The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-07-12

Of the commercial course OF STUDY
by town high schools, just as eoun-
try high schools are awakening to
the advantages offered by the agrl-
cultural course, argues well TOR the
wisdom of the board in seeking to
offer to the boys and girls OF Don
aldsonyille the same advantages or a
business education that have been
offered to boys only for quarter %
century by the st. Joseph Com
mercia1 Instit&e of this city. What
st. Joseph S II gtitute has done for her
boys, Donalds5nville high school can
do for her boys and girls. Neither
institution can take the place of the
other, and one is as necessary as the
other. Our city is big enough and
broad enough for all The school
funds of the parish must be convert
ed into brains that can act as well as
think, brains that will produce honest
and efficient citizenship.
With one of our high schools offer
ing a combined literary and business
course; one an agricultural course
together with a domestic science and
home economics course; two others
ombination of commercial, agri-
cultural and domestic science and
two of our three-teacher schools in
extreme sections of the parish offer
ing something in the way of agricul-
tural work. besides the extension
work being done in the way of corn,
pig, canning and poultry clubs, / feel
confident Ascension parish will soon
be well in the lead of parishes Offer
ing adequate facilities for the proper
training of the boys and girls Of to-
day.
Graduation Exercises.
Graduation exercises were held in
the four high schools and were Of
high order Approximately 5000 per-
sons attended the exercises of the
three New River high schools.
from the four sehools-fifteen girls
and seven boys.
Visitation Of Schools.
In order to be of the greatest SER
vice to the schools, the teachers and
communities, and in order to act in
diligently on the problems that are
constantly arising, I find it neces-
sary to visit the schools as often as
it is possible to do SO. During the
year / have visited every white
school in the parish, and most of
them have been visited two, three,
four and five times. On these visits
I have conferred with teachers, en-
couraged teachers anu pupils, COM
mended the good and pointed out
privately the defects as I saw them.
have endeavored to build up SEN
timent in favor of better school sur
roundings, more attractive buildings
and grounds, better care OF the
buildings, furniture Nand equipment,
and the planting of trees and cult
walton of school gardens.
Parish Club Work.
The corn and pig clubs and the
girls canning and poultry clubs, or
ganized since / am in office, have
come to stay and the results have
been all that could be hoped for.
The work has not only benefited the
members of these clubs, but the good
results have been felt in every COM
munity. in every section of New RiV-
er and in every home The fathers
and mothers have in many ways
been educated through the club
members, and today we find tangible
evidences of the work in many fields,
gardens and homes. Unknown three
or four years ago, and where once
plodded the slow razor back today
we find full bred and registered hogs
of the Poll and China, the Berkshire
and mainly the Duroc Jersey breed. |
We find many good breeds OF chick
ems: we find planters selecting seed
corn and cultivating scientifically; |
we find them obtaining yields of
sixty bushels of corn to the acre
where formerly they obtained twenty
five bushels; we find amy number Of |
homes better equipped and with eff
forts being made to secure more COM
fort and to beautify the surroundings;
we find a number Of home canning
outfits and families preserving all
kinds of vegetables and fruits for
their own use. Last year one club
member sold $40 worth of canned to-
matoes from her patch. I was told |
a week ago by a certain lady that she
had preserved fifteen gallons of
and so the good work
is going on and soon the results will
be seen in the greater comfort and
of our people. This is the
kind of education, coupled with an
ali abiding faith in our fellow men
and trust in God, that is destined to
make our people happy.
The exhibits and contests of the
parish clubs held at the Oak Grove
schoolhouse in the fall were great
success. A large crowd of people
gathered there from all over the New
River country and much was learned
that day. Think of fifteen exhibits
Of registered hogs Of different ages,
all fed and cared for by school boys,
according to directions given them.
Think of hogs Of few months age
weighing several hundred pounds,
one of eleven months weighing
about 440 pounds, And what about
The corn exhibits, some twenty