Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-16
STATE TEACHERS ASSeGEA-
TION.
Second Days Proceedings.
Addresses of Judge WhLtwOrth.
Judge Watson and others
tions, Reports of Committees,
Election of Officers, etc., etc.


Judge Watson and others -EResOlu-
tions, Reports of Commuters,
Election of Officers, etc., etc.
stDff-t
The Association was called to order yes
terday by the President at half-past ten
o'clock, and the exercises were opened with
prayer by Rev. F. A. Mason.
Gov. Brown then read the programme
for the,second days proceedings, and stated
that the first business in order was the
ADDRESS OF JUDGE wHITwoRTH.
The Judge stated that he was not pres
cut with any prepared speech. AS it was
thought best that certain programme
should be followed, the duty had been as
signed him of opening the days discus
sion. A wide range of discussion had
been allowed in regard to system of
common school education, and some
speeches had been made which in
point of eloquence and oratory
would do credit to any deliberate body.
The Judge then stated that in the remarks
he should have to offer, he should uphold,
as best he could, the system of common
school education now In existence in the
State of Tennessee, and this system he
thought the best that could be had at pres
emf. In schools, and in religion, he had
no politics. Political parties were only
useful so long as they subserved certain
purposes. The Legislature that met IN
1866 repealed the previous law in reference
to common school education, and passed
another law in 81 and '6S, and still an
other in 80 and 20. The Eaton system
was repealed, and some of the provisions
of the Code were reinstated The first
law repealed the Eaton law. The Judge
then stated that under the CID system tax
was levied, but the Legislature changed
the tax on privileges. The Judge said that
he proposed to refer to the law of July,
1870 Then came the law about which
there had been SO much discussion. The
law of July, 1870, simply combined all the
laws passed up to that time, with such adj
ditions as were thought necessary. The
opponents of that law claimed that 1t did
not provide a State system of education.
He thought that no man OF intel
ligence would say that there had been no
State system of education. If there had
been any repeal of the State system of edu-
cation, without being followed by a law
re-enacting the State system, he desired
that the proof of such statement should
be furnished to the Association.
The Judge then read some of the pro
visions of the law of July, 1870, and stated
that there were in the State of Tennessee
more than 100000 people subject to a
State tax. If they paid 80 cents each,
that would make fund Of $4,000. Gen.
tlemen had addressed the Association,
stating that there was no State system Of
education, and no State money. Now, II
this law of July, 1870, was not State sys-
tenn, what was il That law directed an
apportionment to DO made among the sew
eral counties. The old system contained
the same provisions as the present law.
Then if We ever had State system, hadn
we that sane system now!
The Judge stated that he had no obJec-
ton to State Superintendent Of Educa-
ton, but the State had the control of tina!
matter.
1t had been remarked in this Association
that the county system Of Education was
different from the State system.
If the Legislature should conclude here
after that they could give certain amount
of money for school purposes, that money
would mingle with the county fund. The
| proposition had been made before the
Association that if it was right to tax .
county for railroad purposes, it was also
right to levy a tax for school purposes.
| The argument made before the Associa-
| ton by the opponents Of the present sys-
| tenn was, if you cannot build school
house in O7erton you cannot build one in
| Davidson. Al for himself the Judge
thought that Tennessee was doing as much
as any people on the face of the earth
| could be expected to do. In this county
there was working corps of 124 and over.
| We could beat the city of Richmond, to
| whose schools reference had been made
yesterday.
| DR.. Sears-Pleas state how long public
schools have been open in Nashville,
| Judge W. replied, about twenty years.
DR.. Sears remarked that he had sad
yes erday that in Richmond there had
been raised $4,000 the first year and
$40, 900 the second year for school pur-
poses, thus showing that considerable
| progress had been made.
Judge W. remarked that he wished to
| enter into no controversy. If the present
system of school education was not the
best that could be had, he was in favor OF
a better if it could be obtained. Poverty
had been pleaded in regard to this matter,
but he undertook to say that Mr.. Eaton
put down the cost of school teachers al
a sum which he Judge W. } would be vii.
ling to pay to good teacher in Tennessee.
In Massachusetts a male teacher received
$50 month and female teacher $26. A.
In Ohio, the land from which DR.. Elliott
came, land rich in everything, the male
teacher received the enormous sum OF $3S
and female teacher $23. In Indiana
$50 was paid for a male teacher and so
on. If in Tennessee we could
run our schools in that way, the Judge
stated he would be willing to do it, and hC
thought the State would furnish the
money. In those States the average time
of duration of public schools was about
seven months.
To ask the State now, in its crippled
condition, to contribute to the schoo
fund, was sheer folly. One objection tc
the old system was that men who taught
schools then were now crying for their
money. The Judge stated that he him
self was in favor of district system
but it had been stated that the present
county school system was one of frauC
and robbery.
DR.. Elliott-A system that permits rob
berry. Iwould like Judge Whitworth t
plumb his remarks to that.
Judge W. stated that he would take the
| Doctors explanation, though he did no
so remember his language as used the
| night previous. He would admit that
many defects might be found in the pre-.
sent system, and go there might be fount
defects in any system which even the
best man might draw up. The
Judge then read from the act Of
July, 1870, and explained the
provisions of said law. 1t was urged
against the present system that it had no
power to erect a common school house
but that was not a fundamental Obiec
ton. Under the law, it was to be under
stood that schOolhouse was necessary
and if school-masters could not under
stand that, it only proved that they ha(
not studied law. The Judge remarked
that he would be willing to have the de
fects in the present system remedied, anC
he would say to the Legislature tina
if they thought Superintendent would
bring the present common school system
out of chaos, he would be willing tina
such Superintendent should be appoint
cd. 1t had been objected that no provis
ion has been made in the present law fo
a report of operations. The Judge re
marked that Whenever fund was proVi
ded, report would be made. A repor
was required to be made in detail to tn,
County Court the foundation of tn,
whole system.
The Judge continued: There is NJ
proposition before this Association t.
substitute any school system instead O.
the present system. The present system
has been adopted after mature delibera
ton But the charge has been mad
that fraud has crept into this system.
DR.. Elliott stated that he desired tina
no personalities should be introduced.