The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-01
TO THE COUNTY COURT.
CIRCULAR LETTER FROM STATE sU-
PERINTENDENT SMITH.
Their Duties with Relation to the
Schools Impressed Upon Them, and
Words of Caution to Observe in Sc
iecting County Superintendent.

the following circular letter to the several
county courts OF the State:
NASHVILLE Tenn. Dec. IS, 1887.
ITO Your Honorable Bodies the County Courts Of
Tennessee:
IL desire to call your attention officially
to your important relation TO the public
school system of the State
81. 1t is your duty to elect a county sa-
perintendent Of public instruction.
"2. To levy school tax.
"3. To lay off the county into suitable
school districts.
"a. To audit the accounts Of all county
officials who handle any part Of the school
funds.
"1n the election OF the county superin-
tendent, who is the most important officer
connected with the public school system,
IL is your duty. under the law, to choose q
man OF literary and scientific attainments,
and, when practicable, OF skill and expert
ence in the art OF teaching"
Great care should be exercised to secure
such a person, and he should receive
liberal salary for his services. II you de-
sire that the public schools Of your re-
spective counties shall be efficient in every
respect, such an end can be attained only
by efficient supervision.
IA convention OF county superintend-
ents has Just been held in Nashville which,
in its deliberations, considered many
points Of vital importance to the public
school system. A copy Of its proceedings
will be sent to any magistrate in the State,
who may request the same. A permanent
organization OF county superintendent was
effected, and its annual meeting fixed to
be held ut Nashville on the second Tuesday
OF December consider this the most
important step ever taken by any body OF
educators in the State. In order that your
respective counties may receive the full
benefits resulting from the deliberations OF
this convention, it will be necessary for
your county superintendent 10 at
tend its annual meetings. To this
end j therefore urge you TO allow
their travelling expenses as part OF their
salary. II is OF incalculable importance
that the public schools in your respective
counties shall cover at least the full time
prescribed by Section 30, Chapter 20, OF
the acts OF 1873, entitled, AN Act 10 Is
tablish and Maintain Uniform System OF
Public Schools viz:
That when the money derived from
the school fund, and taxes imposed by the
State on the counties, shall not be sufficient
10 keep up the public schools for five
months in the year, in the school districts
Of the county the county court shall levy
an additional tax sufficient for this pur-
pose, or shall submit the proposition to =
vote OF the people
81 am at n loss for words adequate In
their strength 10 impress upon you the In
ostimable importance OF your strict COM
pliancc with the section OF the law above
quoted. IL is the intention Of the law that
the civil district and the school district
shall be identical; but in few exceptional
cases II may he necessary 10 form school dis
tricis without regard 10 civil district lines.
But this change OF district lines must DO
made by commission appointed by tho
county court for thatpurpose. My attention
has been called 10 the fact that In a few
instances district directors have formed
new school districts duty which belongs
TO the county courts, and not TO them.
therefore. becomes you duty TO eitlt 4
ratiiy this action Of the directors, or 10 an
null the same, and establish such districts'
according 10 the requirements Of the law.
This error on the part OF the directors
originated in n misapprehcnsion Of the
meaning Of the law. Tho law says thai
Il
subdiyide school districts'
"This simply means that the district
directors shall have authority 10 say what
children shall attend house No. /, what
children shall attend house No. 2, house
No. 3, and 30 on, Of their respective die
tricts.
snow, In this connection, wish TO call
your especial attention 10 the fact that In
all counties where the schools have
reached the highest standard OF efficiency,
the school district and the civil district
areidcntical. would, therefore, earnestly
| recommend 10 your honorable bodies that
you cause the school districts 10 conform
rs far NJ possible with the civil districts.
81 wish 30 urge upon the chairmen OF
the respective county courts the impor-
lance OF requiring the trustees 10 make tho
proper financial reports 10 the county SUI
periniendents and the district directors Of
the school districts To this end call your
attention 20 Section ~, Chapter % Of the
acts Of 1873, towit That the county trrs-
tee shall keep separate accounts 81 the
State funds and county funds, showing
whence and ON what account the moneys
were scyenlly derived. and by what order,
on what account and 10 whom they were
distributed. and M soon ~ said moneys
are received be shall report the same 10 the
county superintendent and 10 the district
directors OF each school district.
"In addition 10 this. the county trustee
Is required 10 make an annual report 10
the county superintendent. on or before
the 18th day OF September, OF tina aucunt1
Of money received by him for school pur-
poses, and the disbursements OF the same.
lscc Section |, Chapter l2o, Of the acts Of
1871
"In the following counties the county
trustees have failed 30 make TO the county
supcrinicudcnts such annual report for
the year ending September 70, 1887, viz:
Anderson, Claiborne, Cooke, Hawkins,
jackson, Meip, Moore, Perry and Van
Buren,.
"a blank for such report h herewith
forwarded 10 the chairman Of the county
court Of each OF the above named counties.
with the request that said chairman will
soc that the report Is made and forwarded
at once 10 this Office.
81 earnestly request that the chairman
Of the county courts Of the State shall read
this circular, or cause Il TO be rcad 10 their
respective courts nj their January term,
1883. Very respectfully.
/ "fRAxE NJ. snIru,
state Supt. OF Public Instruction"
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