St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-08-28
For The Schools

While the attendance was small al
the meeting held in interest of the
public schools at the courthouse last
Wednesday, the people were enthusi-
astic. Hon. James Bailey, the orator
of the day, was met at the morning
train and escorted by committee of
citizens to the Southern Hotel for a
short rest before the meeting, which
took place about 1910 a. m.
DR.. J. F. Pigott called the meeting
to order. Acting Mayor Jacob Seller
was elected chairman and Mr.. w. G..
Evans SECRETARY.
Mr.. Seller spoke Of the efforts that
were being made to complete the new
school building and stated that the
plans would be completed by the 18th
of next month. He then introduced
as the first speaker, Supt. A. B.
Peters.
Mr.. Peters said that the question
before the people was whether there
was to be six or nine months school.
Judging by the size of the crowd he
thought it would be six months. He
said he thought he saw the finish of
our new school building. Not in the
sense the word is used on the streets.
Completed was better. The object
OF the meeting was to put enthusiasm
into the people. If we wanted a nine
months school we would have to go
down in our jeans. 1t takes money
to run schools and it was up to the
people of Covington to say what they
were going to do He gave the fol-
lowing summary of the finances for
the year 1908-1909-taxes collected:
Quarter ending September 80, 1908,
S27. SO; quarter ending December 81,
1908, So, 578.77; quarter ending March
81, 1909, 81, 1873. 48; quarter ending
June 80, 1909, $932.60; State appro-
priation, including 18th section, SILL
1855. 20; fines and forfeitures, $4,000.
Total, $26, 1853. 10, less 5th ward special
81, 72l.21, leaves a balance of $685.
O95.S9. Seven thousand dollars of
this sum would go to the Third Ward,
and would only provide for a six
month term. That while we will have
three instead of two mills, the fund
will still be insufficient. The citizens
will have to devise means for running
the schools the remaining months of
the term.
Prof. Peters said under present con-
ditions he could not give a guarantee
for over SIX months school. The peope
must come to the aid Of the schools
and furnish sufficient funds to run
them for nine months.
Prof. E. A. Bechtel of Tulane Uni
versity was the next speaker. He said
that he had not expected to speak and
could not extemporaneusly do justice
to the occasion, but he wished, in be-
half of President Craighead, as we'll
as himself, to assure US of hearty
sympathy in any movement in the
cause of education. That he was per-
sonally as well as professionally inter-
ested. Before coming to Louisiana
he had been assured that he would
find little progress in high school
education, but he had found conditions
much better than pictured: but he was
surprised that town advertised as
Covington was as health resort, had
not its high school on the list of affili-
ated schools. In one place that he had
visited he found that the largest build
ing in the town was the Jail, the next
the courthouse. and the shabbiest the
school house, and he had come to the
natural conclusion that where there
was little interest in schools there |
was apt to be necessity for large |
jail. He said that Louisiana had
made unparalleled progress education
ally in the past few yerrs. AS a |
commercial matter, from a business
standpoint alone, we could not afford |
to be without good schools, but that |
he could not at this time go into de-
tails.
Mr.. Bailey was next introduced, and |
his remarks were listened to with ap-
probation and interest. He spoke
with force and to the point. He said |
that he was not prepared to discuss
the educational side of the school |
question and was glad that he had |
been preceded by an educator from
the great Tulane University. The ne
cessity for education was undisputed. |
Men who have boys and girls must |
educate them. That they who al
lowed their children to grow up in ig-
norance, to be distanced in the strug-
gle for existence, were not doing their
duty. He said that much was being
in the State, and much |
was due to "that splendid man, Prof.
I. III. Harris" our State Superin-
ltent. But he intimated that if the
same lack of interest should be ex-
nibited everywhere as was indicated
by the attendance at this meeting,
education would go backward instead
Of forward. He characterized it as
frost" He said that at political I
a block could be filled with
people, but the cause of education APP
0eared to be less interesting. But he
the women present for
heir manifest interest, and advised
hem to form committee, say of
twenty-five, and to get out among the
citizens and make every one of them
contribute to the cause. He named
number of citizens in the audience
whom he was certain would contrib
tie $50 each, and he said that If after
/ canvass of the town the commit
zee would decide by vote upon the
,tingiest man in town, and would send
lim the name, he would remit check
'or $25. The only way to accomplish
anything was to get out and hustle.
If we wished to keep pace with the
est of the State we must ''get into
he game.
Mr.. Bailey's remarks were tonic IN
heir effect and seemed to give cour-
lge and enthusiasm to his listeners:
Hon. Jos. B. Lancaster was called
lpon and spoke quite at length on duty
i parent to the child in preparing 1t
for the battle of life
nd of the obligation of the communl-
v to the growing generation. He
aid that no one was more interested
n the advancement of the cause than
llmself. That he did not think It was
0 much lack Of interest in the prep
ration of the child for it's future, use
illness as it was a thoughtless dlsre-
ard as to the means of accomplishing
that stood in the way. That child
1YsInY. |