The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-23
The school LAW.

hoNrhuuN NoNNlli i'Ahhi N"'Nh ~ '0V''
l notice An article from tho Galveston
News by Judge Rugooy of this county Hi
objections are Just and forcblo, He men,
lions one That the only liberty n parent
has 10 regard to tho school Is, ho can join any
community he chooses, and that Is oil.
Having been for the last fifteen years prac,
tical teacher in tho Stato-ncver out oftho
school room for more than three months
consecutively during that time, and having
closely observed tho practical working of the
various laws passed from the very inception
oftbc public school system in the State until
now, can truly say, that this Is the most
crude and inefficient law which has ever been
passed. Twill give some illustrations of the
truth of Judge Rugcley's obiections--which
have fallen under my own observation. A
teacher was employed by the trustees ut a
certain salary per month and notified, MS well
rs the patrons, that school would commence
on certain day. Only two or three
we're present on the Monday of com.
llltuNulH ttH'tls N.Y. iiN was " popular
and experienced teacher. II was because the
trustees had ordered school to begin before
parents were done picking cotton. And aft
or adjourning from Monday until Monday for
three weeks, he had good school, This
mans expenses were going On, and il was
TOO late had he desired to do 50, to seek nm
other place, All were filled. Another in
stance; A teacher was employed at GER
tain salary. After school had commenced he
found that one-fourth Of the registered stu,
dents had moved from the county, or so far
from the school that they could not attend.
Some, who had determined to move and did
not register, could not make their arrange.
mepts TO do So concluded to stay, and had
to pay tuition, though living near the school
house. In this instance the teacher could
not, by law, get more than three.fourths of
bis salary; and some were deferred from at
tending because they could not pay tuition.
Again: A teacher made contract with
the trustees TO receive ST. so per pupil
for actual daily attendance, and us there are
some seventy pupils, he would employ and
pay out of his salary certified teacher ms
assistant. He has had for several months an
attendance sufficient to compel him to keep
m assistant employed. His school is popu-
lar with trustees, parents and children; yet
on the presentation of his monthly account
he was informed that, as he had only asecond-
class certificate, he could secure only $40 per
month. This man teaches seventy students
gets $40 per month, and has to pay An
assistant out of it, according to the letter OF
his contract with the trustees, though he
thought he would get 81 so per pupil attend
ing, and pay his assistant out of that, This
is encouraging tho public schools with ven
geance. He would do much better to per
suade some to leave, dismiss his assistant ant
pocket the whole pittance of $40 per montl
himself Should his school fall to thirty
four, which is as many as on,
teacher can well do justice to, tn,
trustees have the power by law to dismis
him or discontinue the school, or when sprin!
opens and many are in the field, he ma,
after diminishing his assistant, if allowed t,
continue by the trustees, receive only a par
of the forty dollars per month, teachin!
alone, as he receives only part of it, Will
having an assistant to pay. Truly can W
thy works, and thy ways past finding out.
These are no fancy sketches, but instance
that have taken place and are now takin,
place under my own observation.
Another objection to the present system
besides its paralyzing individual effort an,
killing private schools, frittering away III
public fund, in short sessions, injustice to pa
rents, teachers and pupils, is, that there is n
uniformity of method, Because the teache
has no inducement to settle in neighboI
hood, and become identified with then
Every session brings a change of teach