The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-07-03

for the support and maintenance of an
efficient system of public free schools, "
the undersigned county officials and
citiz.ns of Leon county beg leave to
report as follows:
We consider the public free school
system, rs adopted by the act of Au-
gust, 1876, so tar as our county is con-
cerned, wholly imprsctIcable and iu-
efficient, and, while we think the ad-
ministrAtiun of this law in the county
of Leon may compare faVorably with
other couLt es of the State, we are con-
strained to pronounce it q failure, an
imposition and q fraud upon our tax-
paying citizens. Before the establish
ment- of our so-called public free
schools, we did have good common
schools, supported by private enter
prise, with competent teachers, IS a
general rule well attended, and as q re-
suit our scholastic population was ben
Gifted. Since the Inauguration of
these public free schools, under the
present law, our once efficient private
school establishments have been en-
tirely, or almost entirely, destroyed 4,
this result mainly IN consequence Of
the influx of cheap teachers, looking
with an eye single to the acquisition Of
the public money appropriated, as
general rule wholly Incompetent, in
tsllectuslly and morally, and q con-
-equent increase in the mum 1er of in
fiCient "wet weather" schools.
We conf Ter the expenditure of
funds for the support and maintenance
of such schools a waste of public
IN ,ney; 8 sqIandering of the Seate's
revenue, collected by taxation from
n W Overburdened people. and with
out any resultaI good. We assert, as
our opinion, that no fficIent system of
public free schools can now be main
tanned without largely increased az
preparation; that the present sppro-
prlation, which is wholly insufficient
for the support and maintenance Of
such a system, cannot be continued
without a correspondent increase upon
our present Indebtedness, a cons1 quent
increased taxation and largely IN
creasing annual deficiency, and that in
the pr, sent condition of affairs our
people cannot and will not submit to
this, even for the support and main
tenance of an efficient system of public
free schools, which the present is not.
We think that in view of these facts,
and of the present embarrassed condi-
ton of our State finances, the spprc-
priatlon for free schools should be re-
duced to a mere nominal figure, and
should remain so, until the State is
able to maintain such an deficient
system" as Is contemplated by our Con-
stitution-thst the revenue now appro-
pristed for school purposes, or so much |
thereof as can be constitutionally TAX |
en-, should be applied to the liquida. |
ton of our S'ate Indebtedness, and |
thus reduce the taxes, now weighing |
down the people.
We heartily indorse the action of our
Governor in his veto of the school ap- i
and recommend the enact
ment OF a school system conforming as
nearly as possible To the act of Janus-
ry 81, 1864, whereby the public free
school fund may he appropriated to
the different counties Of the State ac-
cording to their scholastic population,
to be expended under the direction of
boards for the education of in
3ASNShb
In expressing these, our opinions,
we believe We express the almost
views and opinions Of the
intelligent and thinking citizens and
taxpayers of our county and the dis
trict you represent, and on the part of
such citizens we ask that you, in your
capacity, support such an
appropriation for school purposes, and
such a school system as indicated
above in the called session OF the Six
eenth Legislature, now about to con-
rene. Respectfully,
James A. Brown, county judge;
Bruno burst, John Clabaugh, r. Long,
county commissioners; w. II. Holland,
B. F. Browell, M. D, members Of
chool examiners Leon county; Walter
4. Patrick, county clerk; P. L. An
iers, ]. M, Tiuitt, w. p. st. John,
Iere Horn, E. Hensrd, ]. B. Butter,
!. G. Mcdaniel, M D.; j. N. SAMSON,
\. s. Gardner, ex-county judge, Leon
county; John T. ID zell, A. G. Msthe-
on, M. ID principal Centreville High
school. {
ITwo-thirds of our best citizens
would sign it if we had time to call on
hem