Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-10
OUR SCHOOLS.
Prompt and Noble Action Of the Knox
- 3 - County Court. ~. ~ -
Schools for at Least Seven Months In
49, the Year.

Schools for at Least Seven Months In
From the Knoxville Press and Herald, April 9.
Upon the re-assembling of the County
Court after dinner, yesterday, Col. John
M. Fleming, State Superintendent of Pub:
lie Schools, asked the indulgence of the
court in order that he might offer few
in regard to the new school law
and the dnty of the court, in the premises.
The privilege was cheerful!y accorded.
Co. Fleming bsgan by stating he pre-
sumed every member of the court was
aware that the Legislature, at its recent
session, had enacted new general law on
the subject of common schools, and that he
had been appointed State Superintendent
under that law. Inasmuch as, for lack of
time, the law had not been generally dis
tributed and had not probably come into
the hands of all the members OF the court,
he had thought it not improper to call the
of the, court to certain features of
the law, upon which it might be necessary
for the court 10 take immediate action. He
then proceeded to explain briefly the gen.
eral nature of the new system, point
ing out the duties of the officers under 1t.
He showed that while the system was gen.
eral, in the enforcement OF the law, and
while his duties, as State Superintendent,
embraced strict and general supervision
over the operations Of all the counties,
nevertheless the real work depended upon
the County Courts in seeing that the funds
provided are sufficient, in providing capable
and efficient County Superintendents, and
also upon the people themselves of the vari-
Gus districts in seeing that trustworthy and
energetic directors are placed in charge of
the local interests.
he then discussed and explained the va
rious sources of school revenue. Prior to
the war and under our old constitution,
there was fund of Sl,500,000 dedicated
in trust forever, as fund belonging to
the children of the State. The annual
interest upon this fund, amounting to $780,
600 had been semi-annually distributed
up to Oct. l, 1861. Since that time,
owing TO the entire loss of the fund, with
which all are familiar, there has been no
distribution of revenue from that source
among the children. Our present Legisla-
ture promptly recognized the lost fund as
an unextinguished obligation Of the State,
and calculating the unpaid interest from
Oct. /, 1861. to Jan. l, 1851, 012. 800
added 1t to the principal, making in all the
sum of $2,512, 500. This sum is recog-
nized in the school law as debt due to the
common school interests of the State, and
is made perpetual fund, bearing interest
at the rate of six per cent, for semi-annual
distribution according to scholastic popula-
ton. The sum derived from this source
annually will be $50, $50.
Next, the law assesses tax of one dollar
upon each poll in the State, subject to taxa
ton. Our census returns show 264,000
voters in the State. Making due allowance
for exemptions and non-coiections, it is
safe, for the present purpose, TO assume
that $500 will cover the amount real
lied from this source. There will be de-
rived from these two sources-polls and in
terest on the school fund-the sum of $780,
600 in round numbers, annually, for gen.
eral distribution.
The scholastic population ofthe Safe, as
shown by the pretty full enumeration of
1869, amounted to 100000 between the
ages of and 20. The ages provided for by
the new law range from to Is. 1t is safe
to estimate, however, that the scholastic
population, Of the State, between the latter
ages, is AZ least 100000. The share of
each child, therefore, from the two sources
named will be just Is cents. Allowing that
the attendance will be so per cent, thus
making 100000 to be provided with teach
ers, the allowance per scholar-will be 81. %.
Col. f. then took up the statistics of Knox
county in regard to taxable property and
scholastic population, and sho Sed, accord
ing to the most favorable approximation
that could be made, that the one mill tax
upon property added to the sum derived
from interest and polls would not be suffi-
Gent to establish and continue the schools
of the county for five month. 1t would, at
least, be very doubtful. He then showed
that it is the design of the law that the
sehoo' shall be maintained for at least five
months. He read and called special atten-
ton to the following section of the school
law:
Sec. 80. Be it further enscted, When the
money derived from the school fund and
taxes imposed by the State on 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 County
Court shall levy an additional tax sufficient
for this purpose, or shall submit the propo-
sition to vote Of the people, and may levy
tax to prolong the schools beyond the five
months; said tax to be levied on all proper
ty, polls and privileges liable to taxation,
but shall not exceed the entire State tax.
This section, he said, was imperative
either that the additional tax should be lev.
led, or the question be submitted, in cast
the Court should be of opinion that the
school revenue already provided would not
maintain the school five months. He said
he could not doubt the action Of the Court
That this Court was ready to discharge its
full duty iU regard to the common
school interest had been sufficiently
shown by the levies of the last twC
years. 1t was not his province, nei the
was it his desire to dictate to the COur
in regard to its action. But as a citiz9n Of
that county, as well as an officer of the
State, he hoped to see Knox county lead OF
gloriously in sustaining our new system. II
would be not only an encouraging example
to her sister countiss of the Eastern DiVis
ion, but would stimulate the counties Of
the Middle and the West to do likewise
Inasmuch as he was trespassing upon the
time of the court, he would forbear discus
sing, at the present time, the general sub
ject of the public schools and the duty O.
the State to provide facilities for acquilin,
rudimentary education, to all her child
rem. The County Court of Knox county
had already shown itself educated on thest
points, and he doubted not would do its ful
duty. He concluded by introducing Sena
tor Richards as one of the most jealous
and efficient champions of the school law
Senator Richards, in his own felicitou
style, proceeded to address some earnest
and forcible words to the court. He ha(
labored earnestly for the passage of tn,
school law and would have made it better
ifhe could. But it is good enough to &C
complish great deal. Since hearing the
remarks of Col. Fleming, he was satisfied
that the Court ought TO levy an additions
tax so as to make sure OF the good work
He said his whole soul was in the work
He wanted all the children, poor as well a
rich, to have common school education
A tax for shoots is the best investment &
county or State can make. It not only
makes men and women better, but it make
property and every other interest more val
liable. He believed that Providence would
smile upon people that educates the chill
dren, and He could send us one good rain at
| dry time next summer that would more thai
pay the people of Knox county, the whole o.
any tax they might levy. He appealed 4
the Court to give the county capable, hard
working, go-ahead, untlring superintendent
4