St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-07-26

lust reason to be proud, Will De
deprived of it's state support and
! eliminated from the list OF ap-
proved agricultural schools. Our
Domestic Science Department,
inaugurated last session at Eu-
nice will meet the same fate and
we will not only lose our status
in the state as being a progress,
i've school parish, but we VIII
experience the chagrin, the
modification and humiliation OF
having been once proud OF what
we had and which we hoped to
build up higher, and will be left
to look sadly and mournfully
over the ruins and the wreck OF
what might nave been, It we
had had only the manhood, the
civic pride and the zeal IN the
establishment of our chjldren's
welfare as incentives to make US
work for the accomplishment OF
better things. But | believe |
know the people of this parish,
and / think that they stand
ready to respond to the call OF
duty. and when the question is
fairly presented to them, that
they will respond in an en-
phatic way to place in permanent
operation a system that will re-
dound to the everlasting better
ment of it's educational and So
cial conditions. But if by chance
this opportunity should go by
default and the day be lost to
those who look forward to i'm
proved conditions and better
things, | can with prophetic eye
scan the situation and see that
in less than twelve months after
the destruction of our school sys-
TEN, there will go forth a cIamor
from the people demanding OF
this same authority a re-suDmls-
sion OF the question of voting
this insignificant tax. But why
destroy the structure already ex-
isting 10 build up one, which will
be no better than the one already
IN existence and in %contempla-
tl3n? 70 tear down a structure
simply for the purpose Of re-
Ill cling it with another similar
III all respects, and no better, is
al expensive luxury, which en-
tails a loss of material and time,
uLa records against the people
Equity of such conduct the error
Daa Judgment. 1t might not
a1niss in the consideration of
tn question to look away from
none and see what other people
hive aone and are doing fol Ghe
promotion OF their educational
v-it@Ie. Ii we will take the
fra1Lse 10 .ook into the stat Tics
Hpiied On this questila. we
al a gisfice see what Louis
al is doing and what he. status
n tl4t syect with reference
. h5l aas, On the subjects
u lii ea1s and school efficiency
VIII Gaa that our state, while
: is making remarkable prog,
4ea the bottom o. the
i. & early al Of the South.
. Sues are closely allie te
i ii his respect. Tnirly iiVs
tdts& coasi9Gng Of the North,
ele VI ST ,l1 the Middle West
4@W IN illlteracy in its native
White population OF less tlasl o.
VI. cent. That is to sly thai
les than one white native ous Of
100 can read and writ. Ir
4 group Ut Southern States, IN
Guiding louisiana, andem raela2
New mexico the illiteracy amo4g
Tie native white popui1uor
reaches fifteen per cent. f
>uucatien4l efficiency Louisiana
sands 39th in the galaxy of TAX
lt4tes OF this great Union In
bulletin ISSUED by the R..asel
sage Foundation, showing sne
sgiatlve amounts spent by eaci
state Tor 4s>sn child of school axe,
Louisiana stands 38th on the isl
and expenas $500 per calld,
Wnlle the amounts spenG ~
otner than southern States rur
rom $332.O 90 III Washington dow
70 $ll.0O in Delaware. Ever
! new states of Arizona, o. 81
aaiaa and New Mexico 4 eat
slure money per capita To- t!lt
elacatlon OF their childreD .ia1
IS L1alsi ia. Arizona spenl
lIg $2I.00 or three TINES &.
much, Oklahoma 10. 90 Or near
ly twice a. much ana Nep
exico $500 or $1.00 more l.141
Louisiana. The only taGe:
spending Il are the Soutaarr
Estates OF Virginia, ArkaL-as
Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi
Alabama, North and Souti
Carolina. Now, don't you Nllnl
it is time to stop repining INK
grumbling and get busy, bring
ing cur energies and ed~ucatona
activities into play, and array
ourselves il the ranks of the Or "
ress that mark the line OF maref
Il !. IL u 81 a. ~ - #.r%&# 80 ~