San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-07-20
EDUCATION.
Some Remark, Synopsllsd from cSi' HOLMES
rorths Address, Delivered at Tyler TEX

Inc fOlloNluk cAH"N :,
the admirable address OF Col. .. ~
Hollingsworth delivered at Tyler june
3Oth. The address is too lengthy TO DC
reproduced but it is a document worthy
OF perusal throughout;
The founders Of the republic oil Tex,
as fully comprehended tie value ana
importance of universal education. HIS
tory furnishes NO instance where any
government ever manifested more III
terest in behalf Of popular education
than did the fathers of the republic OF
Texas. And be it said to the credit oil
the sound craftsmanship that has con-
troiled the legislation OF the republic
and the state from 1886 to this date, the
wise policy inaugurated by the sires oil
$50 has been persistently adhered to-
Under the operation Of this policy Tex
as to-day refers, with pride and CRATE
full memory of her heroic fathers and
wise statesmen, to her educational en-
dowment represented by s3,5OO,OOo
cash common school fund $3.50, 900 uni
versity fund, ST., 900 for her unfortunate
blind, $4,000 for her mutes, and to a
landed endowment Of 4O,OOO,OOO acres
to her common free schools, 3,9s5,O
acres in fee simple to the counties for
the benefit of common schools, l,OOO,0O
acres to her university, 100000 acres to
her institute for the blind. 100000 acres
to her institute for the mutes, 1O3,OOO
acres for her orphans home, and 1OO,-
600 acres for the unfortunate lunatics.
What other state in the great American
Union can boast of such an endowment
as this? What other people under the
sun can claim such legacy? Each
county holds in fee simple for free
school purposes lands equal III area to
oue-fftleth part of the state OF Rhode
Island. ..
Our university lands equal the terri
tory of Delaware. The lands held in
trust by the state, as permanent en-
dowment Tor common free schools, COM
prise an area larger by 100000 acres
than the whole territory of all the states
Of New England. And the aggregation
of all our school and asylum lands con-
stitutes an area greater than one-third
of the German empire.
The question before the people OF
Texas to-day, which shadows all others,
is show shall this princely Inheritance
be managed for the best interest of the
children and the commonwealth? 1t
is question worthy your considera-
ton; worthy the deepest thought and
earnest efforts of statesmen. 1t may, if
private interests Of land spectators and
local politicians are considered, be like
many private estates, squandered, and
the children of the state robbed of their
possessions; or, on the other hand, If
wise counsel prevails, be SO managed as
to yield to the children for purposes in
tended, its full value.
Let it be ever so wisely and econom.- .
cally managed, it will never constitute
more than nucleus upon which to
build complete sy-tem of education.
We have the nucleus, the ground
work of splendid system of education,
deeply and wisely laid by the founders
of the republic, and it only needs pa
tient, pains-taking and wise legislation
to develop it to standard of perfection
unsurpassed by any other government
in the world. But to do this we must
have more money. There are to-day
three hundred thousand children of law
full scholastic age in the state.
The state assumed the obligation OF
their education, and public sentiment
should demand that she should do it
and efficiently. Under the
constitution and the law the state can
not efficiently discharge tn. sacred OBJ
legation she has assumed. The consti
tuition and the law must be changed.
There should be state superintend-
emit of instruction; there should be II
county superintendent OF public in
struction III all the populous counties;
there should be specific state school
revenue provided for support
Of schools should not be dependent up ,
on amount raised for general revenue; ,
here should be authority granted to i
counties to supplement state aid by To-