The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-10-15
Information Furnish ed.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla, Oct. 10, 1873!

TALLAHASSEE, Fla, Oct. 12, 1889.
To the Editor Of the FLoRIDIAN:
AS your correspondent, "Tax Payer,''
seems not only to want, but to be sadly in
need of information, will endeavor TO
supply him as far as the vague nature of his
charges can be reached -
First. A school term contains four school
months.
Second No school has been allowed to
run for "sevcn months with only tive
scholars"
The Centreville white school was the
only one which ran seven months, and it
had through the term a good average a.
tendance, as shown by the monthly re-
ports.
For the two additional months the School
Board granted small appropriation in adj
dition 10 the regular salary, at the request
of the patrons, 70 aid them in paying the
| teacher for the extra work.
The Board had granted extensions of the
regular term TO other schools when asked
for with the proper representation from
the patrons.
Third. There has been no instance of q
"negrO teacher allowed. to teach one term
and then with the same pupils move to an
ether house near by and teach another fuR
term"
Schools were opened at different times
during the last school year, both white and
cOlored, upon petitions made bv those who
were to be the patrons, when the reasons
| for granting the same were deemed sufa-
cient by the School Board None of thess
| were nearer than two or three miles of each
| other and in the instance of colOred schools
they were only granted in those neighboR-
hoods where the school already established
was crowded beyond the capacity OF the
house to accommodate and the power Of
the teacher to give the proper attention to
the pupils.
| Fourth 1t is not true that The county
teachers salaries were reduced. At the
beginning of the last school year the Board
met 10 fix the teachers salaries in five Of
the white schools they were put to lower
| figures in order to bring them down to an
equal footing with the other schools, based
on their attendance in number of schools
the salaries were put up higher for the
same reason, and the teachers knew what
they were to get when thsy entered on the
| work.
That part Of the charges relating 10 the
County Superintendent's salary and his
dating his warrants back to September
is not only silly, but deliberately false. I
came into office by appointment Septem-
Der, 1887 Tie School Board fixed my
salary for one year, which closed Septeu-
ber, 1883. leaving the time from then 70
January, 1889, to be arranged for. l was
commissioned in Jahuary, 1889, for four
years, TO succeed myself, by virtue of the
election held in November, 1888 Undor
this commission | entered into Office On
the first Tuesday in January. 1889: al their
first meeting in that month The Board fixed
my salary Tor one year and allowed com.
pensation for the intervening time from
September, 1888, TO January 1889, on the
same basis.
| In consideration of the increased amount
| or work connected with the Office the
! Board fixed the Superintendent salary st
an increased amount over the first years.
! The proposition came from member of
the Board Of Public Instruction and was
unanimously passed
| My salary never was "rased in the
spring" nor at any other time after it was
once fixed for the year
| never daied warrants back 10 SeDtem-
Der" nor did | ever issue any warrant en-
cept with lis proper date, under the knowl
edge and order OF the Board of Public In.
struclion. l challenge "Tax PAYER" 70
point out a single Instance in support OF
This frivolous charge, the records and books
at my offce are freely offered to his inspee-
lion iOr that purpose.
In conclusion, 1t may be well TO give 70
" Tax Payer Il bit OF charitable admoni-
ton, to beware how he is rushed into print
again by those county teachers" Our
footsteps should be SLOW and firmly planted
on plane so slippery.
n w. EPPEs.
County Superintendent.