The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-12

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county clerk; W. L. Mayfield, attorney;
G. Paul, treasurer; j. L. Gray, surveyor; ]
S. VIM, sheriff; D. B. Kensie, collector.
CoMPTKoLLER's DEPARTMENT..
Com ptroller Mccall has received lette
from prominent insurance company o.
New York highly mplimenting his re
port for its omprehensiveness and clear
ness.
The deposits yesterday were 1885 tt
schools and S146 to revenue.
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
The following letter, which is of i'm
portance, was sent out yesterday:
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, !
AUSTIN, Tex, July 10, 1883.
l have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of yours of July Z, and in reply
would say that the city council of town
or city, having assumed control of its
schools and voted that said control be
vested in the city council, has the right to
provide by ordinance for the manner OF
eecting superintendent OR principal and
teachers.
These authorities vary in their me- hods
greatly. One Of the best methods followed
is to fix first the amount which the city
can afford to pay, and then select the
most satisfactory of the applicants; or, If
no one is satisfactory, to seek some better
man by advertisement correspondence
or otherwise. There is no dearth
of good teachers or competent principals
in Texas, and it is not necessary or wise
10 cause division and strife by insisting on
appointments which are Objectionable to
any considerable element of tvose inter
ested. Personal preferences and interests
must be subordinated in these matters to
the general welfare.
Under your statement it is the plain
duty of the council to make provision for
the payment of the note which will be due
for furniture on January l, 1889.
1t would not be illegal for the council
to delegate the selection of teachers to tie
principal, but the respor sibility for the
fulfllment of the contracts with the
teachers would rest with the council, whose
agent the principal would in that case be-
come. Very respectfully,
OSCAR H. COOPER.
State Superintendent.
Some days ago Hon. o. H. Cooper re-
ceived a very fattering letter from a
number of prominent citizens of Hender-
son Offering him $4,000 per annum for
five years and handsome residence, if he
would resign his present position and
take charge of the henderson public
schools. To this letter Mr.. Cooper re-
piled yesterday as follows:
AUSTIN, Tex, July 10, 1888.
Hon W. c. Buford, Henderson, Tex:
Dear Sir and Friend-Your lie ter sub
mitting an offer OF $4,000 per annum for
five years with home, guaranteed by ten
of the strongest business men in Hender-
son, conditioned on my acceptance of the
headship of your schools, is before me.
The offer is one f tie highest honors l
have ever received, and for it my deepest
gratitude is due to you and to my friends
in Henderson who have given me this I'M
questionable evidence of appreciation
and confidence. With you the years of
my novit ate and premiership IN the
work of teaching were spent, and among
you are many of the thousand or more
students whom have taught in Texas.
L " bhSeo 10 uuO NY SIotCAuA thCSOOh lOl
this renewed expression of confidence.
/ recognize the fact that Your offer is
pecuniarily to my advantage, and 1 am
deeply grateful for the assurances that, il
necessary, the amount of compensation
would be increased. The tender of a
home in your beautiful and prosperous
city touches my heart and draws me even
more strongly than the salary offered.
II 1 felt free to accept or reject
should unhesitatingly follow my impulses
accept your offer and join you in the eff.
fort to build up the best school in Texas
But my services have been given to the
state, and by acceptance of my present
position have bound myself to fulfill my
term of service to the state. Further, if
the state, speaking through my
party, should call me to continue
in my present work, cannot as citizen
and friend of educational progress refuse
to do so. 1 am thereupon compelled al
present to decline your very generous Of
fer, nor can now foresee any time In the
immediate future when I can promise &C
ceptapce.
Any other service which can render
you either personal or official, will com
mand my immediate attention and most
careful consideration. Most truly yours
OSCAR II. COOPER
State Sup't. Pub. Inst