Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-03-11


e. A. James, J. d. Tillman,
J. NJ. Melton, NJ. l.. Mcconnell,
James White, j. M. Coulter,
r. w. Robertson.
rgff n HoUK's SCHOOL SPEECH. il>fE
The House of Representative having I'M
der consideration the school bill, Mr.. Houk
said:
Mr.. SPEAKER-The bill under consider
alton does not meet my conception of what
q good school law should be, nor will it ac-
complish all that desire. 1t falls far be-
low the expectations of the people. Were
L in an attitude toTcriticise, should take
occasion to condemn many of its features,
and contribute whatever influence [ might
have, together with my vote, to correct and
improve its provisions. .nsgtgg tH.f
= 1t is imperfect in many respects. It does
not meet the full wants of the people. And
yet is very great improvement. on the
existing school law indeed it is SO much
better than what we now have, that pro-
pose to accept it as the very best we can do
under the circumstances. The system of
common schools which we now have, or
rather the uncommon system, relating to
public schools, which Sheen bequeathed
to the children of the State, has furnished
an inferior character of educational facili-
ties to the poor children of tt0enty-1eine
counties out of ninety,four. If the House
will bear with me, will attempt to point
out some of Disadvantages to be gained by,
and at the some time urge the reasons, why
this bill should be passed by this House
without the dotting an ''i'' or the crossing
of a "tu We now have but the fragment
of seventy days session before us, in
which to do great number of important
things. Hedged in by the iron rules of an
uncongenial Constitution, twelve or fif-
teen days, and our labors are ended. To
attempt to take up this bill, section by Sec
ton, and amend it as [ and others could
wish, will involve more time than the
friends of free education dare to consume.
If it were possible to -engraft upon it the
Individual preferences of each member of
this body, and there would be no conflict
of opinion among ourselves, nor jargon in
the parts of the bill, such a policy would
still result in defeating the enactment of
any school law at this session, for the
reason that We have not time to return the
measure and procure the concurrence of
the other House of this General Assem-
bly,.
If we amend the bill here and send it
back 20 the Senate, it will fall into the
chasm of the closing sessions of the two
Houses, as such matters often have in the
past. AS we are circumstanced and sur
rOuUueu, CueTe Is Uut Ole COuISe VI uuUy
before both the friends and enemies of free
schools Those who desire action and
school system established, will be COM
PEELED to accept this bill as the best and
only thing to be had on the subject.
Those who are opposed to action, those
who want to defeat the passage of any law
on the subject, those who are not yet
ashamed of the illiteracy of our otherwise
grand old State, will endeavor to occupy.
the time of the House in the discussion,
and, if possible, the adoption of amend
ments, so as to load down the measure,
and cause either non concurrence by the
the abyss, of the approaching adjourn-
ment.
l appeal to the friends of school sys-
tenn, to those who wish to educate the
poor to the kindlier emotions of the heart
when it pleads for action in this matter
now and not hereafter I ask the mem
bers of this House to join with me and let
us take this bill because we can get moth
ing better. l tell you, gentlemen, the
country is ripe for and expects-yea, de-
nlands, asystem of free education. :.
The people have been constantly calling
for it through petitions and memorials:
The press of the country has proclaimed
its absolute and imperative necessity. 1T
has been, aud will Continue tosbe deman-
ded by the enlightened and progressive
minds of the country, as the great civil
izing agency of modern times. The peo-
pIe-yes, the common people, as they are
called, are far ahead of the politicians, and
will, / trust, hold the unfaithfH to q fear
full accountability, liiH siqH'si 7t17 81
we, as the Representatives Of the people,
dare not go back to our constituency with
out having enacted some law masking
start in the general march of Christian
civilization.
introduced school bill which stands
as No. on the calendar of this House, and
which [ confess was quite ga petmeasure"
with me. 1t would be profoundly crafty
ing to have the pleasure of returning to
my constituents and saying to them, BE
hold! my bill has become a law-I have
secured its adoption" This, I repeat,
would pleasing to the small amount OF
vanity possess But am denied this
privilege Here / stand advocating this
6s.svgor-s as9Eaf - ~ ''''' i''-1 -