The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1903-10-07
NUMBER 5.


dren to educate in Lafayette parish.
Up to the present session the tax
payers of the parish have been con-
tributing directly $4,000 per year, or
A cents per child for one year OF
education. This is less than cents
per month. The available school
fund from all sources is as follows:
From the State, $4,000; parish $4,000;
poll tax $4,000; school lands, $1,000;
town of Lafayette $1,000; total $4,000.
To maintain the schools of the
parish 8 calendar months for the
present session, it will require $685.
100. There is deficit of ST, 100 which
should be supplied by the parish and
town of Lafayette, and | would there
fore urge upon you the necessity for
laying this matter before the police
| jury of the parish and the town coun-
Gil of Lafayette, calling upon them
to do all in their power for the chill
dren who must be educated.
| 1t will be noticed that no mention
has been made of the special tax
recently voted by the people OF the
parish. The reason is that the tax
will be collected only in the fall of
next year and will therefore not be
available for the present session..
Besides we are in absolute need OF
thirty-four school houses the con-
struction of which will absorb every
cent of the special tax money. What
we need now is money with which to
run the schools.
The capacity of our school-houses
is about 800. Last year we tried to
accommodate 20O0 children and this
session the average school-house OF
the parish will have three times more
children than it can comfortably seat.
The demand from all parts OF the
parish is for more space in the school
house.
The school board is now preparing
houses. Last year one school-house
was built, and one thoroughly re-
paired. In short time the parish
will have six comfortable school
houses
THE SIxTEENTH-SECTI OR SCHOOL
LANDS.
There are three sections of school
land in the parish. Two and half
sections are rented at prices ranging
from IS cents to $3.50. Two. years ago
the same land was rented at 10 cents
and so cents. AS nearly all the land
n is rented there is no possibility of
there being any squatters on the land
COST OF EDUCATING OUR CHHDREN-
i Last session the school board ex-
pended about $l8, coo on 1000 children
for months, making the cost of
educating child $500 per year or
81. 90 per month. Instead of being an
extravagant expenditure it will be
seen the board had not an adequate
fund. The parish of Lafayette paid
81 out of every 50 spent. The other
IS7 spent on each child was derived
from other sources principally from
the State. Our system of education
will never be adequate until we can
spend more than 81 per month on each
child. 1t costs the parish not less
than SO per month to keep a criminal.
PUBLIC ROADS.
i It is with pleasure that can report
a steady Improvement in the public
roads of the parish during the past
two years. We now have the founda-
tion of good system OF public roads
and the foundation of a good system
of public schools, and these two
institutions are SO important and
closely interdependent as to de-
mand the support of all citizens
in order that each system might be
built up to its highest standard of
excellence.
Branl Branl Bran!