The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-10-03
Educational DEPARTMENT..
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j. j. ZUCCARELLo, EDITOR.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS,

Tenneshee is Unlike all o,he,
states OF the urion in regard to hei
system OF public school. The
school tax OF other states is fixed
Dy their Legislators and pro rated
ny the comptroller ID the several
counties according to the scholss-
TIC population, but Tennessee al
lows her legislature to levy only a
small tax which is pro rate az in
other states and then allows the
county court af each county lew
an additional tax sufficient to run
1he schools as long AS the courts
think best. Thus we see tbat our
c,uoty court play a very promi-
lnent part in the education of the
children.
ouch system as ours-makino
each county responsible for the ed
ucation Of it's children enables
the cities and richer counties to
lnanSurate good system OF
schools with small tax, while the
poorer counties must tax them
selves heavily IN order t. secure
lew moths OF public school.
For Instance DAVIDSON county with
~ cent tax has an average ot
nne months IN her schools. with
m average teachers salary of $50
per month, while Cum be, land coup
W, with Z3a cents tax has months
an average teachers salary orS22I
per month.
whether it would be expedient
TO change the present system -
not has been ably discu.r ii "
the meeting of the Tenncr.,e G.
Teachers Associate. and =, ' .so
convention convention OF the tublie school OF.
neers oil The s''.sc, 'rhu reprosen.
tat'ves Of ne poowr sount,es al.
ways 'aEcred change. while
tnoSs oil thCrieber counties favored
Vae present Wstsm..
Ot coure lt-interest wouId
naturally cause, Two sntaaonis,ic
paru's ~ this question, Tor the
poorer conaiio' would DO greatly
benetsed by thd increased amount
OF school, tuna that they woald 70.
Gelve by tina universal atistrtbation
while tho richer counties wonld
suffer from tue decrease of their
funds. As representative of
more thsn $4,000 children IN one
OF Ae richest counties of the
state, | have> of course, been adyo-
cate of the present system.
Now, We acc thaE nntier such n
state system as ours the county
courts are responsible in great de-
gree Tor ,se success on the eduea-
Sonal interest in the several coun.
ties. 10 them is entrusted the
election OF the most important Of
ficer in the pablo schools-,he
county superiutendent-and the
levyIng o the taxes-sibe fopnda-.
ZION oil 'hc wholp system.
Our county ranks seventh In
wealth and population, but ia the
average /, Myth of her school term
she stands al No. 25. rbis can be
attributed altogether TO lack OF
school funds, nor lack OF the If.
Acient management of the same,
bat must arise from n fault Ia
both. A hearty cooperation Of
the peope with the county court
on the one hand and the county
board OF directors on the other can
finally overcome this fault. In
view OF the fact that to the county
court - entrusted three OF the
most important things in connec-
ton with our public school. viz, ::
The election OF a count superin.
tendant, the levying of the scaool
tax and the establishment ql the
district lines, II behopXes It's n
bers tn exercise q sope
tIor "os thesa .ldsrat
.hlnqa. ~ the ex c
is' .nree imports
be
o be hoped that l will
cons idrred as trying TO dicti
for the county court just because
prescribe the following remedy
the Ills of our county schools.
lst. Let Us have at the h'
OF our schools a competent super
tendant, skilled in the art and pr
tiee of teaching rs the laws dire
and fully alive TO the needs and
terest OF the county
End. Under he new assessm
Law the school fund amounts
about $25, 900. With an additic
levy Of "a cents it will amour
5000. Now reduce the num
Of school from $50 TO 100 prop
located, aud employ none bot
class teachers for those school
salary of $45. 90 per month.
will give US six months term
will really amount 10 ten MOI
For each of these competent lei
ers. If three mouths can be t..