Cauc 185.1 1.3 1881-82 THE BEST AND CHEAPEST SCHOOL BOOKS, AN IMPORTANT QUESTION ANSWERED. Within the past few years, and especially since the present financial depression of the country, the demand has been made that the Text-Books for the use of Common Schools should be furnished at the Lowest Rates at which they can be afforded. With the advantages gained by forty years experience as Publishers and Manufacturers of School Text-Books we are able to furnish our publications at lower prices than any other similar publications are furnished The Eclectic Educational Series will be found, upon examination, to contain a greater amount of choice and useful matter, with the very best material, binding and workmanship, in proportion to the prices, than any other school-books, or any other class of books published in this country. THE ECLECTIC SERIES INCLUDES: McGuffey's New Eclectic Readers. Venable's United States History. Thalheimer's Historical Series. Brown's Physiology and Hygiene. The Examiner, or Teacher's Aid. The Eclectic Educational Series is more largely used throughout the United States than any similar Text-Books. Complete Descriptive Catalogue and Price List may be had on application to the publishers. VAN ANTWERP, BRACC & CO. Cincinnati and New York. + -THE LOUISIANA JOURNAL Vol. III. Entered at the Post Office at New Orleans, La., as Second Class Matter. NEW ORLEANS, MARCH, 1881. The Outlook. Educational matters in this State have improved during the last few weeks. Money has a wonderful power, both for alleviating present troubles and lightening future prospects-and school funds have been put in circulation to the gratification of teachers and scholars. The sum of $30,320 has been distributed to the various parishes, as the interest upon the restored school funds of the State, and this has been followed by the further apportionment of $68,750 for the free public schools, making a total of $99,070. The delay in the collection of taxes under the new constitution has rendered it impossible to aid the schools earlier in the season, and the apportionment made February 18th is for the quarter closing June 30, 1880. State Superintendent E. H. Fay, who has the interest of the schools warmly. at heart, reports an increased activity in educational movements. Schoo s are increasing in member and efficiency. Teachers of ability and experience are finding employment with less difficulty, and at more satisfactory rates of compensation. It is evident, also, that a stronger sentiment in favor of education is springing up throughout the State. The leading journals of the city and State have given unusual prominence to school matters. Public education is discussed in all its phases, and as the subject has much to gain and little to lose by fair No. I. criticism and free discussion, we may look for a favorable result from the influence of the Press. With an enumeration of about 275,000 educable children between the ages of 6 and 18 years in this State, it is evident that an apportionment of $68,750, or 25 cents to each child, will not go very far to the maintenance of a public school system. The amount distributed, on account of interest on restored school funds, is to be applied to schools, and will give material help in many of the parishes, though not uniformly so, as may be seen from the fact that the eight parishes of Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Concordia, DeSoto, Madison, St. Landry and Tensas, with an enumeration of 47,206 children, received $17,197.75 from that source, while the parish of Orleans, with 56,947 educable children, received only $35.96. What additional aid may be expected from the funds for 1880 will depend upon the collection of taxes and other sources of revenue not yet definitely settled. The State assessment being in round numbers $176 000,000, one mill tax would yield $176.000, from which deducting 20 per cent for non-collection of tax and wc have $140,800 for interest and school funds. The sums paid amount to $99,050, leaving a balance to be collected of $41,750 on the one mill tax. The collections for the interest fund of the State debt, according to a published statement of Hon. E. A. Burke, * |