Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-09
PROF. D. P. HURLEY.
His Idea of the Public school System Texas
& Ought to Have-Row 10 Perfect the
q Tresent Syst, IN.

Editor Gazette.
In your daily issue OF the 5th, you refer in a
short paragraph to circular issued by ny
friends of Parker county, in terms which I fear
may mislead some of your readers. Please
allow me few words of explanation.
II is true the circular referred to is the produc-
ton of friends and not of myself, yet it contains
fair statement, in brief, OF my sentiments.
However, you will find my views OF public
school policy more fully set forth in my speech
at Hillsboro the I'D ult and published in
your issue of the 24th.
In the first place, it is proper to say that do
not object TO Northern school systems merely
because they are Northern. 1 obJe-t TO the
principles which they involve and upon which
they rest. They are distinctively centralizing,
reducing local school authority to minimum,
and depositing the local power withdrawn from
the people in the hands of .plenary superin-
tendency. To this 1 do object, both upon
principle and in policy. The ninth article Of
the constitution of 1863, framed under the guber
Material rule of E. j. Davis and administered
by John c. DeGress as superintendent and sue
ceeded by o. N. Hollinsworth, was OF Northern
origin and fair type of that class of school
systems justly obnoxious to our criticism.
II is perhaps sufficient to say that Sec
ton OF that instrument put the schools in
stead of the school system, under the control OF
the uperintendent-that section provided for
compulsory education-that section demanded
compulsory local taxation and section deprived
the counties OF their ownership OF county school
lands, All these measures, in principle and eff
feet, are centralizing, abridging local authority
and curtailing the liberty of the citizen. Stand
ing on the constitution of 'i6, the condemnation
of Northern systems is unavoidable.
In the second place, object to Northern sys-
TENS because of their inadaptation to Texas
conditions. The concentration of school power
at the head of the educational department is
characteristic of Northern systems. Centraliza-
ton and compulsion, with its inevitable alb
sorption of local power, are closely correlated
and belong to Northern systems. Such systems
are designed TO be uniform and lnteIible. Mr..
Draper, superintendent Of New York, goes so
fer as to say in substance that the people must
too has and mi hn m
people. Such system, however, is not suited
to Texas. For obvious reasons she needs 1e1-
ible system-a system that can be made to adapt
itself the infinite diversity otlocal conditions
to be found everywhere throughout the st lie.
None but flexible system would suit her. The
ton in pursuance Of it furnish Just such
a system. 1t is abundantly flexible,
and this invaluable attribute of our present
system rests upon the liberal cnnferment of
discretionary power upon the people of local
school corporations, towns, cities, counties and
districts. Our present system is distinguished
for the prominence of local authority 1t is
system Astounding in options aud discretions,
und is therefore elastic and flexible. Thus we
have optional local taxation, optional extension
Of scholastic age, optional extension of the
course of study, optional county superin-
tendency, together with various other optional
powers, all designed to make the provisions for
public education adaptable to local peculiari-
ties All this large and liberal concession Of
school power to local corporations is based upon
faith in the people; The Ieople OF these local
tainly know their own condition and wants bet-z
ter than anyone else can know them, and are
more deeply interested in the educa ton of the5r
own children than il is possible for anyone eRe
to be- The policy of local authority then rests
upou the same solid foundation upon which all
republican institutions are based.
l. therefore, conclude that the present system
is right in theory and ought TO result well In
practice. Nevertheless, the public school syS4f
tenn authorized by the constitution OF '76 is nSk
vet fully developed, not yet perfect. Texas has,
made wonderful educational progress durinExEe
brief period OF its operation, end by judicfsns
legislation and well directed and forcefuk SO
ministration the system is susceptible Of lin :
definite expansion and improvement, and may
be kept in constant adjustment to thee er
changing local conditions and wants of the
people We do not, think, want a better sys-
lem than we now have, but the development. OF
our present system into greater efficiency and
towards perfection. As system it will grow
with the people and expand as educational
wants expand. 1t will be Texas system and
maintain q adjustment to the character and con-
dition of Texas 1t will in the long run turn
out better quality OF citizenship than is pos
sible for a system of unyielding coercions 20
do, s1Ekes pirit OF the system Will uDconsciously
u ibibed by those who are educated under is
Surely we shall do well to conserve in every way
the patriotism, the liberty-loVing quality Of the
citizen.
The needs Of the present system are many and
urgent-better teachers, better methods, better
schoolhouses. better teaching devices, better
supervision, better school sentiment, and betteE
MANY other things. But they are all obtainabI9
under the present system. We do not want a
better system. but the development and perfec-
ton Of It by all possible means and agencies.
D. p. HURLEY.