Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-06
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OF
FLORIDA.

Popular Ob1ectIOns-A Little Learn
Ing Not a Dangerous Thing-Facts
VS.. FancY-The Present COntrasted
With the Past-The QuestIOn of
Competent Teachers Considered.
OTTER CREEK, Fla, October 1.-Your intel
ligent correspondent 20, in your issue of the
nth Of September, in referring to my article
published on the 9th Of August in the MORN
ING News, states nearly all the popular objec-
tions that have been urged against the public
school system of our State. 1t will appear.
think, that they are without foundation. 1t is
argued that the term is so short that children
can be taught very little, if anything; that they
forget in nine months what they learn in three
am not prepared to admit this, because it is
contrary to my own experience and observa-
ton, and that of some Of the best instructors
of the country. Children in this
respect are not like adults. The mind
is not numbered at an early age with the
perplexing cares of life, and consequently
first impressions are the most lasting Should
the rudiments of an education prepossess the
mind it become es fixed in that, and cannot be
dispossesSed care not If these impressions
are made at intervals Of six or nine months.
This know from observation In a way that
has Afforded me the very best opportunity for
Judging. Covering period OF fifteen years,
have taught almost every grade OF school, and
have in the meantime held the position Of Su-
perntendent. have learned from this varied
experience that a child scarcely ever unlearns
anything
After the lapse Of months, and even years, /
find that they may forget some things con-
cerning which IL may be necessary to refresh
their minds. But that any child of ordinary
precosiUy should so forget any thing that it has
learned thoroughly as to require it to learn it
again as if it had never been learned, is an in
stance have yet to observe. With the inevi-
table Webster in hand, when a lad,
1 mastered the sentence, Bakers bake
bread and cakes" so as TO read it
understandingly. which was my first exploit
as reader. Had not seen q book for ten
years after that, believe could have read it.
l do not argue that three months is preferable
to a longer term, or that more may be learned
in three months than in five or ten. l am sim
ply contending that three months term is
better, infinitely better, than none at all. Be-
sides, our people are not prepared for longer
term at present, nor is the State able to do
more. The assistance Of children Of poor pa
rents is needed at home the greater part of the
time. This is true Of the rural districts,
though it may be somewhat different
In the larger towns and cities. The
latter can, and some of them do, sup
plement the public school fund so as to give a
longer term it it is thought advisable. 1t may
be remarked here that some of the counties
are able and do sustain the public schools
| longer than three months, even at the present
rate OF taxation. Were the State able to give
a longer term in all the counties, and should it
| be required, an attendance upon the schools,
without a compulsory school law, could
not be had, and l cannot think that it
| would be just to exact OF parents, whose
| subsistence depends TO great extent upon
their children, a longer attendance. 1t is idle
| to talk Of longer school term, when it is well
| known that it is almost impossible to get
| good average voluntary attendance upon a
large majority of the schools, even for three
months term. There is something like accom-
modating ourselves to circumstances, and in
this matter, as well as others, we should try to
| do so. Let the State enforce the daily attend
ance of every child within school age which is
from six to twenty one, and sustain the
| schools literally, and all will be done that
we are prepared and able TO do at present,
so far as the school term is concerned. This
will give each child nearly four years pupilage
! in the public schools-a term sufficient to give
them fair common school education. Armed,
as they will be then, with the key to all kDowl-
edge, they may ascend to the dizzv heights Of
fame, or pursue the common walks of life at
pleasure. To suppose that such an education
is of little consequence is a great mistake
The poet tells us that
"a little learning is a dangerous thing"
and the sentiment is true when applied to the
learned professions, where mans life
State may be put in jeopardy through the
ignorance OF Quacks, but it is an error to sup
pose that it is dangerous to acquire even the
rudiments of education.
1. is argued that the cause of general educa-
iuasmuch as there are parents who could and
formerly did strain point in order to educate
their children. Now that the State has taken
| the matter in hand, have intermitted their per-
| sonal exertions and content themselves with
three months school, which the State provides
do not think that the facts warrant this con-
clusion, and to these l appeal
have been citizen Of Florida for many
years, and have noted the progress of educa-
tion in her borders for twenty years. When
remember the state of things that existed,
when education was left to the individual ex-
ertion of parents and guardians, and compare
it with the present. under our common school
system, am forcibly impressed by the favor.
able contrast AT that time | think | NAV
safely assume that no more than one-tenth Of
the children taught to read and write
Before the adoption Of the present system
/ was familiar with the records Of
what Is now one of the most
populous and wealthy counties in the State
and my recollection now is tkat at least nine
tenths or the instruments submitted for record
were signed with cross mark. Not long since,
visited the same county and examined the re-
cords, and to my surprise and qualification at
least nine-tenths of the signatures were writ
ten in q clear. bold, legible hand. What has
effected this changer The answer is easy.
point t0Gs strained to teach perhaps a tenth
part OF the children to read and write. and the
remainder grew up unlettered. There are those
among us who wish to fall back into the same
old ruts; but for one prefer that nine-tenths
OF our people should have a common school
education instead Of one-tenth. 1t was claim
france. that every soldier could read and write
May the day not be far distant when the same
may be truthfully said Of every citizen in the
State.
Ihave another case in point. In this, Levy
county, in 1877, according to reports OF
teachers, one thousand children entered the
public schools Of this county, and have been
taught to read and write, and will be taught
much more 1t is to be hoped. made a care
full estimate, and am fully persuaded that
scarcely tenth of that number would have
received any advantages whatever had 1t not
been for our public schools. In making these
statements l ignore prejudice and fancy and
appeal to facts. In the face Of these and
similar facts that can be given can any one
doubt that education will retrograde when
left to individual effort. With us we have two
classes: one that could educate If they would,
and another that would II they could. Both
| of these classes are accommodated by our
| public schools 1t Is also said that the public
school system has introduced q horde of
Incompetent teachers: If such is the
system, but that Of those who are intrusted
with the administration Of the law 1t has
| placed in the hands Of Boards Of Education the
| power to examine and judge OF the quali6ca-
tons OF teachers and thereby enable them, If
k1udiciously exercised, to protect every district
from teachers who are not qualified. The
remedy in this particular does not consist in
! abollshlng the system, but In reformation in
the civil service. The question of competent
successful teachers is admitted to be a difficult
one. 1t is deplorable that so respectable
| PEELED to change localities 80 often
| In order to procure employment or turn
| their attention to something more lucrative. 1t
is to be regretted that so few are able to follow
| IL as a profession. Private schools do not af-
| ford any better fields for talents in this direc-
] tion, or promise more permanent employment;
nor are parents less liable to be imposed upon
| by incompetent teachers. In the latter there is
| no standard by which htAess is to be deter
! mined; hence great pretensions often succeed
best in communities where no questions are
asked, and where good address is q sufficient
passport. s. 8. MOORE.
The Garfield Memorial Hospital.
WASHINGTON, October 5.-The meeting
| tonight to promote the establishment of a
Garfield Memorial Hospital In this city was
a4Na 1ol T,,-