Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-07-19
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Gas
Address by the County Superinten.
dent. ~ az

TO the People Of Montgomery county !;
Your Superintendent, feeling the i'm
portance of judicious selection of
District Directors at the approaching
election in August, and desiring to inn
press upon your minds the necessity
In this vital feature IN our infant sys-
TEN, to have prompt action ON the part
of every district IN the county, takes
this method of addressing you. You
are required by law to elect, on the
first Thursday in August, three Direc-
tors in each District, said Directors, to
meet within thirty days after their cleo
ton, and appoint one of their number
Chairman and another Clerk and Treas
urer. While it is evident that the
best men in the District should be Sc
leeted for Directors, it is of the utmost
importance that at least one of that
body should be a man of energetic
business habits, man thoroughly i'm,
bued with the Importance of prompt
and decisive action in the discharge of
duty, and withal a man who feels
deep interest in the success of the
schools, mean the Director, who fills
the important position of Clerk, Treas
urer and Secretary of District meetings.
With him rests the duty of taking the
census annually, of keeping an accu-
rate record of all the proceedings of
the Board of Directors and Of receiv-
ing and disbursipg all monies belong
ing to his District, very responsible
trust, certainly, for which the law pro-
vides per diem compensation.
The office of School Director is one
of honor, as well as exertion, and no
fastidious feeling of unrequited SER
vice or fear of unmerited reprOach for
seeming neglect of duty should deter
good men from. accepting the trnst.
Remember that it is "a service you owe
to society to do all in your power by
your industry, enterprise and talent to
elevate the standard of education in
your midst, that by contributing to 4
the increase Educational facilities,
you contribute to the increase of your
own means and enjoyment, that in aid
ing to secure universal education, you
become public benefactor, realizing
to yourself and your posterity the
benefits of an improved and elevated
society, and increased valuation of
property, more dignifed citizenship,
and purer and more comprehensive
system of religion and morals. gl 4
Let us then cast to the four winds |
all sentiments of hopes disappointed, of |
baf1ed aims in the past, and of inert,
apathetic distrust of the future and |
unite in one honest, earnest, energetic |
effort, and the result of our labors will |
soon exceed your most sanguine hopes. |
Your Superintendent gives you this
earnest of his zealin the noble work
of inaugurating your schools, that he
Is willing to give an earnest persistent
application of his whole time and abil-
tiles to the glorious effort to place q
good education within the reach of the |
present and future generations Then
let all minor considerations of distrust
be forgotten while great common in
terest swallows us up. Manifest your
zeal in this work, by placing in nomi-
nation onsthe day of election the most
suitable men in your district; go to
work industriously and have them
elected and when elected impress on
their minds that they have no rig ht to
refuse to serve, where great common
interest demands their services. Re-
move all erroneous impressions left on
their minds by croakers and would be
savants. All enterprises have such
to contend with. Let no man
be elected, who by Incidence or neg
lect is incapable of attending to his
own business, or who wrapped in his
own selfish aims and purposes, can see
beyond self interest, but select
the men whose fear of God and rever-
ence for His laws, will make them con-
instruments in developing
our system and whose superior energies
and abilities may be promptly brought
to bear in giving the desired impetus
to the system.
Your Superintendent earnestly de-
sires the sincere appreciation and sup
port of all good men in building up
the system in our county. But he can
not build without suitable material
and implements. The material, it is
true, is abundant, but it is yet in the
green tree. Ifyou will aid him by pla-
cling it ready moulded to his hand,
he will endeavor to build beautiful
structure, which will be wonder and
admiration to our sister counties and
source Of pride and pleasure to your
selves. Very respectfully,
n. L. WHITFIELD,
County Superintendent.
July 10Th, 1873.