Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-05-10

1t is the declared intert of the Law
that the Public Schools shall be KEEP
|, open for at least five months in eacl
: year. To make sure of this, the 39tl
section was enacted, and it is TO thi
section that the earnest attention O
t not only members of our County Courts
: but of all the friends of the new sys
J tenn throughout the State, is now spec
ially called. 1t will be observed thai
when the money derived from the
} school fun 'and the taxes imposed BY
the State and the counties, shall not be
sufficient to keep up a public school
for five months in the year, in the
School Districts in the county," the
law is imperative that the County
Court shall levy an additional tax for
the purpose, or submit the PROPOSE
tion TO vote of the people; and, fur
ther, that the Court may levy tax to
prolong the schools beyond the five
months" Upon the cheerful compli-
ance with this requirement of the law,
the full success of our Public School
system largely depends. Less than five
months in each year will not suffice to
to satisfy the intent of the law, nor
afford sufficient time for profitable in
struction.
Without awaiting the results of an
experiment, it may now be satisfactori-
ly demonstrated that the money to be
derived from the State, will not be suf-
fieient, at least for this and the next
two years, to sustain good schools for
five months in all the counties. Or, at
any rate, with the most favorable re-
turns OF revenue that can reasonably
be anticipated, there will be good
reason to apprehend that the means
will prove inadequate to the pur-
pose.
1t is highly important, and certainly
much to be desired, that ample provis-
ion be made by all the counties to Sc
cure the execution and full benefit of
the law according to its intent. 1t is
not possible, at this time, with the data
in hand, to make precise calculation
of results. A satisfactory approxima-
ton, however, may bearrived at The
interest upon the school fund will
amount annually to s150,750. The
amount derived from the State poll
tax, making allowance for exemptions,
etc., will amount to about Sl50,000. So
that, from these two sources, there
will be derived, in round numbers,
about $500, 600 for distribution during
the year. The last general enumera-
ton of the youth of the State between
the ages of six and twenty, for 1859,
showed a scholastic population of no.
600. 1t is quite probable that this
enumeration was inaccurate and ex-
cessive; but making due allowance for
generalincrease and for the fact that, for |
three years, persons between the ages
of eighteen and twenty-one are to be /
admitted to the public scools, it is
reasonable and safe to assume that the |
next enumeration will approximate
400, 600, of lawful scholastic age. AL |
lowing an attendance of 80 per cent,
we will have 10000, for whom tuition
must be provided. The sums for dis
tribution, derived from from State
sources, therefore, will afford less than
two dollars per scholar per annum, or,
more accurately, upon the data assum-
suIned, Sl.S79, precisely.
To what extent this individual al
lowance will be increased by the one
mill tax upon property, to be collected
and distributed in the counties, will of
course depend upon the scholastic
population and the property assess
ments of the counties respectively.
The average may be approximated,
however, by a calculation based upon
the aggregate State assessments. The
taxable property inthis State amounted
last year, according to the Comptrol-
lersreport to S272, 600, 900. Assume now
that the expectiOns of the friends of
the new assessment law will be realized.
and that the taxable property of the
State, in the next returns, will reach
1856, 100000. Thiswould yield, through
a tax of one mill, $350,O0 which, dis
would afford $21Sa per
scholar, upon the above estimate. So
that, from all the sources, provided
by the State, the amount yielded to
each scholar will be about four dollars,
or, more accurately, A.06}, precisely. +
This calculation is believed to be in
excess of what will be realized,
but is presented as showing what will ,
be required under the most favorable
results possible In view of the diff
culties attending the organization and
of the schools, for the
first year or two especially, the expense
Of schoolhouses and other incidental
delay, one dollar per scholar per month !
may be taken as very low estimate of
the cost of the schools, and, therefore,
The funds provided cannot be relied on ,
10 sustain the schools for FIVE months
IN the year, as required by the law.
The Legislature seems to have been ,
doubtful of the sufficiency of the taxes ,
and hence the enactment Of ,
he Both section, requiring the County
Courts to complete the necessary pro- ,
visions for the accomplishment of the ,
desired end. i,
1t might with propriety be urged, .
we're it deemed necessary, that it is as !
much the duty of the courts to obey |
he law in its requirement of an addi $
ional tax, as in any other of its pro- I
Iisions. But happily, we have cheer l
ng evidences that the courts will !
lot need to feel the constraint of the !
aw, before taking such action as the
,lblic welfare demands. So short
me elapsed between the passage of
le school law and the sessions of the
4 pril courts, that but few of the coun- I
les prepared for action in April. a
Nevertheless, forteen of the counties,
through their courts, took action in q
'egard to the additional tax. In al f
most every instance the responsibility q
vas nobly met. The average result
las been to secure schools in their T
counties for six months in the year. '
N two or three of the counties the ac- /
ion was but partial, owing to the fact
hat the requirements of the law were
knowna and understood. {
There is reason for believing that these 7
.ounties will sufficiently amend their
Iction in July. 1t is to be hoped the '
beginning already made will e
,e followed up by all the remaining
counties in the State, at the July terms
# their courts. The auguries all give v
,romise of such results. Intelligence '
rom the different divisions indicates 5
he espringingup ofa widespread, earnest
ointment in favor of public schools i
lnder the new auspices, and the re- q
ords of the courts that have taken
ctioD, show that the counties of the / s
Cast, the Middle and the West are '
wing with each other for places of q
IonOr in our educational annals.
The election of County Superinten-
lents is a most important duty of the a
|ounty Courts. Thirty-four counties
lnoAoL S,,ro.,n4o..Io - A. Il | r