The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-01-20

breadth and depth, and the magni-
ticent system. comparatively speak
ing, capable of being erected out OF
this fund if prudence and wisdom
are exercised in the expenditure OF
the fund.
Far back in the DAYS of the repub-
lie the fathers of Texas granted to
each county in the State for school
purposes four leagues, or II ,712 acres,
of land. And there being now 225
counties i'll the State this fund be-
longing to and is being controlled
exclusively by the counties, amounts
in the aggregate to 1886, 200 acres.
The interest upon the proceeds OF
this land. when sold and invested.
or the rents and profits thereof
when leased, constitutes the avail
able county school fund. In addi-
ton TO this there is belonging to the
State common free school fund
27,32S, 900 acres of surveyed lands,
and 6, 766, 1877 acres yet to be SURVEYED
and mapped, making in addition to
the county school lands total of
A,074,8S7 acres of land, devoted by
the State to common free schools,
besides vast amount of lands be-
longing TO our university, deaf and
dumb, and blind institutions. This
immense territory, some of which,
am informed, is valued at twenty
dollars per acre, and none of it can
be sold under the law for less than
one dollar per acre, together
with $3,4l6,226 in interest bear
ing bonds constitute our per-
manent free chOol fund, and
the interest on these bonds, and
the interests the proceeds of
the sale of these lands, poll
tax of one dollar on all
male inhabitants of the State be-
tween the ages Of twenty-one and
sixty years, constitute the available
school fund required by the consti-
tuition to be set aside annually for
the benefit Of public free schools.
And in addition to this the legis-
lature, if 1t be deemed advisable,
may "set aside annually not more
Than 0ne-fourth Of the general
revenues of the State" for the same
purpose. Thus we have o permanent
and Understanding bonds, worth to-
day not less than fifty-flve millions
of dollars. These lands are fast
passing to the tax rolls, and into the
hands Of our citizens as purchasers,
at valuations placed thereon by
authorized officials acting underline
sanction of their solemn oaths,' and
thus the available school fund and
the general revenues are alike
being largely increased, while
the citizen is securing for him
self and family a choice homestead,
where he can rest from his labors
beneath his own vine and fig tree.
If to-day we had this permanent
school fund, this 500, 900, 900, invested
in 5 per cent. Understanding secu-
rites, our available state free school
fund. from this source alone, would
amount to S2,75O,OOO, and when
10 this we add the poll tax, say
100000. required by the constitu-
ton, and One-siXth of the general
revenues, about $S77 $3.50, as now re-
quired by law, il will be seen that
we would have considerably. more
than 80, 100000 TO be annually paid
out by the State alone for the benefit
Of common free schools, without
any aid from the county fund, or an
annual available fund of nearly
S1.0O0,000 more than the entire per-
manent school fund of Massachu-
sets, and about four times as large
as our present available fund. and
as under our present laws and reg
ulatiOns our free schools are carried
on upon an average of four months
i'll the year, we could then greatly
improve the system and continue
the session for at least ten months
in the year. May we not hope then,
fellow citizens, and gentlemen of
the legislature, that out of this per-
.manent fund, and this alone, with
out any aid whatever from the tax
gatherer, we will be able as [ be-
lieve the constitution contemplates
to gradually build up and "provide
for the support and maintenance of
an efficient system of public tree
schools"
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Soon with the aid of our present
and future Normal schools, (the
only foundation rock upon which
an efficient system of free schools
can be builD. We will be provided
with an army of first class teachers.
who will feel just pride i'll Texas
and the development Of her educa-
tional system. Already scores of
them are at work rcdeeming their
pledges to the state to teach in the
free schools of Texas, and year by
year their numbers will be increased
until there will be no. scarcity of
educated professional teachers in
the country. ff
TIE UNIVERSITY. %
And again what Texans heart
Goes not throb with the delight as
hc contemplates the prospects bel
fore Vs, and, a. hGlieye in
the near future, for the cree
ton of first class state
university? Already the princely
fund provided by our patriot \
fathers Tor this purpose. is believed
to have reached the the value of
two and a half millions of dollars,
and the demand is coming up from
every quarter, that this legislature
cable and that it shall proceed 70
Establish, organize AMI provide for
the maintenance support and direcI
ton OF "a university of the first class
to be styled the University
of Texas" n
Let the good work BEGIN al once
and be pressed tn an early compile
ton, aud as soon as possible, save
to Texas the quarter Ofa million OF
dol'oI 6UWiai!Y C0hii.hIjedb ~ her
people i" Duiit ZIP &nd export 81
st.th!iun5 Of legInlnn 'u Cfher ~t,Iet
yYheTc die, oan,j their rhiId, 81 ~ be
e'tUthted. AMI Daft-y sal, ieI tlie
hefaic deed, -! oGf gatrrDt is,theTs
be studied by the youths of Texas in
our own institutions, and from the
proud dome of our university,
as it towers above tire hilltops oil
this capital city let them map out
for themselves the pathway to fame
and tn fortune. With these great
responsibilities, this grand work be-
fore us. may | not repeat, that these
legislative halls present the.broadest
field for usefulness to the statesman
of Texas. Here his earnest effort
and patriotic devotion 10 his coun-
try's cause must yield 10 her the
richest reward in everything neoea-
sary to advance her civilization. her
material wealth and her political
power. while for himself he nav
rightfully lay 10 his own soul Che
u A. A..