The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-18

First, by the constitution II Is made
''the duty of the legislature to establish
and make suitable provision for the sup
port and maintenan &c OF an efneient sys-
tenn OF public free schools" (Article I.
sec. ~
It may be supported by the levy OF
taxes, the same As any other object OF
government. and is thereby made q part
OF the ordinary operations of its admins
trations. the same as the courts, the col
lection Of taxes, quarantine, the penlten-
tiaries, the university or any other. art
icle 3, sec. "a
Itis given q permanent fund IN lands. land
sale notes and bonds, which, with the Interest
thereon, is protected from being appropriated 10
any other object. (Article -
part of the revenue shall be set apart TO 1t
annually, not exceeding one-fourth thereof, and
q poll tax OF one dollar together with the inter
est OF it's permanent iund. Obj
he di,triouted 10 the counties annually, accord
ing 70 the scholastic population OF each, 70 d.
10 mart of Il can be appropriated or used for
the support OF any seciarian school. lib.
Each county email have the benefit In it,
sch JOls Of the interest upon the bonds, pur-
chased by the sale Of its four leagues OF land.
Separate schools are required 10 be provided
for white and colored children, and an impartial
provision shall be made for both. ub)
THE governor, comptroller. and secretary OF
state shall constitute n bJaro OF education, who
shall distribute said funds to the several cOuu =
Ties, and perform such other duties concerning
public schools as may be prescribed by law"
The Legislature may constitute any city or
town q separate aud Independent school dis
trlct, which, under certain regulations, may
levy and collect an additional tax for its schools
(Arucle ~, section TO-
These provisions have been thus collated
that 10 may be seen that they constitute within
themselves q complete and consistent system,
not Us n separate, distinct department. but 70
| DO one of the ordinary operations OF the gov
| ernment, both IN its government and IN the
provision to be made for its support, except
only that il has the advantage OF q separate
fund to aid In its support
1t leayrs to the Legislature the authority and
duty of prescribing by law what part OF the
whole amount of the annual revenue, not ex-
ceeoiDg one-fOurth, shall be appropriated how
! the money, annually distributed TO the coun-
| ties, shall he applied, in carrying on their
schools, and what other duties, concerning
public schools, besides that of making the dis
| irioution Vi the annual available school fnnd,
shall be performed by the board OF education
created by the constitution. Secondly, the law
of 1876, passed by the legislature 10 carry out
these provisions, and the amendments since
made 10 IL, we're shaped Ia harmony with III IN,
| by making the county judge the general direc-
tor Of the machinery Tor establishing the
schools within his county, by making school
communities to depend upon the mutual $3.50
CATION of citizens having acholars within the
prescribed scolsstic az, from ell ut 70 tourJeen
inclusive, and not by territorial division into
school Districts, by p aclng the schools under
| the control of trustees, chosen from the pa
irons who select and make contracts with the
| teachers, ana otherwise attend to the Carrying
on of the schools; by requiring teachers t. be
examined, and to be paid according TO the
grades Of certificates OF qualification NJ teach
ere, into three Glasses, first, second and III I'd
| by making tuition free to the pupils within he
scholastic age, In the ordiuary branches oil
common education, as In orthogrsphy, read
Ing writing, knglish grammar, composition,
geography and arithmetic" by permitting
scholars, not of the scholastic age, to attend
the schools upon payment OF tuition, ana oy
regulating the manner in which towns and
cities can institute their own schools, ana
have them taught tor longer time than they
"Ould be taught by the money furnished them
by the stale In l > annual distribution.
thus our school system has been identified
and connected with the civil government
throughout, and made part of 1t, with its i'm
meniate control localized where Its Dement'S are
TO be realized.
That this system, ever since Its adoption, has
worked well and has continued TO improve from
year 10 Jear, Is demonstrated, not ouly by the
reports of the board of education. but by the
gradual withdrawal OF public opposition to
Tree public schools, by the increased aud con
tlnually increa L. interest taken In them in
all parts OF the state, aud by the confidence
that has been generally inspired, that gOod
and Efficient system Of public free schools can
De built upon the foundation already laid, with
out an unreasonable burden of taxation, if the
eadmg features Ofthe system are preserved and
improved vi on as the financial ability OF thu
state aud the increase of Its own school fund
m ~ Justify 1t.
/ shou d not have deemed 1t necessary TO have
thus presented this subject at the close OF my
administration, but from the fact that for years
past there We been, and now are, 10 this state,
persons who have been, and are, actively en-
gagged In the effort t. overturn this system, or
TO irsuculently reform 1t so as TO conform IN Ell
feet 10 the system established in Texas under
the constitution of 1869.
The Leading features OF the system attempted
TO De imposed upon the state are the creation
the appointment Of a state superintendent, dis
trict supervisors aid county superintendents,
with power 10 control the whole machinery of
the schools and matters relating TO them, and
with competent salaries for their support; also,
special tax levied to support the schools, ana
their vast independent machinery OF officers,
for nine or ten months in the ear, with an in
cree'e In the period of scholastic age, and a
consequent enlargement OF degrees Of educa-
ton TO be paid for Oy the state.
Such separate scholastic establishment
would annusliy cost more money than III e
| whole amount of taxes collected of the people
Of t. xas for all the expenses OF the government.
IL would lead to a central control that would
supercede the local control of the schools.
There are now seven thousand teachers ofthose
scOools, with regular increase every year. This
numerous body OF teachers would be embodied
by this central controlling power, and would
exert an Influence all over the state for more
and greater advantages for the whole class of
persons engaged in this business. The tax
tax, as IL would increase from time 10 time, and
IL would become Odlous, as most special taxes
for the benehl of class of persons are. Other
iuteres Q In the administration of the govern
ment, that would be less favored, would COM
bins and make war on IL a. q political machine
working for class l. gislation. IL woulc finally
be- abandoned, If not las similar system form
erly existing) In disgust, at least, az impracti-
cable.
The moving cause Of this effort is not that
four, i've and six months, as now Taught in the
Err al IL mt
sufficient TO teach children reasonably well in
tn branches of common education heretofore
named, but because IL does not give constant
employment and adequate compensation t
competent teachers, aud the standard of COM
mon education il not sufficiently high. These
objects are certainly very desirable, when their
attainment shall become practicable.
but the question IL how, and by what means,
shall their attainm, Ut become practicable
surely, he state Ia not bound TO provide for 4
higher standard OF education for the masses of
Its people, than that which will 1t them for in
teligenL citizenship IN n republican govern
ment. The standard hxed ia law IL certainly
high enough to enable the masses of people
generally, who receive the benefit of IL to have
that general diffusion OF knowledge, which is
essential TO the preservation OF the liberties
and rights of the people" That is the object
Indicated by the cons tuition, and Of necessity
dxes implicitly limitation upon the power of
duty OF taxation for that object. Any thing in
| excess Of that Is beyond any established Iheo y
| or principle OF the Obligation OF the state to
promote the general education of the masses of
the people. Something else, than an increased
ana special tsx4tion, must De resorted to. Our
many millions OF acres oil school lands may be
utilized by sale or lease, 20 as 10 largely in =
crease the available school fund TO be annually
distributed, as il has been doing for few years
| past; still IL will be found when that fund is
iully matured, the rapid increase OF our pOpu-
lat.on will, before many decades, have caught
| up with IL, so that its proportion to the scho-
| lasttc population Will then be nogreater than
il i now, after which time It will gradually get
| less.
The only practicable permanent remedy for
| the attainment Of the desirable objects that
nave been named will be found In the encour-
agement of more towns and cities to assume
| the control IF their own schools; in the forma-
| tion # permanent school districts in the coun-
| ties, wherein The residents can tax themselves
when the popul ilion becom . sufficiently oense
| (Which will require q chang, In the cons:itu-
Iion); aud unul that can be done, in a ousing
puOlIc sentiment in favor OF higher education,
| that sswill induce FREQ public schools to
be attended by greater mum Der OF scholars not
within the scholastic age, tho compensation for
whose tuition by those who re GIVE the benefit
| of IL will gradually lengthen the terms of the
schools and increase the compensation OF the
| teachers.
Tue state having filed the measnre Of its
/ duty, reliance must be placed on local taxation
/ ana compensation from the individuals benefit
| ed to furnish the means Tor longer terms, better
| pay, and higher standard of education in The
puOiic tree schools of the state. Aud this must
/ be the lee under the present system, or under
any other that may snpplant IL, without impos-
/ ing such burdens Of taxation upon the people
/ as they will not bear snY length Of time.
| Amendments may, aud doubtless will. be made
| upon the present school law to perfect 1t more
and more from time to time, as its defects are
made known In its practical operation.
One of the grS. test obstacles Ia the way OF
| reaching pro yer conclusions by educators, and
many other friends OF education, lie their con
ct mt fai ure to keep strictly in view the specific
/ obi, cts OF the state In instituting public
schools. as indicated by the constitution and