Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-11-01
FREE SCHOOLS.

seems to be a pressure on the part of
some interested in the free schools. to
demand their being started at once,
and as | am fully satisfied that those
parties do not understand the condi-
| ton of the funds which are or will be
placed at our disposal for the purpose
of carrying on the schools, l deem it
my duty to accept the offered use of
your columns, so kindly and generously
extended me for official publications,
for placing this matter, with the rea-
sons for deferring the starting of the
schools to the first Monday in January,
or later if necessary, clearly before the
public.
We have, for the support of the
schools when inaugurated, the funds to
be derived from the following sources,
with the time Of their probable pay
ment into the county treasury, to-wit:
The interest on the Permanent Fund,
amounting to $2,735.54, one-half of
which Isl .367.77) will be paid soon in
the form of aState warrant. The bal
ance to be paid on the first Monday in
April next, l presume, in the same
COIN. No part of the State poll tax,
amounting to about $1,000 annually,
will be included in the semi-annual
apportionment for October from the
State. A note of inquiry addressed to
the State Treasurer by the State Su-
perintendent. to ascertain whether any
fund existed arising from the sales of
land held by the State on bids at tax
sales, elected the fact that by the time
it filtered through the meshes of the
law, nothing was left except said taxes
and costs and consequently no fund de-
rivable from that source. The semi
annual interest on the Permanent
Fund, paid by the Comptroller in the
form of State warrant. is all the fund
we may safely expect from the State.
In addition to this, we have a State
property tax of 10 cts, which will
approximate 5000; a county poll tax,
$4,000; county property tax of +
mill. 81, go; a tax on privileges, $780,
These funds, amounting in round
numbers to 81 900, will be paid in cur
rency, unless the revenue collectors are
required to receive past due school
warrants in payment for the taxes of
1873. Should this be the case, which
we think would be manifestly wrong,
since the two systems are distinct and
since no provision has been made by
the Legislature or County Court for
their payment, and since, in many in
stances, they were issued in excess of
the fund actually due the districts from
which they were issued, it would be
grossly wrong TO require the present
system to receive this paper of fcti-
tious value in payment for taxes. The
Legislature will surely make provis-
ion at its next session for the payment
of this Indebtedness, or requife the par
ties who contracted it to assume it
In either case, it should be kept sepa-
rate and distinct from the fund pro-
vided for sustaining the present system;
for to inoculate any portion of the past
system with the present would serious
ly cripple the efforts of its friends to
establish healthful system of free
schools In the county. 1t is to be
hoped that under the existing law for
the collection of taxes there will be
less delay and trouble than heretofore,
and that the collectors will be able to
pay into the treasury the full amount
of taxes due from all county sources
before the close of the schools. But
if this should not be the case, would
it not seriously be grossly unjust to re-
quire the teachers in the county to give
up lucrative subscription schools, and |
accept in lieu of them positions in free |
schools at salaries based on paper of
uncertain tenure? The patient, earn
est devoted teachers deserve, above all |
other classes of society, the most unan-
imOus sympathy and protection. Yet |
they are more persistently prosecuted /
and worse paid than all others. The
good accomplished through their faith
full, untiring labors is never justly ap-
preciated or rightly rewarded. Yet |
they accomplish more, ard are entitled
to more respect, honor and reward
than any other class of society. The
greatest man in any sphere of action is
he who has accomplished most, and not
he who has exhibited the most brilliant
scintillations Of genius.
A system of free schools that re-
wards its teachers in deprecated coun-
ty or State warrants is worse than no
system at all.
We hope that the County Court. at
its quarterly term, will authorize the
County Trustee to cash the State war
rants issued by the Comptroller in pay
ment of the interest on the State fund,
and let the teachers receive their pay
in currency. District Directors will
thus be able to make contracts with
teachers on a cheaper, surer and more
Ineligible basis, and teachers war
rants will enter the market at par.
| deem it my duty to protect the
teachers in the county from any OPP
preston arising from hasty action on
the part of officials in starting the
schools before funds have accumulated
sufficient to pay them for their labors,
thereby avoidingth the breakers on which
other systems have wrecked-depreci-
alton.
Very Respectfully, /
y. l.. WHITFIELD. Co. Sup't.
TARSUS GRANGE.