Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-23
OUR FREE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

Two years OF the system OF free
schools, under the law Of 1873, have
passed, and the question of success or
failure, in the aggregate, can only be
known by full and candid report of
the State Superintendent of Public In
struction to the Legislature.
The impression prevails that the
school law, if not repealed by the Leg
islature, will be the subject of much
alteration and amendment, and in
some instances may properly be so; but
the danger to be feared is, that too
much tampering may deprive it of some
of the main features by which it has
met with such favor and success.
There should be no question as to the
necessity of the Office of State Superin-
tendent. Any system of this magni-
tude should, of necessity, have its Pc
culiar head. Nor can any other officer
of county perform the duties of the
County Superintendent, also necessa-
ry feature of the system. As well may
the mechanism that announces the
hours in the clock regulate the
movements of the indicators upon
the dial plate, as for the Clerk, Trus-
tee, Register or anyother county officer,
to manipulate the machinery of the
public school. They are not elected
with view to their ability as school
officers. The duties of each are sufi-
cient within themselves. To say moth
ing of other counties whose Superin-
tendents have devoted more of their
time than the pittance of a salary
would Justify, we instance Davidson,
with her numerous schools. What
county official could, without neglect of
important duties, do the work required
by law, which has been so faithfully
executed by-eur indefatigable Superin-
tendent? And we have noticed that
Sumner county's Superintendent, in
addition TO his other labors, holds
teachers institutes weekly throughout
the entire school term. This, by the
way, is far more practical and judicious
than visiting the schools, as the law
suggests, during school hours. In the
country districts, especially, a visit
from disappointment at such time
creates confusion and embarrassment,
to such an extent, as to cause the loss
of the day. Should he hold class reci-
tations differing in the least from the
teachers system, there is at
once an instructive loss of
confidence which weakens the
teachers influence. The Saturday In.
stitute plan adopted by the Superin-
tendent of Sumner, affords opportuni-
ty, however, for free interchange of
thought and for the correction of
errors that may have crept into the
plan Of any of his teachers, and this
should be made one of the duties of
superintendent and teachers. Such
change in the law would be a decided
improvement.
The district system and the district
directors should be abolished. Schools
should be located by the Superinten-
dent of the county, and three trustees
for each school should be elected an
nually by the patrons, with powers
such as are now exercised by directors.
Salaries Of teachers should be paid
directly by the County Trustee, upon
a warrant drawn by the School Trus-
tees, countersigned by the Superinten-
dent and approved by the County
Court In lieu of county option to
supplement the State fund, the State
should levy special tax, sufficient TO
keep the schools in operation for at
least five months.
With the success already attained,
and with these amendments, the pub
lie school system of Tennessee would
come very near meeting the fullest
expectations of the friends of educa-
tional progress.