The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-01-20
OUR AUSTIN LETTER.
fSbiie free-Scaools The Great Cues.
tiea OF the Hour,
considered In the Candid Spirit of
One Who. Has
The Advancement of tine State at
Heart "A
CsnereRensi,e Walk Around IFS Many
Battlemenjs.
Fsod for Thought and Action.
no. 81

Food for Thought and Action.
lSo.6
AusrIN, Jan. II, ISL enclose
you herewith copy of an amended
bill, offered on yesterday in the SEN
asc. by Hon. Barnett Gibbs, entitled IA
bill TO provide for revenue Cor the public
free schools" 1t ispre-eminently desirable
that the people OF this state should compre-
bend this all-important subject og our pub
lilo free schools. And yet 1t is one, in its
Multifarlous relations, of the most varied
and complex Of all those that wilt come be-
fore tue 18th Legislature for action. The
immensity of these school interests may be
il measure estimated when | call atten-
ton TO the fact that the scholastic popula-
ton OF Texas, as per the annual apportion-
, ment list, August 81 'S2 anG 80. Is l0t ,66S
pupils, and that the amount OF the states
public free school lands are nearly 10 900 900
acres, scattered here and there; while the
county public free school lands. remaining
unaold as write. number 1854 800 acres.
How. the constitution, Art. Z sections
3lSS provides that there shall
be set apart annually not more than one
f0urta OF the general revenue Of the state,
and a poll tax of one dollar ETC., for the
benefit OF the public free schools Now
It's known that this scholastic population
OF Texas Is increasing faster in proportion
than than the available funds or revenues,
whereas She healthy financial condition Of
the state demands decreased taxation,
which, you will perceive, must, by 80 much,
decrease accordingly the public
free schools revenue. Now, the
purport and intent of Senator
Gibbs is to remedy this trouble by direct
annual levy of IS cents or less on the $l00
al valorcm school tax, together with 81
annual poll tax, ETC. SO well, SO good, as
the sum thus realized, plus
Ute interest on the permanent
school fund will permit perhaps
q B;hool term Of g months in the year.
haBt year this school term averaged 3.5
months, ard the year preceding just
months. But now comes clause about
Witch all are not so well agreed. 1t is found
ia the same section, viz; "Provided, that
the legislature may by general law, permit
or require the establishment of school COM
mluities to votean additional ad yalorem tax
MOTTO exceed 10 cents on the 800 see
no objection to the 10 cent clause, but there
is some criticism as to the school commu.
nifty" clause. For, the question arises to
the rejecting mind whether it is wise to
provide for local school tax for
smallcr territory thar q county, except in
tue case OF cities and towns. In many
~SAEties the bulk of taxable values Is local
lied in particular district or community.
suppose one-half OF county Is mountain
Qua or swampy, here would exist but small
taxable values. The inhabitants hereof,
nevertheless, contribute to the full extent
OF their humble possess ons toward the
Support of both the county and state gov
ernmonts, and 1t would be unfair TO throw
them upon their own limited resources in
the matterof supporting schools, a matter
oil certainly as much general interest US the
suppore OF other departments of the gov.
ethmcnt, county or state, its cOurt.hollsos,
lails, roads, ETC., etc. In those localities
where may happen to be concentrated the
greater taxable values, the citizens could
supplement the state aid by very small
tax TO extend the scholastic term
A System of public education is RS much
branch Of our government, so ia, as tinan
c,M supDortis concerned, as is the judci.
ary. the executive or legislative. All the
citizens are required to ASST uniformly IN
yll this suppQrL.c Is 1t weyto suh.diylde in
Asll -, o. ta iaii0n Mo smaller rag-
Eants than countless Has Senator Gibbs
studied this feature in the case
But again, the honorable senator follows
III bCCliOu ., vi ll5 hNlt4lutuchtt III lIt
same old rut of constituting the governor,
and secretary OF state board OF education
To distribute the public free school funds
to the several counties and TO perform othe
duties" etc. Let US abolish this thing.
Those officials wero never elected
with q view to such qualifications.
They are overwhelmed with their own es-
pccial duties, aud actual experience has al.
ready demonstrated that they have no time
a I'm ~t pf purcutiDp
incg or matters. There Is no force in such
system, no efficiency in such divided re.
anSnsibility. II does seem to me that tor a
state ike Texas, with such a great school,
Interest, the only true solution is in the ex-
istcnce Of state superintendent, with his
own Individual responsibility at stake.
The philosophy. the utility OF special SUI
5 porintendencc, IS shown by the experience
ot All the states that have tried It,. This
aupcryision is what has made the public
schools Of Holland the best organized and
Tie best directed In the world. And
tho same Is true OF the
achools Of Prussia aud .Switzerland.
Whether we should have at present
county superintendent, or a superntend
ami for each senatorial district ~ cues
ton for still further consideration. But
certainly where counties are dcnsely popu
lated, and where the number OF schools and
tho revenue applied to their support would
), hastily the expense, q county supcrinten
dent should be had. AT any rate, all foul
Leading states thathave tried 1t, have pro
nounccd the county superirtendency rndei
tho stnte's supervisory commits Toner, "tht
unity, power and NE Of the system OF pub
lio instruction" anil the right arm OF tn,
aoryice," and "the most valuable nf al
school agencies etc, BY all means, Sena
tor Gibbs, let US have system OF superyi
eion, state aud county, have olIerel
these criticisms In the irendliest of spiri
Ia one Of the most dligent aud PROMISING
ofpll our Texas legislators, and trust h,
may appreciate their force, or at any rat,
consider of the suggestions rendered. Il.
Mr.. Mayer has laid before the Frencl
academy OF sciences a new mode of burial