Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-16

ton for the fifth district. The motion
was amended so as to include Judge
Whitworth as one of the Vice Presidents,
and then carried as amended. Z, .-..t ..
The thanks of the Association were
then rendered to the railroads for half
fare, TO the hotels for reduced rates, TO
the press of Nashville for the full reports
made in the daily papers of the proceed
ings of the Association, to the Legisla-
ture for the use of the Senate Chamber
and the Legislative Hail, to the Secretary
of the Association for mis- preparation of
the minutes, ETC., and TO the porters OF
the Senate Chamber and the Legislative
Hall. s rs
Rev. Mr.. Bennett then remarked that
the Committee on elections hsd made a
mistake, and he suggested the name of
Rev. W. B. Rankin as one of the Vice
Presidents. His suggestion was made a
motion, and it was understood, without
any motion being put or objection being
made, that Mr.. Rankin would be one Of
the Vice Presidents.
The Association then adjourned till :
P. N.
The Association re-assembled at 7 P.
N. We may here state that during the
present meeting of the Association, the
names Of about sixty members have been
enrolled.
DR.. Lindsey introduced the following
RESOLUTION:
I Resolved, That this Association cor
daily and earnestly invite the teachers
and friends of education in the seyera
counties of the State to organize Associ-
ations for their respective counties, tC
advance the cause of education by inyes-
tigation and discussion.
Hon. n. A. D. Bryant then made some
extended remarks. He stated that he was
an earnest advocate of common schools,
that he had been one of the Senatorial
Committee on Education, and that the
bills before the Teachers Association haC
been carefully examined, and the prefer
snce was given by the Legislature to thu
system embodied in the present schoo
law. He thought that was good sys
TEN, and he hoped it would not be abol
ished without fair trial
Prof. B. w. McDonold followed witt
brief address, in which he favored {
good and perfected system Of common
school education.
The committee appointed to memorial
ize the Legislature then presented tn,
following report, through Prof. H
Nicholson, Chairman, which, after being
amended as given below, was adopted, a
embodying the sense of the Association
MEMORIAL TO THE LEGISLATURE.
To the Honorable General Assembly
In behalf of the Tennessee State Teach
ers' Association and the friends of educs
ton assembled in convention, the under
signed respectfully beg leave topetitior
and memorabilia your honorable body OF
the subject of the school system of Ten
nessee.
OF al the many relations in which ed
ucation is important and essential to the
welfare and prosperity of the State we
conceive your honorable body to be fully
informed, and we do not deem it needful
to say anything on these points. Also
recognizing and fully approaching The
embarrassed condition in which your hon
orsble body find the financial affairs of
the State, we desire to avoid anything
that may add to that embarrassment, BY
creating new expenses. We confne ouI
petition therefore to such points as seen
to be practicable under existing circum.
stances.
The school law passed by your honor,
able body in July last is, in a measure,
new. 1t has been tried in but few coun
ties and those who have tried seen
satisfied with it. 1t would be unjust,
therefore, to condemn it until it has
been fairly tried. We therefore ask
no material change in that law at present
We beg leave, however, to recommend
a few verbal alterations that will, it seems
to us, render that law more efficient snG
bringit in clearer inconsistency with the Con-
slitution of the State; to-wit:
L. That section 2 be amended by in
serting before Common School Fund,
in the first line, heinterest arising from
the" by striking out ''this" in the frs
line; striking out the words ''not other
wise appropriated may justify and inser
instead, 'fafter the same may be realized
in third line (which together with tn,
proceeds of the poll-tax," and strike ou
in the fifth line, sand" before "shall" il
the fifth line.
2. Amend section by adding ate
Treasury" in the last line, ''but in case 8
majority of the Justices are not in favor
of levying such school tax, the County
Court shall then order an election
to be held to ascertain the wishes o.
majority of the voters in the county
as to the levyiDg said tax.'
s. And further amend by inserting sec
tons 958 to 962 inclusive of the Code.
While it is confidently believed ths
these amendments will add much to thG
efficacy of the present law, your memo
rialists respectfully represent that two
other things are needful to render .hC
system, which that law creates, imme
diately operative and permanently useful
A State supervision of its educatiOna
interests is deemed essential in building
up of any system. Too much import
ance cannot be attached to the supervi
sion of educational interest in the cOun
ties and the State, with q view to collect
ing and disseminating accurate statistics
in reference to the existing condition Of
that interest; to suggest improvement Of
reformation; to eradicate errors and sup
ply deficiencies. Without the means OF
super yising and of collecting accurate
and aggregate information, it viii hardly
be possible to understand the practica
workings of any system, whether promo
ted by State or counties. Without thil
supervision and guardianship, will not th'
general interest in the system be chilled
and the system become dead letter OF
the statute books.
Entertaining these views, we respect
fully recommend TO your Honorable bod
the incorporation into the pres
ent system of q clause creating tn,
Office of State Superintendent, charges
with such duties and clothed with sucl
power as in your wisdom may seem best
Also q clause authorizing and requirin
either the State Superintendent, the Coun
ty Court, or Board of School Commission
ers for each county to appoint or elect
County Superintendent, who shall be III
custodian of the school moneys for th
county.
But your memorialists owe it to car
dor to recognize the fsct that there al
many persons, of large information an