Year: 1875

the 25th inst. will throw some light on this
opinion. 1t must be confessed, however,
that public sympathy with the common
schools has greatly declined in our midst of
late years. Before the war New Orleans
took great pride in her public schools, and
they were patronized by many of our most
prominent citizens. But all this has greatly
changed since their control has passed into
unworthy hands, since negroes and dis
| reputable whites have been made directors
and since persistent attempts to mix in
colored with white children have been par
TALLY successful.


Now days many prudent persons,
though not Catholics and not Influenced by
religious considerations, will not permit
their children to frequent these schools,
but prefer paying tuition for them at res
pectable institutions. Some of the Protes-
tant sects, too, are organizing or carrying
on parocbial establishments for instruction,
and the general tendency of the day is to
| abandon the public schools to such per
sons as can do no better.


| Indeed, it may be that the sy stem itself
has lost somewhat of its hold on popular
favor since its tendency to degenerate has
become manifest. 1t is clear that eventually
the fate which has overtaken it in this com
munity must be met by it everywhere in
Republics. 1t must fall into the hands of
the politicians. This is the inevitable lot
of every thing subject to government pa
tronage. 1t is bound eventually to be
drawn into the great whirlpool of political
rewards and political agencies Its director
ships will be found desirable by certain
partisans, and will not be refused to them
they will be found available as points
through which to exert political influence,
and how can we suppose that they will not
be 80 used


The experience of such dissertations is
already familiar to this community. Igno-
rant negroes are placed in the directory
merely to conciliate party harmony, and
negro teachers are appointed through the
same pure and lofty motives. Eventually
things will go further and attempts will be
made, as in Monarchical countries, to in
duence the political opinion of the pupils
and rear them in a spirit of loyalty to the
dominant party. The songs, the histories,





ers, can all be so doctored" as to make
certain intended impressions on the sus-
ceptible and confiding souls of young child
ren.


Other fearful but natural fruits of an un-
natural system will be, as they have been
with us, developed. Why do these men
cravedirectorsLips There is 40 emolument
directly connected with the Office. Have
they no personal ends in view 2 Let our
unfortunate history of recent date answer.
The viest motives have been publicly
attributed to these gentry aud immoralitics
too gross for enumeration here openly
charged. Even speculation in small way
upon the pittance received as u salary by
teacher is not hey ond the calculations of
ot-house politician who may figure as "di-
rector" Then the airs of these boobies when
we'll bred ladies and gentlemen are obliged
to solicit their support! Can any thing be
more humiliating than the dire necessity
which has forced some of the most refined
ladies in our midst to call as suppiants
upon lot of buck negroes, and conciliate
them by tone Of Difference and venerationP


Well, all this is working 1t is breeding,
not only disgust for the system as abused
among US, but a suspicion that it embodies
some serious and inherent defects. People
are not so confding now. days as to shut
their eyes to such possibilities as clearly ex-
ist in this matter they knew that what has
been done with 80 much impunity, SO openly,
40 persistently, may be done again no mat
ter what party is in power. Their whole
argument is this: Why should it not BET


And 80 it happens that the public school
system has received a blow which will
make the demonstration of Saturday even
ing less enthusiastic than it would other
wise have been. Immense efforts have
been made to manufacture public excite |
ment, and no doubt that they will be sue.
cessful, for the system still has strong
hnk