The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-08-04

not rendered unlntelliglble thereby
to It's many readers. Beyond cavil,
there is no difficulty of recognition
in the picture of wary: disqualified
Superintendent wrlggling in the
grasp of an lrate, dlctatorlal School
Board President, both struggling
for mastery of the sit uation.
"Let us view the landscape oe'r"and
behold the twelve thousand dollars
worth of handsome school houses
with their fine equipments. | am
unfamiliar with the geographical,
or political Importance Of these, nor
do | know of the cost in detail such
as materials, bids, contracts aud the
like. Does any citizen know aught
of the disposition OF the several
thousand bricks left over from the
building of the Central High School:
Does any citizen know whether they
were sold at fair, or at merely
nominal price: Does anyone know
aught of the details of any transac-
ton rG 'e' hv the Board of
Education .f- Aese transactions
been published or is the custom an
obsolete one?
AS for equipments, | have read
in the superintendent Annual
Report where the Pres. and he had
purchased maps at a cost of 5000
for Iberia, Jeanerette and Loreau-
vile. Seventy dollars was likewise
paid for the printing of pamph-
let, Grade Work, to be used by
teachers. Appliances there should
be for teaching purposes in every
sc hoOl; but such costly ones, as
5000 maps should be in daily use,
and not be relegated some to out
Of-the-way room in an obscure cor
ner like so much rubbish. Again,
is any one cOgnizant of the cost
of trips to and from conventions!
l have in my mind one to Alexan-
dria, superintendent conven-
ton, whose cost was sixty
dollars, which sum would have
transported the individual to Bos-
ton, the Cit Y of culture and learn
ing. By these inquiries l do not
mean to cast illsinuatiOns or as
persious on the character Of any
one; or to indulge in lOgOmachy;
but merely to awaken in the public
mind an interest in regard to
the distribution of funds contribut-
ed by taxpayers to the support Of
education.
Handsome new school houses are
very well where ever they are
built; but any one possessing even
a modicum Of civic pride should
see to it, that those buildings in
New Iberia, erected previously, to
the time of the present administra-
ton, go not to wreck and decay;
that they bear evidence Of atten-
ton befitting a city Of 10000 in
habitants.
A no lees important matter to be
considered is local talent. In the
Superintendent's Report of '9S |
also happen to note his remarks on
the employment of home teachers.
As he came here in '97, and this re-
port having been made in '9S, he a
comparative stranger at the time,
we have been made to realize that
the home designated was North
Louisiana.
1t is also stated in this Report,
thatCOmpetitive Examinations had
been held to determine the fitness
of the teachers. That the Law en-
forced this; and yet on reading
further, there is mention Of IA
teachers who were appointed condl-
tiaonlly, and::who would later Oh be
subject to examinations. These
examinations have never taken
place. DO these acts of the Super
intendent SAVIOR of the law, of
equity, of consciencee l am also
reminded at this juncture Of an
assertion made by a teacher that a
certain parish Of North Louisiana
was not doing very much for
her teachers. The thought occur
red to me what is Iberia doing for
hers! Reducing her own intellec- |
tual people to state of semistar
vatiOn whilst furnishing an asy
lum for the uncared-for of other
parishes.
The word catastrophe from the
Greek kata, down, strephein, to;
turn a turning upside down, or
producing a subversion of the Or
der of things; a catastrophe gener-
ally a calamitious event, yet sure
ly, subver>iOn of the present
DnoyH of E1uoofinn if c,,ch ooul1