The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1907-09-27

LOuISIANAS PROGRESS IN EDUCATION
AS viewed BY SUPT. ASWEll.

enough to attract general attention. |
A man recently voted against need
ed tax to build school house De- |
cause they had d BAD teacher last
year. Here was man who was ready |
to condemn the whole system as soon |
as any troubles and difficulties had to |
be overcome. A farmer, on the same
rule. would quit farming because he
had troublesome foreman, and a
railroad would quit business because
an engineer ran his engine in
to COW and derailed his train. A
healthy, energetic, growing school
system will develop certain weakness
es and friction that will require
strengthening and adjustment, and
while we strive for perfection in the
system. if the time comes when 1t
seems to run without friction or dis
cussiOn, that very fact would be the
surest sign that degeneration and de-
cay had commenced. The empty car
that develops the ''hot box"
: We believe in looking upon the
bright side, but we would be foolish
indeed if we refused to look upon the
seri Gus educational work before us.
Because papers and people have taken
up the cry and said, LET US have
schools Let US give our children a
fair chance in the race of life.'' and
because the word education has
been the watchword of the most far
reaching public activity in the last
few years few people have said.
They are going wild on the subject
of education. They are running this
school business too far" To such
especially we call attention to the
fact that there are no less than lS5. 900
boys and girls in Louisiana who were
not enrolled in any school last year.
More than $4,000 of these are
white children, sons and daughters OF
. Louisiana? Think of it. Forty per
cent, of the rising generation out OF
school. Going too far on this SUBJ
ject of education?
. Suppose these lS5, 900 children were
to ask for schooling next month.
, What would these critics have the
State say? Shall we represent thi:
. great State of Louisiana. look
o ing into the upturned faces of 1S5, ,OO(
4 boys and girls, saying, "My children
It l am poor. l cannot build schoo
It houses and employ teachers for al
S MY own children. Go back to YOU
5 homes. Quench the spirit of ambi
l.. tion and the spirit of learning and g
: to work chopping my forests ant
j. plowing my fields. Go loiter in tn
It streets of my cities and fill my jails.
e AS long as 40 per cent. of our boy
!. and girls are out of school no jus
" criticism can be made that our schOO
o work is being overdone. Last yea
the people of Louisiana voted NOR
taxes, built more school houses an
employed more teachers and bette
, trained teachers than in any lik
- period in our educational history
:. During this same year they put int
the schools $1,000 more pupils tina
ever before, making the number in a
- the schools, public and private, 275, ,OO
children. At the rate of $4,000 a yea
:" it will take over twelve years to q
.o all our educable children into tn
schools. We have had three year
'' of high pressure work in the cause {
education. A fair view Of the wor
D. to be done shows that we must IL
IS crease the pressure and continue tn
.y work bravely and cOurageOusly TO
IS many years before We can reach
,r condition that can be satisfactOr
" to the wealth and pride of the thinl
N ing people of this great State.
m Let US look upon the progress {
a the past and take just pride in whs
A has been done; let us look upon tn
Mt work of the future and plan for il
ne ACCOMPLISHMENT as becomes people {
I'd our station.
of
as Notice.