Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-12-30

rote Of its people to raise money within
limit, for the building Of its
,chool house; and for that purpose TO
ssue bonds payable in yearly install.
nents and to levy tax for the payment
Of the same. Two or more adjoining dis
tricts should have power to unite in the
erection of high school for their joint
benefit 4
4. An effective system of examination Of
teachers should be provided. This should |
be BY q territorial board which might sit In |
the different counties or might be held by
the territorial superintendent and two
county uperintendents, the object being to
obtain a competent and impartial examin-
ing board. Certificates should be issued OF
three grades, the first to authorize the hold
er to teach in the ordinary district schools
and the Others in those of higher rank, and
no person should beallowed to be employed
or paid asa teacher except those holding
such certificates. This is necessary in order
to insure competent instructors and to pre-
vent the possible employment of improper
persons through Partially on the part OF
school officers. II also will be an incentive
to our young men and women to perfect
themselves in the necessary branches OF ed
ucation in order to be qualified as teachers.
s. Changes should be made in the law as
the election or appointment of persons OF
known ability, thoroughly competent TO
supervise the educational affairs of their
counties; and the method of compensation
should be revised. Grave abuses have oc-
CURED under the present system; utterly un.
fit men have in some cases been elected, and
in Others they have collected large salaries
based on alleged services never really per
formed, and thus absorbed important sums
of money which should have been devoted
to instruction in tho districts.
9. Better provision should be made for
the collection of the poll tax. There are a
number of precincts in which this tax II
fully collected would produce very con
siderable sum, and enable the schools to be
carried on with increased efficiency without
a special tax. But in practice, only small
part of the poll tax is collected, the constable
who is the present collector not wishing to
lose personal popularity by proper per
Torrance of his duty. would suggest that
the district school board be authorized to
appoint collector for all poll-taHcs not col
lected within thirty days by the constable
this would probably result in obtaining
nearly the whole amount.
7. A territorial superintendent, az the
head of the educational system, is a neces'
sity. This has frequently been recommend
ed before, and as a recognized want. The
right man in such a position will impar'
efficiency to all other parts of the system
He will see that the county superintendent
perform their duties properly, and by his
counsel can do much to encourage the cree
ton Of suitable school houses, the selection
of competent teachers, and an increased
general interest in education.
8. Teachers institutes should be provided
IN ha hall ~ panh each
cial district for one week In each year, so a.
to create the proper unity of action anc
method among our teachers, and to keel
them abreast ofthe times in all modern i'm
proysments in their profession.
8. At present, the terms of county super
} intendents begin on January LIST, and
school directors on February LIST. Thes'
dates are lust about the middle Of the schoo
year. Any change in management ther
produces confusion. Teachers usually hav
to be engaged from September to June, AM
the school directors must either engage be
yond their own terms, or else try to &c
some unemployed person to teach for few
months on the chance of being re-engage'
by the succeeding board. | recommend
J that the official term of all school officer
; begin on July /. That isjust after the clos
of our school year, and sufficient time be
!, full opportunity to employ Conipeten
3 teachers July is the month for maxim
I such engagements throughout the country
t THIS plan will also give to each board {
/, school directors, one entire school year
r which to conduct the school uninterrupted
$ ". 1t seems such desirable change as nc
to require much argument.
c With these suggestions / commend tn
r subject to your most earnest consideration
4 PAY OF ASSESSORS AND COLLECTORS.
. No subject has attracted more public al
' tention and none calls for more speedy re
t form on your part, than the exorbitan
a amounts paid to the assessors and collet
tors of taxes under existing laws.
:. These amounts have gradually increase
.. from year to year until they have becom
I entirely out OF proportion to the wor
!, performed, and absorb q percentage c
!. the entire tax raised by the people tbs
r ia unheard OF elsewhere and exceedingl
: onerous to the tax payers.
Q The tax collector 10 tho sheriff, and re
) ceives his large compensation as collecto
9 in addition to his fees as sheriff, aggrt
eating in the larger counties an amour
paid to few other officers in the Unite
. States.
q Besides the wrong inflicted on tie pee
! pie by exacting from them these unres
> sonable amounts, an injury scarcely les
o serious is found in the complete politics
! Generalization which the existence {
Q this enormous con )ensation to two off
cials produces in many of our counties
These offices become political prizes, to b
. fought for, with no regard to other con
; siderations; and in the active work c
elections, everything else is subordinate
, to them. Neither is of great intrinsic i'm
Z portance, or requires any special talent
t an assessor should be man of goo
e judgment and acquainted with his county
e q collector should be honest and familia
!. with the keeping of accounts yet in GU
2 elections far more attention is paid +
! those two offices of moderate Importance
than to the selection even OF members @
the legislature, who are to make the law
' under which we live, and should be mel
, Of the highest ability and intelligence.
ASSESSORS.
When the compensation OF assessor
, was first fixed 1t did not appear so OK
r travagant. The valuation in the territor
e was then comparatively small, and tn
percentage allowed did not form q larg
sum. The legislature in order to offer Al
. incentive to a full assessment of all prop
!. erty, concluded that commission was
y wise form of compensation, and fixed
a at 80 cents on each 81 900 Of valuation
= As the tax was then a uniform one OF
0 per cent, the compensation was stated q
# s per cent Of the tax, as convenien
:. method of computation. OF cours
d there is no more difficulty in assessing
It piece of property worth 81 900 when tn
e tax is per cent than when it was l pc
G cent; the assessment roll is not change
= by the rate of taxation; but owing to tn
. peculiar form OF statement above mer