San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-05-11

entire freedom and permanency-as ys'
tenn that has been adopted in every
state in the Union except the state OF
Texas. There should be permanent
subdivision OF the counties, and tho
trustees of each school district should
be elected by the people of the town,
and not as il is now under the COM
munity system-appointed by the
county Judge on the recommendation
of the members OF the community past
scholastic age. Another glazing defect
which your committee finds in the
common school system now in vogue is
the limitation of the scholastic term to
the period between the ages OF eight
aud fourteen. Texas has the unenvia-
BILE singularity of cutting the scholastic
term shorter than any other state or ter
ritory. In the north and west there is
practically no limit to the scholastic
period. The design of public educa-
ton being to increase and develop the
intelligence and morals of the citizens
SO as to benefit the best interests of the
commonwealth, manifestly there should
be rs few impediments in the way OF
this patriotic, I'D conservative object as
possible. 1t is narrow reduction in
deed that would confne the advantages
of the public schools arbitrarily to such
limited period as the six years be-
tween eight and fourteen, and to pass
by with indifference the thousands that
are in fully as great need of education
below and above these extremes. 1t is
the almost unanimous Judgment OF ex-
perienced teachers that child left I'M
taught until eight years of age presents
serious and unnecessary difficulties
that might easily be avoided by begin
ming the education three or four years
sooner. Again, at fourteen the boy or
the girl barely commences to catch the
true idea of education. The soil of the
mind and the moral nature has been
broken up and prepared by sedulous
work and cultivation until now they are
prepared to receive the sowing that
will yield the staple crop of science and
reasonable principles, but the state de-
MES the expansion and cruelty shuts the
gate in the face of the faithful and anx-
ious student. This is the method of an
arbitrary tyrant, not OF wife and low
ing mother. Economy is pleaded for
the injustice. Economy! Is Texas
poorer or less able to educate her chill
dren than Kansas or the Greek Indi-
ans?
SCHOOL-HOUSES.
FINDER the present system Texas is
condemned to biggarly show OF wood
en- sheds of the rudest description, that
are dignifed by the name of academies
and schoolhouses. This is the direct
result of the present school law. Be-
fore school house can be erected the
following demands must be submitted
to: In the first place. site OF land
must be donated and deed for the
same placed in the hands Of the county
Judge. In the next place, the members
of the community must contribute one
half of the necessary labor and funds
requisite for the building Of the house
According to articles 3776 the available
school fund of the school community
for one year may be used in the pur'
chase of suitable school property upon
the execution of the deed as provided
in article 3771 and the contribution Of
the remainder of the purchase money
of the community, which must first be
paid. It is thus seen that the people
are burdened with duty without the
privilege of local taxation, by which
that burden may be equitably distrib
uted. The willing spirits are driven
to the utmost, and the mass are left tt
do nothing but receive the benefit. The
result is that few school houses are
built and they are of the cheapest char
acter. The counties expend large sums
in putting up splendid court houses
and SYMPTOMS jails, but the children
are housed in shanties Ia receive then
education, while the lawyer pleads II
palatial halls and rogues and rascal
are lodged under mansard roofs anC
within walls decorated by the triumpb
Of art. This is enough to make an hon
est mans heart burn within him, bu
it is Texas law. Your committee, II
taking up the subject of Texas schools
would fain report with hard restrain
placed on their feelings. Just as
righteous inspector sent to Investigate
Jail or a penitentiary, finds therein
revolving cases ofiniustice and Ill treat
ment, we in the most solemn and dellb
crate manner do denounce the laws o
the State OF Texas in relation to tn
teachers of her children as gross IN
Justice and petty meanness unwortn,
of any respectable man, much less OF
great and sovereign commonwealth
The profession OF the teacher is noble
responsible and useful one. Any ma
who has recognized the development
of his own child under the guidanc
and care of faithful and cOmpeten
teacher, recognizes the fact in its full
ness, and those parents who are indii
ferent TO the mental and moral educa
ton OF their own flesh and blood ar
respousible for the neglect and unde