The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-03-10
COUNTY sUPERINTENDENTs OF
SCHOOLS.

The question of having county
superintendents Of schools has been
somewhat discussed, but it seems
not to have been done from prac-
tical standpoint, based upon an ex-
perience showing the great neces-
sity of an actual supervision of
schools. with facts and figures pre-
senting the feasibility of the ap-
pointment of such an officer, who
can be made to perform service with
out an additional appropriation from
the general revenue, or without an
encroachment upon the fund al
ready set aside for tuition. 1t is the
first duty of the legislature, after
making appropriation for free
schools, Ito adopt some regulation,
which will insure proper utilization
of the fund IN the interest of all
children within the scholastic age,
especially in most ignorantcom mu-
mites. Under the present system. the
county judge, while nominally SUI
perintendent,is nothing more norless
than an auditorOf teachers accounts
the only knowledge he has, being de-
rived from the monthly and term
reports of teachers. 1t is the rule in
colored communities and in at least
half the white communities, for
teachers to sign the names of trus-
tees to vouchers, and generally to
manage and control the school, after
the contract is made, without the aid
of the trustees. Very many trus-
tees are appointed who have no
children in attendance on th9
schools, and who have no interest in
its proper management, and no
knowledge whatever of the school,
from the beginning to the end OF
the session; in short, the contract is
made, and the trustees turn the
school over to the teacher, with re-
quest to manage it without annoy
ing them from month TO month
about it. 1t is frequently the case
that a contract is made, and, from
some reason, usually non-attend-
ance of pupils, especially in the crop
gathering seasons, the school is
suspended and the county judge
not being notified, there is nothing
to prevent the teacher from present
ing his monthly account to the
county judge, and securing each
month the amount specified in his
contract. Indeed, this has actually
occurred in many instances, and if
not indirectly brought to the knowl-
edge of the county judge. it may oc-
cur continuously. These are only a
few prominent instances illustrative
ofthe necessity ofhaving a superin-
tendent. The history OF this ques-
ton before the present legislature
has simply been this: The secretary
of the board of education recon-
mended the appointment of super
intsndent in large counties, with a
salary of abont $1,000, the salary to
be deducted from the tuition fund.
The legislature properly refuses to
entertain this proposition, because it
takes away too much from the tut
tion fnnd, which is already too small,
and because tits otherwise impracti-
cable. The present school fund will |
not keep up schoollonger than four
on an average, and the SAL
ary recommended to be paid the
superintendent contemplated pay
ment for nine months services, or
the payment for five months time
when not actually employed. I'll
the legislature will appoint a SUPER
for the county, and allow
him simply the same fee allowed |
10 county Judges, aud make them
ex-oficio notaries public, so that
each teacher can prove up hls vouch-
% before him, and as he does before !