St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-06-19
OF EDUCATION
SPEAK In OPELOUSAS.
(Contlnued from Page ID

ship and patriotism, that best serves
his state and country; and that is
the reason the State has taken che
lead in this educational fight.
But the responsibility does not
cease with the State; it goes on down
the line to the parish, the city, the
town, the community, and to the
home of the individual. So therefore
it is the duty Of every citizen to CO
operate in lettering these school fa-
c%ilities, that the men and women Of
the State may be able to serve US
better.
"You can't pick up a Louisiana
paper without reading of where a
special tax has been voted in some
community, for schools. And most
of these communities, showing such
commendable zeal and patriotism, do
not approach this community in
wealth, resources and enlightenment.
Now, is the news to go abroad that
the capital Of the empire parish Of
the State-cultured old 0pelousas-
in backward in this respect?
Your school house here has OUT
grown it's usefulness; SO cast aside
these questions as to where the build
ing is to be located, what kind of a
building it shall be, what it shall be
built of, and other foreign questions,
and go to the polls, vote the tax, and
then come to some understanding
about the building"
Mr.. Dupre's plea for better schools
was an eloquent and earnest one, and
he was heartily applauded. His per-
Grafton, directed to the ladies, who
are always found on the right side,
was markedly effective. The ladies'
can be depended upon to vote for the
tax.
Mr.. Thompson then introduced Prof.
R. L. Hines, of the Louisiana State
University at Baton Rouge. 4 am
not a native of your State" said Prof.
Hines, in part, but | have been with
you for twenty years, connected with
your different institutions Of learning,
and I naturally feel a great interest
in the schools of the State. / first
taught at the Normal at Natchitoches.
and had the pleasure of teachingy your
State Superintendent Of Public Edu-
cation, Prof. T. q. Harris, who re-
grets very much that he could not be
with you tonight, but has sent me to
take his place, a position which / feel
| am too small to fill.
by the way, | met one Of my
g%rand-pupils in the audience a few
moments ago. She was one of Prof.
Harris pupils, and don't that make
her my grand-pupil?
Il am not prepared to say just
what the United States Government
should do in behalf of the schools Of
the country, but it is vitality interest.
ed in every boy and girl within its
boundaries, for it is upon them that
the future stability of this nation
depends. The State depends upon
these boys to be the future voters
and Office holders, and the same is
true Of the parish, the cities, and the
towns. The home expects something
of them-in fact all expect some.
thing Of these young people; Sc
for the same reason these young PEG.
pie have a right to expect something
Of them. The State has realized this,
and has been making larger and
larger appropriations each year. Nc
parent has a right to raise a child in
a community that does not measure
up to the standard of other communi-
ties, that can not put him on an equal
with the children Of other eommuni-
ties.
you built your school house about
sixteen years ago. At that time
Shreveport had no High School. New
iberia, Crowley, Jennings, Lake
Charles, Cheneyville, and many other
towns, had High Schools all conducted
in rickety buildings. But what do
you find to-day? At Jennings they
have a $4,000 school building; in
CheneyviIle they have a fine school
building, after having voted the tax
fnnr Or FIRE times ara having Il