The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-05-13
THE PUBLIC FREE SCHOOLS.

state, lengthy reply Is made, too
lengthy for publication, except in the
shape of 8 public document. From
this statement we are enabled to COM
pile the following: The board appor-
toned to public free schools for the cur
rent scholastic year $691, ,5s1. Besides
this they gave out of the free school
to the Sam Houston Normal school, at
Huntsville. $4,000; for current ex-
penses of the free school department,
1920; for payment OF scholastic GEN.
sus-tskers, 1854; making q. total ap-
preparation for school purposes of
$717, 4s5 against 1915, 600 for the year
previous. Reports from 145 counties,
for last year, give in operation 5S04
free schools, while reports for this year,
up to the first of March, showed in Ill
counties 464S schools, and 1t is esti-
mated that the full report will make
$500 schools. The average free school
term for each year has been four
months. 1t is shown by reports
from the various counties that the
amended school law is meeting with al
most universal favor; that the amend
ments grading certificates of competen-
cy, issued to teachers, and establishing
compensation according to the grade of
certificate, together with the amend
ment requiring teachers to main
tain an attendance of seventy
i've per cent. of registered pupils,
have caused vast improvement in
the system, and there is in conse-
quence of these amendments much
improvement in the progress
of pupils. Along with the report is
submitted one from the principal and
the local board of directors of the
Sam Houston Normal School at Hunts
Vile, showing that there are In at
tendance 109 students, 8 of whom do
not intend to become teachers and
hence pay tuition. Thirty of these
will graduate in June and will then
start out to take position in our schools,
thoroughly trained in their own State
for the business of teaching. The
principal of this school thinks the
number of students in attendance next
year will be nearly doubled. The cost
of the conduct of this school from the
hrst of September to the first of March
was little over $s5O0. The Prairie
View Normal School for colored
students was opened in Waller
county on the sixth of October, 1879,
with 12 state and local students. On
the first of March there were in at
tendance 40. Out of the annual sp-
preparation of $4,000 for this school
1884 have been expended in purchas-
ing provisions; $1266 for salaries
$1151 for outfit, including furniture,
books, live stock, etc.; making the
total expenditures about $S750, and
leaving a balance of about $2250.
The most interesting feature of the
report ls that from the several
counties, made by the county judges,
in which are given the number OF
school communities organized, number
of schools taught during the year end
ing August 81, 1879; number of
schools organized since August 81,
1879; average school term In days
scholastic population; number of chill
dren enrolled; number of registered
and unregistered children who have
not attended, and minute information
as to funds on hand, amount of appor-
tionment, tax, etc. Besides this, the
county judges express opinion as to
the amended law now in force.
Out of 100 opinions as to the amended
law, compared with the old, there are
eighty-six expressions favoring the
amended law, seventeen suggestions
without opinions, and six reports posi-
lively antagonistic to the new law.
Those opinions adverse to the amended
law are from Bsstrop, Delta, Lamar
and Mstsgords counties, and from the
town of Rockdale. Rockdale says il
is ::'very poor;" Matagorda that SIT is
a farce;" Limestone that it Is "fail-
ure;" Lamar that it is ''not sstisfac-
tory; the attendance clause prevents
communities getting teachers; COM
pulsory should be required;" Delta,
s'not satisfactory, and will not be uu-
der the present system" and Bastrop
says infinitely WORSE" Not assuming
that politics has anything to do with
the opinions expressed as to the respon-
sibilities of the present administration
in securing amendments to the
school law, 1t may be con-
cluded that the law in its present
shape is vast improvement on the
old one. In the seventeen opinions
taking neither side as to the
operation of the law, and even in some
of the others the antagonism of
teachers to the attendance clause is
quite observable. Really. this pro-
vision is great Improvement. The
old law would permit q teacher
to draw pay, even upon q hundred
children, because they were on the
community list, though not one
of these children attended. In some
communities long lists were secured
and the mere sham of school insti-
tuted and kept open, merely that
public money might be stolen. The
seventy-five per cent. clause is hard
ship to designing pedsgogues, but
honest hard-working teachers viii
never object to 1t. A great many of
the judges refer to this provision in
the amended law as q great redeeming
feature. Grimes county says sc great
improvement on Che old law, and chill
dren reaping more benefit" L2mpasas,
"it will insure better attendance of
pupils and better class of teachers -
Leon, at Is great improvementlon the
former law;" Madison, "decided i'm
provement. attendance much better -
MeIennAn. ait takes lsnger