The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-10-29
Highly Interesting Interview.

|superlntenueul VI foIt NOttn SCHOOLS, was
IN our city last evening, HERALD reporter
sought him and put the following series OF
Questions:
Reporter" Professor, the friends of pub.
lc instruction are glad that you have re.
turned to your profession"
Professor-'I do not know that | can be
said to have returned, since have regu.
Ilarly contributed to educational journals;
have attended the various educational as.
sociations: state and national; have become
associate editor of the Texas Journal OF
| Education; have lectured, by appointment
| of the state board of education, the cover.
| nor b ing chairman, to the teachers and
students of the summer Normal institute
and all since my separation from the Bryan
Agricultural college. Really, | believe
have done more for the school interests
generally of the state within the past two
wears than previously"
Rep.-"There seems to be objections to
the present public school law; what do
YOU think should be done"
prof.-"lt is difficult to determine lust
what should ba done, but there is needed
frst a change in the constitution of the
state before anything can be done. AT pres
emit the department Of public instruction is
mere side Issue or the appendage to the
executive secretary of state and conn.
.roller. 1t is managed by these depart.
ments acting as state board OF education.
The chief state'school officer, who should
have as much power and as much authority
10 the department of public instruction as
the governor in the executive department,
Is mere secretary of the state board OF
eluCatiOn,' and can Just do.eXecute what
these departments may, in their leisure,
conceive should be done, and further, may
see fit to have the secretary do"
Rep.-"How came Texas to adopt such q
system? Is it common to have secretary
simply for this Department.
Prof other states in the Union
have such a school Officer assaehu sptts
and Connecticut; three, Rhode Island, Ohio
aud Georgia, have state commission of
public schools all the rest Ii the states
have superintendent of public iustruc-
ton The powers of the commissioner
are similar and Of as wide scope as that of
superintendent, | would suggest tor Texas
that the department of public instruction
should be under the control and manage.
ment OF one
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
and two associates think the word com.
missioner the proper title for this officer.
The committing TO his charge Is the gem
eric idea. 1t is trust--a guardianship
and couples along with il the further idea
olsuggesting to the Advantageous the
ways and means for the successful admins.
tration Of this branch of the state govern.
ment. The word superintendent does not
convey Just the duties OF this oiilccr--it sup.
poses the system all perfected and the
a ID,
simply the execution or supervision
in the hands Of the superintendent.
The term general manager, borro wed
from the railroad and and other corpora
tons, has been suggested by writor-with
district and county superintendent
added. This nomenclature Is merely i'm.
itatiye, aud locks really what is intended
, 20 be conveyed"
Rep.-"Why do you name two asso
ciates?n
Prot-"Because Texas is very large, and.
besides, the work OF the commission differs
very widely from the duties and labors
even In governor. The commissioner has
hTst to formulate his plans, and then to see
that the people-lhe entire peoplc-are
reached, to infuse the spirit of public in
Nruction, the necessity OF, and the results
following the system in every nook and
corner OF this vast empire. Persons Ia ing
business with the governor seek him,
and 20 to the capital. Interests, either
pecuniary or personal, draw them 70 the
executive mansion. The incentives operate
very differently. The commissioner of pub.
lc institutions desires to disseminate what
he considers apublic blessing, the educa.
ton Ofall the children. He must see that
lhe parents, the fathers and the mothers
too, are enlightened on this subject Two
Of these commi' elers should canvass the
state and address the people, while one
with Il sufficient clerical force should be
Constantly in the office. | would also
have county commissioner, and he in
turn should become acquainted with the
%Aool status of his county; should bear the
same relation to the county that the
state commissioner does to the state"
Rep,-"What is your opinion rs to the
ways and means-are you intavOr OF tax
Tor the support ofthe schools1'
Profit am decidedly in favor of allow
ny each county, and even each school dis.
tot, the same privilege now granted to the
clues,viz under an amended Law, that each
county may levy Il tax TO support or to
supplement- the state school fund. There
ATE several reasons why this should be
done, At present the public school fund
IS not enough to make the schools Efficient,
and the one-iourth of the general revenue
is q variable quantity, and a decreasing
variable at that Besides there is needed
here Just that mutation even in the counties
that We find in the city schools--in all en-.
terpriscs where voluntary effort Is exercised.
would make the commissioners salary of
counties and districts dependd largely upon
the amount Of money handle A, this being u
very good evidence of the soerest mani.
Tested and safe criterion rs hhe efficiency
and result Of his labors. Th3e should also
be allowed ajax Of a small y II cent. for the
building of good, comfortable school.houses
this would frequently be Sppplementcd
by private donations ASSURED success al
ways attracts the attention aid finally the
gifts OF the benevolent man oevorAan"
Rep. -"What do think of tSie idea of ten.
mouths schools Is it possi5 gin this couu.
=. Prol-"This should k i've to the people;
they know best what the need and what
iSsy can dG-leis widIss gu l, iiseliia't
ep,-"vGhat Jung you do with the
school landssn lied
Prof-"This Is Get. ion for the legisla.
pre to set,iS rlsthe apartment question
thtahe; Whasthe myc done with them
were Edke coys)., ageJbuld have convened
i kuyn, Aurcln anuS cNV" sVssvh, anu
They "a M oil ltthenominal prices.
lead SnGo ins.hese lands should be
D0other's ueathcnltural lands ought TO
a ,heirsl The HE settlers the sales
tragedy Il vhe rnanncst bidder, reserving
Seguin tod the childr@ 6ia TO reject the
Dom at he ton. The grazing lands
The at, nce otnd to such parties az
s,,,.-ssi accumulation
M 10 value them so
IA be annually collected
as the lease paid for
Ach has been written
upg has been done as TO
this, that Ill not offer
ssupr/ ses ,"
r Of She land Office has
.cnls In regard 10 nll
gested what should
be ikcpsping legislature
slider hb recommended.
OF subtract from, but
AbetantlAiiy m harmony
q mineral lands should
litioned upon the state
~ . certain portion o
Nlneo. Tho lines o
>kono lands valuable
aunlln slooutad n,