Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-03-26

The following is a synopsis of the
school law recently enacted by the Ten
nessee Legislature:
Itprovides for State Superintendent,
County Superintendents, and District
School Directors. The State Superin-
tendent is to be nominated by the Gov
ernor and confirmed by the Senate, and
is TO hold for two years, devoting all his
time to the State school, with an Office
at the capital; make tours OF inspection,
collect and disseminate all information
relative to public schools, and to require
of County Superintendents, detailed re-
ports, annually, and as much oftener as
he may deem proper; and he may re-
uuire special reports at any time of any
officer connected with the school system.
He is further required to report anRu-
ally the scholastic population OF each
county, also an account OF receipts and
disbursements and miuute particulars
tabularly set forth, showing average at
tendance, etc. Persons between the
ages of eighteen and twenty.one are to
be allowed public school privileges for
the term of three years after the organi-
cation under this act.
The County Superintendent is to be
elected by the County Court at its April
or July term, 1873, and after 1874 he
shall be elected bienniafly in January,
and no member of the County Court
shall be eligible to said office. He must
be literary, well instructed, must visit
the schools, must be posted in the merits
of text books, and observe such direc-
tons and regulations as the State Su-
perintendent of Schools may from time
to time prescribe, to make special re-
norts 20 that officer whenever required.
His duties are well and exhaustiYely de-
fined.
There shall be three DIRECTORS for each
school district; one to be elected Tor one
wear, one for two years, and one for
three years; and after the expiration OF
heir first term of Office, their successors
sbo u be elected for three years. They
q re n visit schools Of their district from
time TO tine, direct the management OF
the schools, keep separate and apart
scbools for white and colored children,
use the school fund apportioned to their
district, and take care OF and control
the school property ct their district
They are to have clerk and treasurer
elected by themselves. The school dis
tricts are to remain as they STe now.
All penaIties for failure to do duties sse
to 20 to the school fund; prosecutions
to be conducted by the District Attorney.
Written contracts, at hKed rates, per
month, are to be made with all teachers
Teachers may suspend pupils Tor sugir
cient cause to be finally settled by the
Directors. The schools gre toObe free to
all between six and eighteeH years, re-
siding within the district.
Orthography, reading, writing, arlth'
metic, grammar, geography, elementary
geology of Tennessee and history OF the
United States, are to be taught. vocal
music msy be taught. Additional sts9les
NAV be taNgbt by special regulations
" upon the payment of such rates OF tut
tion as may be prescribed, the funds de-
rived from this source to go into. the
school fund for the support Of the respec-
tive schools in the district IN which 1t
may be collected. -,
The permanent sekool fund shall be
the 81. 500, 600 declared by section 949 OF
the Code. to which is to be added the
accrued interest making the entire per
manent school fund S25l2,500. The
principal of said fund shall always re-
main unimpaired and entire, and the
annual income of interest, paid semi.
annually at six per cent, is to be devoted
to public schools exclusively. There is
10 be a poll-tax of one dollar to be so
degoted, and tax of one mill on the
dsllar q ell taxable property for the
same purpose,
all moneys in the treasury 81 the state
Cor the annual support Of her seLipls,
on the first Mondays in October and
April Of every year, shall be apportionedi
bv the Comptroller aEnOng the several
according to their scholastic
He shall give immediate
notice Of such spportionment 70 the
County Trustee of each county, and shall
give notice, in some newspaper 81 the
seat Of government, of the amount ap-
portioned to each county.
None Of the provisions Of this act are
TO interfere in anywise with schools or
scheol systems already established IN
cities ard incorporated towns.
The act is 20 lake effect from and alter
its passage.