Year: 1859

effects of the hue and cry Of 'rctrcnc}'
mcnt and reform which was raised in
1862, nor will it find relief until we re-
turn to the system as it then existed
which, together with such amendments
and notifications as are obviously nee
essary, will place our public schools on
q footing which will compare favorably


with any in the United States or i'll En'
rope Such indeed may now be said OF


New Orleans, the city of Jefferson, and
q few other localities, which form noble


exceptions to the general rule.


The necessity of rc-establishing the


office of Parish Superintendent has been


from time to time adverted to by my


predecessors, and desire again to call


the attention of your Honorable body to


the necessity Of such an officer. If my


memory is not at fault, the chief reason


urged i'll 1852 for abolishing the office,


was that it cntailed an unnecessary cx.


pense upon the tax payer. The Parish


Superintendcnt's salary was $500 per


year; he was required to examine can


didates for teaching, to visit each Pub


lie school in the parish at least once in


every three months, and examine the
journal or record kept by the teacher,
and to inquire into all other matters
which were deemed by him important
touching the situation, discipline, mode
of teaching and improvement thereof :;
he was required to keep a journal Of all
such examinations and of his obscrva-
tions thereon; to fill all vacancies that
might occur in the Board Of School Di-
rcctors; he was also treasurer of the
school fund, and he was also directly
under the control of the State Superin-
tcndcnt so far as the administration of
the schools were concerned. When the
office was abolished the Parish Treasu-
rcr was made the depository of the school
fund, but not required to perform all of
the duties which dcvolved upon the
Parish Superintendent. The Police Ju-
ries of the several parishes were vested
with authority to fix the salary of the
Parish Treasurer at sum not exceeding
two hundred dollars, (but one hundred
dollars less than was received by the
Parish Superintendent!O and SO far as |
have been-alle to gain information on
the subject, they have almost invariably
fixed it at two hundred dollars, thereby
saving the sum of four thousand eight
hundred dollars per annum by the
change in this particular, but on the
other hand losing probably $4,000 by
the employment of incompetent teach
ers.


It is true that the Police Jurics Of the
several parishes are authorized to pre-
scribe the mode by which the qualifica-
tion of teachers in the district schools
shall be asccrtained, but this section of
the law has remained dead letter upon
the statute book with few exceptions.
have, however, during the past year
called the attention of the Police Jury of
eacl, parish specially to this section Of
The law, and urged upon them the neces-
sity of adopting some system Of exam
ming in accordance with the spirit of the
law; in many instances they have i'm
complied with my request,
and forwarded to my Office q copy Of
their proceedings in the premises. !
would respectfully suggest the propricty
of repeating the 10th section of the school
aw, and Of adopting such measures as
are necessary, in order to secure the SER
vices of competent teachers, for where
qualification to teach is not made con-
1ition precedent to the employment of
teacher, many persons have been and
will continue to be employed as teach
FRS, who are totally unqualified either
morally or intellectually to have commit
led to their care the moulding Of immor-
tai minds; and instead of assisting to
elevate and perfect the system as it now
exists, will degrade and bring it into
greater disrcputc. We have laws re-
auirins evidence of proficiency on the