Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-04-11

teacher of a public school to every
square mile, and ar average Of
thirty three or thirty four children
to the mile. Here we have no
an average of more than ten tt
the square mile ba
These facts demonst, ate the
impossibiiity If maintaining in
every State the same system of
schuols. 1t would be just as rea.
sonshle to expect poor man tu
send his son to Heiielburg or Sa'
lananca, as to expect a poor State
or county to erect schoal houses
and maintain schools equal to the
beat in the country.
These statistics forcibly furnish
an argument. in favor of our coun.
ty system. 1t the aggregate
wealth of the whole State Is insult.
fcient to maintain schools during
eight or ten months IF the year,
then good schools ought not TO he
denied those counties in whiril
they may be kept without oner-
ous taxation. Because all Cannot
be educated, is no reason why all
should be neglected and glow VI
in ignorance. In this case. il is
better that tn, sc who have a
whole loaf should eat it and live,
than that it should lie dlvi'ied
with all and yet none saved from
starvation.
| know no reason in morals or
politics, why a c,unty barely able
to educate its own children should
be called upon to furnish schools
for others, thereby rendering its
own resources mad, quate to any
practical results
The great thing then to be &C.
c0mDlished is to secure the Oper-
alton of good and permanent
schouls 1oherere,' it can be done,
without taxa ION that vii Excl e
luminosity; and this can nnlt be
done through some such agency
as is proposed by this bill.
If | have succeeded in con,in-
cling members who oppose the
bill. because they do not approve
the county system,) that that
system is best adapted to our
wants ard the wish,s oi the INA.
jnrity OF the people, then | hope
that ] have removed their otJ C.
tions to the measure now nndei
consideration.
The other class of objections
are more unreasonable. They sp
prove the public school system.
yet they oppose everything witch
we think calculated t. make i,
more effective and permanent.
What, then, are the reasons t,r
creating the Office of Suprrinttnd
ant and a Board of Education 2
Although DO dirrct tax is levied
for school purp ses by the Legis:
lsture, small sums Gud their way
into the State Treasury. ard un.
der law of Congress lately enact.
ed, one hundred, - one hundred
aud fifty Thousand dollars will be
annually apportioned to Tennes-
see. as her part of the proceeds OF,
sale of public lands. And it is
hardly probable that another Leg
islaturc will convene here wi hnut
providing for the payment of i'll
terest on the school fund. 1t
would be wise then to hegi:. now
to secure such Information through
some authorized head nf the edu.
catiopai interests as will .nahle fu-
ture Legislatures to act wisely
and for the best interests Of the
public. Few members on the flour
of this Hall. either know or can
ascertain without going to the
United States census, the scholas-
tic population of their respective
counties, and not one. perhaps.
outside of two or three counties,
has any definite idea of the NUN
Der Of children in attendance, or
for what period they have attend.
ed in the last twelve months.
A Superintendent is needed in
order that surh information a. is
here mentioned may be presented
,n the Legislature tori its guidance,
and 10 the people for their ihStruc
tion and consideration. He is
needed AS a counsellor. to advise
and direct III the organization and
management of schouis in coun.
ties. where they are FIRST being on
galized, under inexperienced com.
mirsioners. The infuenre of a
opfactical and intelligent man woult
go far to secure the adoption OF
uniform and wholesome text hooks
he could suggest and secure mi
form rules for the government .oi
pupils and teachers. zE9
9h1 The dissemination of practica
knowledge on educational sub