Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1876-03-02

any should yet be opposed to free schools.
Bat 1t IL another illustration of the fact
that all cannot Zee alike. There would
be far less difference of opinion, however,
IT the taxes were not SO high, and money
10 scarce. But We venture the opinion
that if taxes are to be raised at all, there
is no more worthy object than the edu.
cation of the people, by which even the
poorest boy may be enabled to raise above
the position of a day laborer, and may be
prepared to Gil any place Of trust or of
honOr which may be rendered him. And
so far as the question If my being taxed
TO educate another mans sons is con-
eerned, there can Re no more objection to
that. than to the fact that | an taxed for
the trial Of other mems causes at court
10 the long run, what a man pays out in
either case will be very likely to come
back to him, 1t is worth something to
have a wholesome fear of punishment
diiused throughout tho country, by the
establishment of Courts Of Justice. And
so it is worth something to every man to
have a spirit Of enlightenment, enterprise
and progress difuscd throughout the com
munity by means Of public schools. 1t
has a very considerable value to him,
ever in dCllurS and cents.
Some, however, hide their opposition
under an objection to the present system
of Superintendent. But a School law
would be worth very little without Su-
perintendents. A good deal of machinery
is necessarily required, if every boy aud
girl in the State is not only to be placed
at school, but also to enjoy thorough and
efficient teaching. Somebody must make
ii his business to attend to this; and
that somebody must be thoroughly COM
petnt; and if competent he must be paid.
What is required to pay our Superinten,
dents should be paid checrlully. The
amount is much less than is supposed by
many. We have heard it said 1.-THE
children get none J of the money for
their education, but it all goes to pay the
officers" How far from the facts is this
statement! We are glad to see such a
reiutation of this charge as was presented
in your paper last week by our worthy
Superintendent. 1t is found that the
work of administering our educational
systemic. the pay of the officers is
only four rer cent! Very few kinds of
business are carried on at so little ex
peuse, This matter has come up III
Bleunt Comfy, and we close by COM
menting the statements made by the
Superintendent of that County, to all who
are willing to receive light on this subject.
In a carefully prepared statement Of facts,
be says as follows:-
IAN enlightened and v%irtuous people
can never be enslave1.' 1t will cost the
people Just as much to run the schools of
the county three months as it will to run
them five. Aud here, a word to those
who think that the school money is USE
lessly expended in paying officers 1t
costs Blount county to run the entire ma
chinery of seventy odd schools $500. ex'
elusive OF Sccre,ari aud T~rcasurer's lees
# 81 per day Tor the time actually EN-
p.Oyed. tbs SUI Of $500 divided
among The schools of the county amounts
to about 81 per school. which. at the
average rates paid teachers, would employ
a teacher Tor only three days. What
ever may be the opinion of others, | con-
sole myself with the belief that my ser
vices for the last year, inefficient as they
were. we're worth four dollars to every
school in the county, il not directly, at
least indirectly. l only mention this to
show how little reason there is for the
complaint sbOu. useless expenditures oil
public school fuuGs.'