Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-02
EDUCATIONAL.
Csl. Fleming Addresses the county
Courts of Tennessee

I VI AC4nCSStts
Col. Fleming, State Superintendent Of
Public Instruction, has addressed circular
letter To the yarious County Courts of III,
Stste, with refereqce TO school matters. He
calls special s;teEtiOh TO a couple Of sec
mons Of the school law, which provides for
raising additional school funds, where the
Regular iitfiG y not sufficient, and SAYS thai
sud fund has net been found sufficient
! We quote:
%. was designed by the Legislature that
The schools shOti,d bs maintained and KEEP,
open for at least five months in the year
but u was left to the County Courts to
supply the deficiency Of school revenue by
tie assessment ofsuch additional taxes as
might be requisite for the purpose in the
several counties. Inasmuch as each county
is left in possession Of all the school reve-
nUe collected within its limits-with the
exception OF the State poll tax-it was con
sldered most equitable ami practicable. foI
the time being, that eaci, county should
supply lis Own deficiency, without respOn-
si6ility for the default Of any other county.
| The additional rate Of county taxation re-
| Guired to secure five months schools, must,
OF course, vary according 20 the, differing
| relations of scholastic population and tax
| abiB property in tie several counties.
! Thus, Willie EIt additional mill upon
property and one dollar upon polls, with a
reasonable per cent upon privileges, will, III
many counties. suffice 10 secure five
months schools, in f1sny others this addi-
tiOnal rate will hardly be sufficient.
'.lt has been exposed by many that the
fuli amount Of school revenue provided for
annually By the school law W0J.ld be re-
allied iOr the calendar year 1873, and a
failure IN this respect iIss been incOnsider-
ately assumed rs a failure on the part OF
the law 20 accomplish its purposes. Such
IS, by no means, the fact. lt is known,
especially 20 the members of the County
Courts, that the tax books are not required
by law to 81 into the hands OF collectors
before the first Monday la October, and that
iii fact, in many Of the counties, the books
Tor the taxes Of 1875 did not reach the col
lector's hands until November, 80 that it
has been impossible that more than rela-
lively small portion Of tie school taxes fCr
1873 could 81 realized during 1873. The
only considerable portion Of sclpol revenue
expected 70 be realized during 1873 was The
first semi-annual iIi>tallment of interest
upon tie permanent fund That was APP
POrtiOned on the ms. Monday in October.
and has been distributed amOIlg ths coun-
ties according to their scholastic rights.
The next appoTtioIment viii take place on
the frs Monday in April next, and will
embrace the s1c0Hd iusLallment OF interest
and the State poll faxes that may have
been collected and retIr1Ied To the
Treasury. The greater portion Of
taxes assessed for 1873 will, in fact, be
realized during the year 1874, and this rule
will prevail in regard to succeeding years.
By tie terms of the school law, the schO-
lsstic year il Tennessee begins the IS Of
September. closing with the 3lst Of August
Of each year. SO th5t the first scholastic
year under the new system viii not close
until the jlst Of next August. Il will be
seen, Therefore, that practically the school
taxes levied I'm 1873 lSCT- for the support
Of schools during the scholastic wear. from
the Isl Of september. 1873. to the 3Ist of
August, 1874, and by the same reason, that
the school taxes levied for 1874 will be
practically for the support OF schools during
the scholastic year beginning Isl 81 Sep
TENDER, 1871, and ending 3lst Of August,
lSIJ. This, it Is meant, will be the gene
raj practical result, owing to the near Cor
rcspoadence Of cur revenue collections with
the limits OF the scholastic year. These
facts are thus presented with a view, first,
of correcting any miS8pprehensioa that
may have prevailed. and, secondly, 10 iudi-
cafe the importance Of making early pro
vision. by.additiOaal rates OF county taxa
ton, for the continuance Of the schools for
the next ensuing scholastic year.
Most Ct the County Courts OF the State
have already manifested cheerful dispO-
siiiOn 70 meet the requirements Of the law
aud all, it Is Jbalieyed, have listened re-
specially 10 such suggestions rs have been
made touching the demands of the public
school interests. Our school system i now
bat fairly organized. It's legitimate fruits
are HUt yeJ seen. The needed supplies for
It's support have not yej been realized.
With proper attention and support, on the
part Of the County Courts, it IS believed
he system may be. in a comparatively short
lime, 50 perfected shat satisfactory prOyiS-
ION viii be secured for the elementary in
'truciion Of ali the children OF the State. IL
IS the chief purpose Of this communication,
~ a respectful presentation of facts, 10 az
-eSt tine attention Of the County Courts and |
invoke such action rs viii prosper the |
pUnties.
I'm this connection, II is hoped another
VIII be parjonei. The County |
Courts have jurisdiction Of the County |
,IperintendeUts. They elect and retain 4
,- diSplace Superintendent. and provide
0r their compensation. In MANY Of the
UuHtieS. It is feared the compensation al
owed is not sufficient TO retain competent
ne1 in office. Tie Importance Of having
competent, active County Superintend-
NJ can hardly be over estimated. With
Ut such an officer, the best efforts of all
he other officers Of the system will fail to
eCure a good system Of schools in the
omiy. and a man fitted for the sltisfactO-
= discharge of the duties Of the office, can
81 be expected to make UncCmDensated |
2crifice of his time, talents and labor for
he public good. II is hoped. therefore,
nat the idea that the Office Of County Su-
Is one that anybody can fill
nj I'll at his leisure, VIII not anywhere |
revail. but that at leaS, sufficient compen-
,tion viii be allowed. in every county, to
scuTe the close attention of a competent |
aTs0n TO the many duties of County SUI
To he report is appended the address
repaired by MeSSTS Neil :. Brown, W. p.
ones. and JnO. FrizZell, a committee ap-
Dnted by the State Teachers Association, |
its last session in this city, 10 call the
tentiOn Of or County Courts to the i'm
}Ttauce Of properly sustaining the pgblic /
hO0l system so auspiciOUsly inaucurated
this State.
ONE OF TOM CORwES'S JOKES