The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-03-29
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} So. 90 PER- ANNUNI

q. Are there any cotton seed oil
4, factories in the State?
A. No; but several are about to be
established.
Q. What important factories have
you?
A. We have in process of con-
struction sugar refineries, starch
factories and paper mills, which will
make paper out Of our palmetto.
Q. Do you think that the pros
poets OF the South becoming a great
manufacturing section are fattering?
A. think they are. 1t is begin-
ming to be understood that it is much
cheaper to bring the spindle to the
raw material than to take the raw
material to the spindle. The success
which has attended the efforts at
manufacturing in the South will in
huence the investment of other capi>
tai in factories in this section.
EDUCATION.
@. What is the condition of your
public schools?
A. 1t is decidedly progressive.
Commencing thirteen years ago with
out any organization we have now
over 1900 schools. Under our eff
cient system the remotest sections
are not ignored, and wherever snt~
ficient number OF children can be
gathered together school is estabA
lished.
Q. In what way is public educa.
ton being promoted?
a. Thus tar, in some Of the coun.
ties, the work has not gone further
than to establish and put in operation
the schools, and to complete our ors
garizatl0n. IL others b oWeyer, which
are more 'de1sely populated, eozobo>asS
institutes are held, and in the high
schools normal instruction is made a
a special feature.
@. What is the aggregate amount
of your public school revenue, and
from what source does it come?
A. The amount last year was $13S,-
747; OF this sum SIT .962 was derived
from interest on our common school
fund; the sum of S104,5 40 was
raised by taxation and SIT, ,217 II
came from private contributions. OF
the amount raised by taxation about
$4,000 is derived from a one mill
State tax, levied by the Legislature
under a constitutional provision. The
remainder is raised in the several
counties under levy by the county
commissioners, who are allowed to
impose from two and q half to four
mills, as they may deem proper
Q. How long are your schools
open during the year:
A. From three 10 nine months. In
some of the counties the revenue has
never been sufficient to permit OF
term longer than three months. In
other counties, however, the schools
are operated tor nine months, or dur
ing the entire scholastic year.
G. What is the number OF educable
youth?
A. According to our last enumer-
alton the number was S4,5l3 divided
as follows White 44,523, colored
4O,0O0.l
Q. About what proportion attend
school?
"A. Fully one~hali.
@. What is the sentiment OF the
people In reference to the maintains
ance of public schools?
A. 1 cannot answer that question
better than by quoting from the. re.
port of the late Superintendent OF
Public Education. After summing
up the facts which 60 to show for
ward movement, so far as our public
schools are concerned, he says: "In
addition to this the unfriendly feeling
against the public schools has, in q
great measure, given away to strong,
healthy sentiment III their favor, q
fact that never should be lost sight of
in connection with the growth and
development of our school system"
No tax is more willingly paid now
than the school tax.
Q. Have you any normal schools?
A. Strictly speaking, we have no
normal schools, but special: attention