Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-26
COMMON SCHOOLS.

COMMON SCHOOLS.
We think, under the circumstances
our Legislature acted wisely in abolish
ing the common school system for the
State II has been left with the county
coart OF each county to levy and caused
20 be collected sum Of money not to
exceed the entire State tax for the sup
mort and maintenance of system OF
common schools in their respective coun'
ties, to be equally and justly apportioned
among the school districts of the county.
Any city or corporate town within the
county may also establish system OF
common schools for that particular
city or town, and the proportion
of the School Fund in the County Treas
ury belonging to the district included in
the city or incorporated town within the
county, shall be paid by the County Trus-
tee to such officer as may be made the
custodian thereof by ordinance of said
city or town. So we have the present
system of common schools in this State
in few Words The act Of the Legisla-
ture organizing the system is quite ex-
plicit, and, il properly carried out, will
meet the present demand for education
among those who are unable to afford
at their own expense such advanta-
ges for their children In some re-
spects this mode of creating schools
is an advantage, and IN some
others it is a disadvantage. So far
as tightening our aggregate taxation,
il is fallacious. The State Legislature
has only transferred its authority for
levying taxes for common schools to the
county courts, that are fully empowered
to assess and collect the necessary tax.
1t is the relief of one pocket at the ex-
pense of the other, and the individual
taxpayer is liable after all for the main
tenance of common schools. 1t is saving
expense in the reduction of the number
of officers who must be salaried to main
tain their Importance, and does not
take from Shelby, Fayette, and
other richer counties, the taxes Of
their toiling masses to educate the indo-
lent, lazy mountaineers of East Tennes-
see, as was the case under the State sys-
tenn We are greatly in favor Of public
schools, and think they should be main
tanned by the State when it is practical
BILE, and no potent reason exists now why
the Legislature shonld not assume under
an approved system the immediate con-
troll of all common schools in the State.
The old system was defective and should
have been abolished or amended But
as things now stand there can be no
great complaint for want Of schools for
the poor children of the State; and if
there should be a lack of such, il is on
account Of the failure Of lhe county
courts to assess and raise the required
means of carrying them on. The Radi-
cal journals of the North are bringing
Mr.. Hoar's national education bill again
into view, for its consideration by the
next Congress. This is scheme Of the |
Radical party for the centralizing of
power in the hands Of the Federal Gov
eminent, by+uIerfering directly with oar
local State matters. If any State does
not adopt such a'school system as is in
accordance with the views Of New En-
gland Puritanism, then superintendent
Of schools for such States will be APP
pointed at Washington, and schools es-
tablished at the expense Of the States
failing TO provide for the education of
their children This is another gigantic
political scheme of the Radical party to
create Offices for partisan purposes, and
through such influence control the Gov
eminent. All these superintendents
will, of course, be Radicals, either
white or black, and it makes no DIFF
ference with the dominant party, as
color has long been ignored in this
country. But the worst feature of this
proposed law would be in the selection /
of set Of school books that would con
tain the rankest poison to be elected into |
the minds Of the rising generation. False
ideas Of the Constitution and the Gov
eminent would be taught, and the most
insidiops attacks made upon the South.
JEFF Davis and his gallant band Of
liberty-loving Confederates would by
such means be stigmatized as traitors,
and the name of Southern rebel be hated
by the young Of the country, who, above
all others, should keep in remembrance
the gallant deeds Of their fathers and