The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-04-06

terest in this all important question
bv urging the legislative committee 10
unremitting in its endeavor TO Sc
cure such legislation as will rectlfy
this serious defect in our existing
school laws.
The law prescribing quallhca-
for the office OF PARISH
SUPERINTENDENT, reinforced by legls-
lation providing for overlapping school
boards. will go far towards eliminating
notifies from schools, a condition great
" to be desired in the interest OF sue
~cessful school administration. The in
fiuence of this association could not
be exercised in a more fruitful dlrec-
ton than this one
wish to recommend, also, that this
association reiterate its Instructions 10
the legislative committee to continue
diligently in it's labors in behaII OIL
he school legislation outlined in the
memorial address to the last General
Assembly. remembering always that II
is only by p~ersevering until the emo
we may hope to realize the reforms
and improvements that we have start
ed out to attain.
Another activity Of u association
in the past which is deserving OF spec
ial mention, on account of its lmpor-
i tant bearing upon progressive school
administration, has been the encour-
agements of the reading of educatlonal
: journals by E-embers of school boards.
This is an excellent means Of tlmula-
ting interest in school work n or
arousing a Geper sense OF the obllga-
tons and responsibilities resting upon
those entrusted with the direction OF
the education Of our youth. Impressed
With the wisdom of such q course a
oumber of school boards rJace special
appropriations for the payment OF sub
scriptioas for their members, for the
Louisiana School Review and the
American School Board Journal. This
is a perfectly legitimate employment
of school funds, and reflects credit
upon the boards displaying such good
Judgment and progressive spirit. Ac
tivity of this kind can not fail to beal
good fruit and should form a regular
part of the work of the association in
the future.
An argent need in school work II
our state is a larger proportion OF mel
teachers in the class rooms. Men o
scholarship and character, to taxi
charge of the older children and highe
grades. In the lower grades the VIC
: men are capable of doing better worl
/ than the men, but it is the exceptiona
/ woman who possesses the strong pei
| sonality so needful for the higher mel
t tai discipline of children of advances
S years, especially boys.
i Men of this type are usually employ
s ed in more remunerative occupation
e than that of teaching schools, an
: their services are not be had in an
line of work except for adequate pa!
: They are the kind of teachers we ar
:, sorely needing for the betterment
g our schools; and to develop public Sci
e timent to a point where the peopl
e will provide sufficient funds for brin'
s ing the highest results in the educ'
s ton of their children, is a task
n which this association should app
= itself with great earnestness. Youn
d men should be induced to enter tt
profession of teaching as a means
d earning a respectable livelihood,
IS well as because Of the unusual oppo
tunity it affords for social service
d a very high order.
r Louisiana is prominently an agl
B. cultural state, and for that reason Il
1t teaching of agriculture should recei7
d a large share Of attention, especially
II the rural schools. The course OF st
is dy in these schools should be plann'
f. with a special view Of preparing Il
f. child for the life it will most like
d. be called upon to live. This being t
Of most logical thing to do, much mo
b. stress should be laid upon this pha
of education in Louisiana than is nc
lg being done. This association can