Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-06
IN SEARCH OF KNOWLEDGE UNDER
DIFFICULTIES. .H#

We are gradually getting light as
to the working of the school sys-
TEN in this State, or rather the
manner in which the law is admin
istered. Mr.. D. ?. Heath writes to
the Knoxville Whig from Russell
vile, under date of April 80, as fol-
lows: ...
"Will you permit me to drop a few
lines Of inquiry in regard to the public
school fund? / noticed telegram in
your paper, from Gen. Eaton, about the
18th ofFebruary, that the apportiOhment
for 1867 was made, yielding 81 ID per
scholar. Why is it that payment to
teachers is delayed so long? We have
had many good schools taught in this
and adjoining counties, during the past
fall and winter, and teachers are need
ing their pay. / have seen several COM
munications in the Whig, recently, in
eulogy Of the present school system, and
much good has already been accomplish
ed in teaching the young idea how to
shoot. Teachers and directors have
been faithful in doing their whole duty;
but hear great deal Of complaint, and
the people are becoming disguised with
the present system, from the fact that
they have been paying taxes for
two years for a school fund, while teach
ers have to go unpaid. AS a general
thing, the teachers are poor men and
need their pay, and certainly ought to
be paid promptly. Will you please call
attention to this through the columns Of
your valuable paper, and let the people
know why payment is delayed. 1t is
evident that there is wrong some
where. The County Superintendent,
Gas | understand,) have received no
money yet, only for the 1866 appor-
tIonment. | have heard it remarked
that it was on account of the empty
state of the Treasury that teachers do
not get their pay. But the law expressly
says the school fund shall be used for no
other purpose, whatever. Then the
school fund ought certainly to be in the
Treasury. If not, where is it? If there
is no public money for teachers they
should be advised of the fact, SO they
may know where to look for their pay"
The Whig does not vochsafe to
Mr.. Heath the information he de-
sires. Indeed it publishes Mr..
Heath's letter without q word of
comment. Mr.. Heath seems to be
ignorant of tho disposition that has
been made of the money which has
been collected for three years (not
two, as stated by him. } in the shape
of tax for the benefit of common
schools. We showed yesterday
that the taxes levied for school
purposes during the fiscal years Of
1866, 1867 and 1868, amounted to
something over 81, 100000. Nearly
all of this was, Of course, collected.
The school tax for the present
fiscal year will probably exceed
100000, and a large proportion of
it has already been collected. Mr..
Heath is very naturally DESTROYS to
learn what has become of the
money collected in the shape of
taxes for the benefit of schools,
which he insists should have been
faithfully applied to the purpose
for which it was levied and col
Iocted. But the Wig does not
deign to tell him, Why is this ?
That paper can not be ignorant
of the fact that this money,
which in law and morals belongs to
the children Of the State, has been
used to defray the current expenses
of the State government. Now why