Smyrna times., 1891-05-06
The Ross Bill.

~
notice in our columns of the progress
of Senate Bill No. %, commonly known
as the "Ross Bill" Up to very re-
cent date, no interest in its provisions
was taken by our citizens, from the
fact that our school is a chartered one
and has hitherto been practically
independent of state or county control .
No copy Of the bill was sent to any one
Of our school or town officials, so that
until Principal Yocum procured a copy
on last Saturday, not a citizen ofSmyr-
ma knew that an attempt was being
made to subVert the charter of our
schools and place them under the direct
control of the county superintendent
and the general control of state
superintendent who is provided for in
the bill. Other harmful features of
this remarkable bill will be discussed
further on.
The bill has already passed the Sen
ate during the enforced absence of Sen
ator Williams, who is firmly opposed
to it-and is now in the hands
of the House Committee on
Education. 1t is feared that an at
tempt will be made to rush it through
the House during the excitement that
always marks the close of a legislative
session.
''In Section 1, of this bill, it is enacted
that the Governor, the State Treasurer,
the Secretary of State, the Auditor of
accounts and the State Superintendent
of Public Schools herein after provided
for, they and their successors in Office,
shall constitute the State Board of Ed
ucation for this State" AS the honora-
BILE associates of this newly created su-
perintendent will necessarily be pre-
vented by their official duties from
taking any deep interest in school af-
fairs, he will virtually WELD all the
powers of the board. His power will
be absolute as long as in its exercise
no existing State laws are infringed,
(Sec. III, 1-5) and will be exercised in
the pettiest matters pertaining to school
government, (Sec. III, 1917 For
example, parent who thinks that his
child should have been promoted to a
higher grade than the one to which il
was assigned or who objected to a well.
meritCd thrashing that his child had
received from the teacher, could appeal
from the decision of the principal and
directors to the State Board of Educa.
ton.
This honorable board is specifically
given the power to perpetrate one OF
the most mOnstrOus absurdities that
was ever proposed to legislative body
ITO prepare and submit to the commits
siOners of any free school or schools in
this State, a course of study for their
information and approval and if SC
approved, to provide that such course
of study shall be enforced by the
teachers Of the State" So, course of
study arranged by one man,-foI
what will the honorable associates ot
the State superintendent know about
courses of study-a course arranged by
one man and adopted by the three
commissioners of "any" country school
must be enforced by the teachers Of
the State"-Surely a Daniel has come
to judgement Perhaps the honorable
gentleman from Sussex meant to saw
''if so approved By a mGjOrity of tht
Jree schools" That, however, would
simply make the absurdity more legal
Smyrna and Dover might vote mo
but if the country schools should vote
YES" the finest graded schools in the
State ould have to adopt a curricu
lum adapted to the capabilities of this
average country school.
But this isn't all, the textbook,
adopted by the state board in July o.
last year will be saddled uDon tbe
schools, necessitating the casting aside
OF better ones now in use. (Sec. III
Sl-4S. mo change shall be made in
the said text. books except at the meet.
ings to be held every five years"
In this age of educational reform
improved textbooks are continually
being published, and any intelligent
and competent principal of schools will
want them adopted by his directors
but the State will select his text. books
for him if the "ROss Bill" becomes {
law.
And still more the State will no,
only select our text.b books for us. bul
purchase them for US, as well, and gen.
erousiy furnish them "free'' to our
school children--only that their cost
will be deducted from our animal an.
preparations and taxation will be cor.
respondingly increased. (Sec v. vi
VII, and VIII.)
This uperintendent, who is to do al
this for us will also take charge of tht
COlored Schools, decide upon their 10.
cation, appoint their teachers. fix the
teachers salaries and have complete
control OF the appropriation TO colored
schools which, is increased by this bin
from six to ten thousand dollars. Ol
course, all right-minded persons see
that there would be no chance here fo,
politics to creep into the management
OF the public schools and for the an
preparation to become an iustrumenj
for personal good to the party that
happened to be in power.
But this is enough to give an idas
OF the leading features Of the law.
Of course it will be understood thai
we have no objection to the proposed
boards keeping a full record of tbeiI
proceedings" and adopting and usino
common scalp. This reminds one
OF story OF a young man, eeonomi-
caliy inclined, who took pair ofshoes tc
shoemaker and asked if they werf
worth repairing. "Yes," responded
the shoemaker, "the sOles and uppers
are pretty far gone but might save
the shOe-strings."
The gentleman from Sussex saw,
that Sussex needs such a law as the
one one we have just discussed. Well, 4
Sussex needs it, let Sussex have II
Kent doesn't want it-Smyrna doesn't
and If the law is passed, our citizens
VIII not soon forget the honorable gen.