The Opelousas courier., 1904-09-03
School Matters.

0
1t elected as Parish superintendent
q scholar and q patricia man who
IS not only an earnest and enthu-
slastic friend of the cause of educa-
tion, and who is deeply conscious
OF the supreme need of wider CIT
fusion of knowledge among OH
people, as all patriots are, but who
possesses qualifications which will
enable him to labor intelligently
and to the best advantage for the
interests of the schools. This means
that it has selected as the head of
our educational system, as it's chief
officer and most responsible agent.
a man who is fully equipped to CON
serve and promote the most pital IN
tet'ests Of the people. So far, so good.
The Board also appointed CON-
mittee to ascertain the amount of
it's probable revenues for the com
ing term, and to figure out it's prob
able expenses. The report Of this
committee should be submitted to
the Board very promptly, for with
out this information it will not
know where or how it stands, and
will therefore not he in a position
to act intelligently upon the mo-
mentous questions it yet has to
solve. Our knowledge of the stu
atiAqp, imperfect though it be, leads
us to fear that the Board will find
itself, when all the facts are before
it, in very embarrassing predica-
ment. Some of the reasons that i'm
pei us to this belief MAY be briefly
stated, as follows: The old Board,
on the 18th of July last, not only
appointed the teachers for the com
ing term, thus forestalling the ac-
tion of the new Board in one of its
most important functions, but pro-
ceeded to raise a.. umber of salaries,
mainly in the two high schools
salaries which, taking into account
the need of more schools and the
paacity of the educational funds,
were already high enough-so that,
with their increased expenses that
may be safely counted on, the cost
of the next term will largely exceed
that of the last. In the high school
here alone the increase was $25O.OO
per term. Now, the schools were run
eight months last term, and the
Board was informed last week that
there war $18O0.A0 to it's credit in
the treasury to begin the next term.
The term before, the schools were
run only seven months Though they
should have been run eight, and at
the beginning of the last term there
was over five thousand dollars on
hand. Allowing for slight increase
in the revenues this year, just as
there was a slight increase last year
and the year before, it is clear thai
even with the salaries on the old ba
sis there will not be funds enough
to run the schools eight months
there being now only $500 on hand
| Tf the increase In salaries is allowed
| to stand, there will probably b.
hardly enough funds to run then
seven months, leaving nothing OF
lhand for the next ensuing term.
The question that the Board mus
decide at its next meeting, therefore
seems to be whether the thoughtles'
and reckless extravaganza OF th'
old Board will be allowed to stand
or whether, assuming the exercis'
of its rightful prerogatiyes, it vii
mot recast the entire plan of opera
Itions thrust upon them by thell
would-be dictators and give tn
lpeople an administration at least a
GOOD and as economical as that Q
their predecessors.
Ten OF the thirteen gentlemen
1 now constituting the Board are ney
members. Being fresh from tn
people, sympathizing with them
.lalI their needs and knowing tina
| the greatest Of these Is education, the
may surely be depended upon 9
'Ikeep watchful eye on the sacre
funds devoted to that great oelee
| and to take care that nota dollar {
lit is uselessly spent.
-e npa A--------