The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-11-21

ish, and
Whereas, this gratifying improvement
to be attributed mainly to the wise policy O
the Board in entrustng the m lragement o.
the public schools to an experienced and
progressive educator. Supt. l.. J. Allen m
whose earnest and persevering efforts fol
the advancement of the schools have been
ably seconded by this Board AMI al apprc-
Ciatvc public. au,i
Whereas, the regularly pu'rishe safe
ments of the receipts and disburse N ents Of
the school funds show 4 faithful accounting
for every dollar of the funds honestly util,ze
in the common sense way which rcco 5nizc
that I7oO dollars expended in best teachers,
and beSI school houses, and best school fur
niturc and appliances is far more. economical
and advantageous than enc dollar 7o'Sf~I o.,
unframed teachers; badly lighted, badly
ventilated. overcrowded and unsightly one
room cabins; and
j openly charged the School Board of lafay-
cite parish with maladn,inistration of the
school funds, and has likewise CHI IT s-d the
superintendent OF public schools of this
parish with ''gruss virlation'' of the sch u
laws; be il
K.snveI, that we de- ounce as u7var-
rantcl. and vindiciive the systematic and
persisten, efforts of Capt. ]. G. Bach anan TO
disparagc the public sch DOlS by making
statements in print and in 'nscrva'ion th,t
are xaggeyativc and misleading; lie it far
thcr
Re5o!ved, Tha: it i, the sense of this
i'ostt tti.it III pr !. u. wei
known and continuous antagonism TO the
pubiIc schools in Lafayette parish Is un-
worthy and pernicious, is oppose I to the
spirit Of tr"e progress, AMI merits the con
dcmna,ion OF all fair minded men.
On motion of Mr.. - :lhomn: secor led by
DR.. Young the resolutions were adopted by
the following vote: Ayes, Moss, Delhon:n",
Montgomery, Olivier, Young and V:rot.
Publication of the following statements
was ordered by the Board, for the informa-
ion of the publc AMI as showing the entire
absence of any wiiful or serious disregard of
the law regulating the use Of text books in
public schools:
re M~ Parish .SthoO[ Bo0rd cf lafayette.
Gentlemen--At no time has it been the
intention Of either Mr.. Allcm,n or myself
to deny that some books not on the State
ad"pte list are being used in the s-ho 's of
LAT 1yette. All that is being don- in the
schools is entirely open for inspection by
anyone who wishes to just what is donc
and what is left undune.
III ,wever, for the of certain bo ,ks
not loptcd by the State, Mr.. Aleman
Ia, been un,luy criticis.l an unju;;ly m
surcl by 1 few people. In fact, undue,
emphasis has been given the
whole matter, and with simple justice to
Mr.. ALTMAN, | wish il to be ur !crsto 81
II It Will h my b. tecan'c,Ily r:sponsi-
bic, h. is not justly to blane. At least
part of the bl,tn. falls - m, and I do not
wish Mr.. Alcman 10 be censurcI with that
part. but am willing to shout Ter that part
myself.
To explain. When | arrived here August
20, one week before the opening OF sch ~,
nrl II hunt board, look after the cleaning
up Of :~r sc,,n ii houses and yards, 20 look
alto whit hll b:.l done d rrin-, tAc psf
year aud to plan this years work. | Came
here eager. As am 80. to d. the greatest
amount IF .,o'i p ,ssbi-, All f:cii' = "a
something c',ul / b. done in that ,lirc&ti N
~ The u.s. OF S'';n: b 'ok' Other tina tt use |
.ioI,tcl by n State, AMI resting ass,.rcI |
hat the people of Lafayette, known throuG- |
or,sir:g and progressive 'wn and parish in |
object to having the adopted books sup
olemen,esl by 4 few others, if in the juls-
nent' of the superintendent AMI i'r;nci.'t
either or both, these books woAld help to
ivlnce thc chi! Ira an | better pep IRE
hem to become useful men and women, in
eli gent citizens, l did not hesitate.tn m axe
he introduction. l listed these books in
ny coutsc of study and subm;ttel il ID Mr..
'er ), before the opening OF schu>! On the
GLOWING Monday. MIR. .\!enan ii III been
cry busy all tn w:ek, an |, alth ,ugh he
il not speak of it, judge that h. took
My time enough To exataine my coarse of
tudy TO determine whct her, in the main, it
vas good, and did not undertake to deter
nine whether each book was en- the adopted
st. rnis course of study returned to
ne the Saturday following, giving, little
to examine it.
l have found that the adopted books are
Inadequate in 4 school like that Of Lafa-
cite where the pupils closely graded
nj accurately ClaS>itied; that the child
( DIS work than mapped out by
he text book committee. An example.
traded Literature, Book ~. will hast four
+ five months, when the pupil is re
lain III the fourth grade for who!e: year.
that is to be done with him the other half
ear? Go over thc same book again, thereby
au,ing the pupil to lose interest, or use
supplementary work?
On looking over the work of last year l ,
'und that it only the adopted books were
Sod many of the pupils would have to use
Ic same book for a whole year, and some
them for year ami a half, thereby taking
NO half years to do what should be dore in
ne half year? Gentlemen, is that justice :
any American child?