The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-12
STATES SCHOOL SUBJECTS
A CARD TO THE LEGISLATURE.
Como Amendments to the Present School
Law Suggested-The Figure that
the County Judge Cuts as
School OffiOer, Etc.

UAY OF bNO lOT luc PURPOSE vi 6Ildctlu8
new laws, repeating some already made
and modifying and amending such 9th
ersas may seem still to be inefficient and
detective. The last meeting of the legis-
lature was called fer the purpose in
mart Of remodeling and rendering moro
efficient the system of our public free
schools. Their remodeling was, for the
most part, very good, and some very
wholesome changes were made. Still,
we do not think our school system is
near what it ought to be and can be. In
oui humble Judgment the school law
contains yet some serious and palpable
defects, which might be cured by re-
poals and amendments. Section 43,
chapter % of the acts OF the special SEES
sion of the eighteenth legislature re-
cites: "The county judge shall have,
under the direction of the state super
mtendent, the immediate supervision
of all matters pertaining to public edu-
ucation in his county. He shall confer
with and counsel teachers and trustees,
visit and examine schools, deliver lee
lures on topics calculated to excite an
interest in public education, or procure
some one to do so. He shall
organize and hold teachers institutes,
and shall approve all vouchers against
the school fund of his county. He shall
approve all contracts between the teach
ers and the trustees. He shall discharge
such other duties as may be prescribed
by the state superintendent" etc.
Now, does the county judge really do
much visiting of public schools, lectur-
ing CT topics calculated to arouse an
educational interest? Does he organize
teachers institutes, ETC.? He does not;
and why? Because, generally he has
not the time, and because it is not really
his capacity TO do so. 1t is trying to do
two things at once, the result of which
is generally a partial failure at least, to
do either one as well as it should be-.
The work of a judge and o school super
intendant are of q different nature, and
quite distinct. He must be either the
one or the 9th err, ana not both. When
he lays aside his judicial duties to at
tend to his educational dutiesit is stop
ping out of one sphere Of action into
another entirely different, and when he
would assume his judicial duties again
he let's go the educational. The result
is, his duties on the bench
being considered by him the more
important, and being the duties which
he considers himself called upon more
especially to see after, lie usually gives
himself wholly to the performance OF
those duties as he should, and lets edu-
cational matters so. Sometimes he
docs as the law directs and "procures
some one" to attend TO the educational
part Of his duties. Would it not be better
to make the offices Of county judge and
and county school superintendent sepa.
rate and distinct and have separate Off
GERS to fill them? Let us have county
school superintendent. Let him be
elected by the people, or by all the
school trustees Of the county, land this
we think the best plan), or by the
county commissioners. Let thoCOunty
commissioners set his salary SO that the
amount will oeregulate5 according to the
work TO be done, In some counties more
in some less. The superintendent should
receive a stipulated annual salary, and
all applicants for teachers certificates
FREQ OF charge. Why have board Of
three examiners when there is rarely
ever more than one present at the eX-
animation? One examines and the
others always "approve" and take the
dollar. The teacher ought not to nav
q cent for his certificate, neither ought
he to have TO make affidavit 10 the cor
RICHNESS of his report every month and
pay 30 cents for IL. II simply amounts to
making the teacher pay an occupation
tax of 81 per year gud 80 cents per
month, while his school lasts, in all d
or So per year. The plan Of making Che
per cent. of attendance the basis OF tho
teachers salary is awkward and unfair.
Let him work for q stipulated salary;
then he knows exactly what he is to re-
ceive for his months work, and the
trustees know tho exact amount thew
have to pay. That part of section II OF
the late amendments of the school law,
which recites, "a school month shall
consist of not less than twenty days, ex-
nlat 90 L.,
NITROUS. 1t is penurious and unjust
Why not leave that matter entirely
with the trustees? If they see proper
to allow the teacher holiday, why not
let it be 50? Why be so eXaoting of the
school teacher, who, of all professionals,
artists or craftsmen, gets the poorest
pay for the work he performs?
Another most necdful change, we
think, Is in regard to school trustees
Under the present law all the trustees
are chosen at the same time, and their
terms of Office all expire likewise
at the same time leaving the
trustees and completely disorganized
once every year. Every year the com.
munities have to be reorganized and n
different board of trustees elected. The
public-School usually closes in May or
June, and from then until the new board
is elected the school community is in
effect defunct and gone into nonenity
IL the teacher who has taught the school
has shown himself n good teacher and
worthy of patronage, and given such
satisfaction that the people are anxious
to procure his services for another term
or another year, still the trustees are
powerless in taking steps in that direc-
uon. They are not warranted in re-
electing him or making any engage
ments whatever with him, because theii
power does not extend beyond the linn
its of the present scholastic year, and
the next board of trustees succeed them
not as heads of the same corporation
but as corporation altogether new aud
separate. And it works hardship
upon the teacher also, for ii he should
desire to teach the same school again hC
can not know until the next board oil
trustees is chosen whether he will get II
or not. III he wants to apply for Il
no must wait in suspense and
uncertainty three or four months to ap'
ply to those who, after "tho first Satur
day in August will have authority tC
speak definitely about the matter. All
mus; wait until after the reorganization
and election in august, and then with
but little time ia 90 upon, the trustees
must be in hurry, take tho first chance
anu OXEN PICK up Just suCn teacnSr as
they can ind to take their school. TIL,
teacher, too, must be In s.hurry to take
the first chance for fear Il may be his
only chance, and got just such a school
as may happen, just then, TO be In his
reach. Such state of things makes Il
uncertain with the patrons rs to whC
Will teach their school, and uncertain
with the teacher as to whore he will
teach his next school. Such uncer
tainty is productive, of course, of fire.
quent changes of teschers and has the
effect, in fact, OF driving many of the
most competent and best qualified
teachers away from the profession. Al
this may be easily avoided by making
the organization Of the school commu'
NIFTY or district permanent and peSpet
unl, and the trustees TO succeed eacl
other rs heads Of that same perpetual
Organization as do the heads OF Other
nnhlin aAsnArattAna nj trnpiaEl