Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-01-05

Colonel John NJ. Fleming, State su-
perintendent of public instruction, has
issued the following circular letter:
STATE SUPERINTENDEET's OFFICE
NASHVILLE, TENN, December 30, 1873. !
To the Chairman and Members Of the County
Courts of Tennessee:
In June last, took the liberty of ad
dressing a circular letter to the county
courts of Tennessee, with a view of call
ing special attention, at the July ses-
sions, to certain provisions of the public
school law which seemed to require
action at the hands of the courts. Al
though, as stated in that communica-
ton, it is no part of the duty of the State
superintendent to offer suggestions to
the county courts regarding their pow
ers or duties, the respectful attention
then given TO that communication in
duces me again, as State superintend-
ent, to invoke timely consideration by
your honorable bodies Of the present
condition and pressing demands of the
public school Interests in your respect
i've counties. Last July your special at
tention was called to sections thirty-nine
and forty Of the school law, which are
as follows:
SEC. 80. Be It further enacted, That
when the money derived from the school
fund and taxes imposed by the State on
the counties shall not be sufficient to
keep up 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 proposition to vote
of the people, and may levy a tax to
prolong the schools beyond the five
months; said tax to be levied on ali
property, polls and privileges liable to
taxation, but shall not exceed the entire
State tax.
SEC. 40. Be 1t further enacted, That
taxes so levied by the county shall be
collected in the same manner as other
county taxes, and shall be paid over to
the county trustee, for distribution
among the school districts of the county,
according to their scholastic population.
1t was then shown to your honorable
bodies, that the school revenue that
might be reasonably expected TO accrue
from the State levies for school pur-
poses, would not be sufficient in any Of
the counties of the State ''to keep up
public schools for five months in the
year" Accepting this calculation and
assurance, a majority Of the county
Vi blt OOdlb pAOCCCuOu W
action, without awaiting the result of
an experiment in regard TO the suffi-
cheney of the fund. Most of the courts
levied, for 1873, what they believed to
be a sufficient additional county tax to
accomplish the desired end. Some Of
the courts, however, were mistaken in
their estimates, and did not levy suffi-
cient additional tax.
Efnna Ttrlry ho hod
ence in the organization and operation
OF our school system, upon which we
may with reasonable safety base our cal
culations for the future. The scholastic
population Of the State has been enum-
Grated, and the school system has been
organized in every county in the State.
Without now going into details, it may
be said that enough has been practically
ascertained regarding thepublic require
ments to warrant the statemea3 that
the funds to be raisad under the State
levies for school purposes cannot be re-
lied on to sustain the schools in any
county for a longer period than three
months, and in many counties not SO
long. So that 1t becomes a matter OF
necessity that the county courts shall
supplement the State tax by an addi-
tional levy, as provided for in section
thirty-nine above quoted, in order to
meet the reasonable educational de-
mands of the children Of the several
counties.
While 1t is true that the funds provid.
ed for by the State levies will not be suf-
ficient for more than three months
schools, it was not the intention of the
legislature to establish a system of pub
lie education upon so narrow basis. On
the contrary, it was designed by the
legislature that the schools should be
maintained and kept open for at least
five months in the year, but it was left
to the county courts to supply the def
cheney of school revenue by the assess
ment of such additional taxes as might
be requisite for the purpose in the sew
eral counties. Inasmuch as each county
ia left in possession of all the school
revenue collected within its limits-With
the exception of the State poll
tax-it was considered most equita-
bic and practicable, for the
time being, that each county should
supply its own deficiency, without re-
sponsibility for the default of any other
county, The additional rate of county
taxation required to secure five months
schools, must, Of course, vary according
to the differing relations Of scholastic
population and taxable property III the
several counties. Thus, while an addi-
tional mill upon property and one dollar
upon polls, with a reasonable per cent.
upon privileges, will, in many counties,
suffice to secure five months schools, in
many others this additional rate will
hardly be sufficient. Having given the
amount OF taxable property in the
county, and the number of children to
be supplied with tuition, an easy caieu-
lation will readily show the additional
/ taxation required in each county.
A misapprehension seems to have
prevailed 10 many localities regarding
the amount OF school revenue to be real
lied during the year 1873. 1t has been
expected by many that the full amount
Of school revenue provided annually by
the school law would be realized for the
calendar year 1873, and failure in thit
respect has been incOnsiderately as.
sumed as a failure on the part Of the
law to accomplish itspurposes. Such is