The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1906-06-06

rights or authority. For just as the
law will not permit a parent to main
his child's body, so it ought not to al
low him through Indifference or ne
glect or ignorance or selfishness to
MAIN his child's mind and soul. and
send him through life an intellectual
and moral cripple. This much of in
vasiOn or interior ence on the part of
the State would be a salutary limita-
ton of our freedom, and one for which
there is precedent in our laws regard
ing cruelty to children.
AS to your statement, ''that laws of
this character tend to corrupt, and do
finally corrupt, the spirit of school
work." l would reply that undoubtedly
the best school work in the world is
done in those States of the United
States which have and enforce laws
for compulsory attendance: and that
it i'll becomes us to assume the role of
censor over other States upon this
question in view of statistics and of
actual conditions existing.
Not your paper believe, but some
others have objected to this measure
upon the ground that it would force
upon the State a larger burden in the
way of negro education than it now
bears. This objection a not be
sustained. Such a law would be no
more potential than are existing laws
to modify the States policy as to
negro education. 1t would most GER
talnly improve the conditions as to
the education of white children, for
they are of the dominant race in this
section; and as educational conditions
improve for the whites, a more ration
al and therefore a better policy of
education will also obtain for the
blacks-be that policy one of more, of
less, or of different schooling. And
in regard to this phase of the discus
sion l wish to enter an earnest pro.
test against the never-ending Cry of
"Nigger!" in opposition to every
proposition that is offered in the in
terest of advancing our civilization.
The negro has now for some time been
inconsiderable factor in the move
ment of our institutions and govern
ment, and this has been practically
conceded by most of the Northern and
States which formerly antag-
onized our policies with such vehe- |
mence. Yet many of our people still
with the name as a ''hoodoo"
an equivalent to the expression "23"
and ''SkidoO." Let us not stop doing
good-let US not deny ourselves good
paved streets, beautiful build
and efficient schools for fear that
any trace, color or previous con-
dition" will be too much benefited
by u progress.
The bill now before the Legislature
on the subject of compulsory attend
ance of the schools is only a very
mild expression of the principle it in
1t provides for only twelve
weeks of schooling each year of chill
dren between the ages of eight and
and is liberal too liberal, in
fact) in its allowance of excuses for
noncompliance; completion of the
primary course of study, distance of
two miles from a schoolhouse, private
in the home, poverty or
any bodily or mental condition render
ing attendance or study lnadvisable-
any of these conditions are regarded
as excuses acceptable by the School
Board for non-attendance. This par
law would he likely to prove
and insufficient, but would
afford at least a test of the principle
n III State, ard could be improved
later, as has been done in other States.
In conclusion, l would rest what 1
this measure upon the sacred
lights of childhood. A child comes
INTO the world through no willing of
his own, and whether his life is to be
! blessing or curse to himself and his
elbows depends upon the develop
nent of his intelligence along right
ines. Such development requires the
of time and of instruction,
md these are therefore his rights, and
he common school is the best means
# m~inistering to them. The progress
# child labor legislation and that of
compulsory attendance indicates q
rising standard of judgment
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