The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-08-27
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.



examined the school question and to
have "exposed the hypocrisy and faith
"lessness of the Democratic party relative
"thereto. Instead of building up our
"public schools" this veracious stumper
said, "they had deliberately and shame
lessly set to work to destroy them" 1t
is added by way of giving emphasis to
the Generals charges, that he was pre-
pared " with official documents to sustain
every point he made" Northumberland
ing the vehemence with which he made
his "points" and the assurance that he
was well provided with documents to
support them, we are obliged to say, in
the cause of truth, that on this school
question" the Republican candidate for
Lieutenant-Governor is very ignoramus.
Barring the mistake committed by the
last Legislature in limiting the school tax
instead Of leaving the rate to be fixed in
the sound discretion of the county school
boards, as we think should have been
done and as undoubtedly will be done
when the Legislature next assemblies, the
official documents prove the very re-
verse of General Ledwith's reckless state
ments In fact they contradict him so
fatty that we are forced to the conclusion
that his documents" instead of being
"oficial," were of the mythical kind.
Now the official facts show that not
withstanding the reduced revenue with
which the schools have been operated
since the change in the law, there have
been organized nearly half as many ad-
ditional schools during the past three
years as the Republican management sue
ceeded in putting in operation in the pre-
ceeding eight. According to statement
made by Mr. Hicks in public address
delivered in the Representative Hall the
night following the Inauguration of Gov
ernor Drew, the total number of schools
in the State at that time was screen han
bred, though his report for the preceding
year, 1876, does not show that number.
In the first year under Democratic man.
agement the total number had increased
to eight hundred and eighty-seven, and
the second year reached nine hundred and
ninety-tsco. In other words, the schools
increased nearly three hundred in num-
Der in the first two years under Demo
cratic rule.
During the third year there were still
other additions, and for the ensuing term,
according to the itemized estimates of
the school board in the several counties,
one thousand one hundred and sirteen
schools are provided for.
But besides the increase in the number
of schools, the financial condition of most
of the counties has been very greatly i'm
proved. At the beginning of 1877 many
of the county boards were embarrassed
with debts left by General Ledwith's own
party and were forced to struggle under
these while endeavoring to operate the
schools. In eighteen counties alone the
indebtedness amounted to &37, 5O8, yet in
some of these very counties the schools
have fourished as they had never done
under the political management of the
Republicans. In three years $4,000
dollars of these obligations have been
cancelled, and by the first of January but
a comparatively small amount will be left
unpaid. On account of these debts it can
be very readily understood that the value
of school warrants must have been greatly
reduced. In some instances they were as
low as from forty to fifty cents on the
dollar, while now they stand very nearly
at par.
In addition, it may be stated that the
average school term has been longer !;
that a larger percentage of the school
population has been enrolled, and that
better qualified and more efficient teach
ears have been employed.
Recently we have heard the charge that
although the present administration has
increased the number of schools it has
added nothing to the number of school
buildings. AS to this, it may be stated
that the number of school houses given
by Mr.. Hicks as built in the State during
the last year embraced in his report was
.Jfty-three-a larger number than in any
preceding year. During the first three
years of Democratic rule the number built
was too hundred and tsOenty-eigtt, making
an average of seventy-sir for each year.
In this connection it may be stated that
the Lincoln Academy, at Tallahassee, and
the Douglass Academy, at Key West, the
two buildings for which the Republicans
give themselves so much credit, were built
with 6orrOsoed money, which the present
administration has been forced to pay.
Four thousand dollars were still left un-
paid on the Lincoln Academy when the
present County School Board assumed
management, and it is understood that of
the $500 of Indebtedness owed by the
School Board of Monroe county, the % 500
mentioned as borrowed money was for
the construction of the Douglass Academy.
Thus the Republicans would take to them