Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-25
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
INTERFERED WITH BY QUAR-.
TERLY EXAMINATIONS.
Petition to Governor Hogg to Bring the
Subject Before the Special Session
of the Legislature.

| Hon. James s. Hogg. Governor. Austin, Tex.
DEAR SIR-The following facts are set
| forth, and a petition follows, for which we
ask your careful consideration:
| Summer normal schools for the improve
| ment of teachers have become a fixture in
| the state, not by Legislative support. but by
| the self-Sacritice Of the teachers. Immeas-
| urable good has resulted from these sum-
mer meetings of progressive teachers, and
| every encouragement should be given to
| their continuance.
The usual time of closing nine and ten
months sessions of schools is about June /,
| so teachers vacations include the months of
| June, July and August
| BY the constitution of the State teachers
| association that body conveues annually
| the last Wednesday in June" by authority
| of the law enacted by the Twenty-second
| legislature (see chapter 116 section ga,
| county examinations must be held through
out the state ION Thursday and Friday fol-
| lowing the first Monday in july
If the summer normalS are held during
| June, they conflict with the meeting of the
| State teachers association; if held during
| July, the county examinations will very
| materially injure their success. August
| will be 50 late that attendance viii be small
| owing TO non-progressive teachers having
| already secured certificates at county ex-
| aminations in July, and owing further to
| the fact that teachers will not then have
| time TO secure the normal certificates pre-
| Vious to September l.
Acting upon the foregoing facts, ard the
| belieI that an extra session of the Twenty
second legislature will be called at an early
| date, we, the undersigned stockholders
| and teachers of most respectfully petition
that you, as governor, will, if you call an
extra session of the legislature, direct at
tention to the arbitrary fixing ola quarterly
examination of teachers for the public free
| schools regardless of the convenience of the
teachers or the requirements of the schools,
and ask that the same be remedied SO as 20
allow the month of July TO be free from any
appointment that would conflict with the
interests of said normals.
We believe this to be case OF urgent pc
cessity, and that the remedy will meet the
approval of our most progressive teachers
throughout the state.
We have the honor, sir, to be your most
obedient servants, F. E. ADAMS,
County Judge Johnson county, Tex.
S. NJ. n. MARS,
Superintendent Schools, Cleburne. Tex
CLEBURNE. TEX, November IL, 1891.
DEAR STR-Inclosed herewith you will
find 4 petition to the governor, to which
YOUR special attention is called. As you
well know the Legislature can transact no
business except that authorized by the call
of the governor.
1t is thought best not to call attention to
be no division in our ranks on this question,
whereas there might be should other issues
be raised. Let us as teachers and school
officers abide by the law IN SO far as its
general objects are concerned, and if in the
end il proves obnoxious it will be repealed.
The petition asks only that date be
changed; 1t does not seek to affect the gen
eral purposes of the law. viii you not aid
us in this workl About 5000 teachers at
tended the normals of 1891; if the law is
not changed, the attendance in 1892 will
surely be less than 1890 Can we afford TO
wait until this calamity is upon usl Are
not the normals beneficiala And if You as
an individual have no interest in the nor
mails, it will certainly not be against your
wishes to join US in this request Suppose
the July examinations could be fixed Au-
gust !, and the normals held during July
as usual. then teachers could be given
choice of examinations, either county or
normal, the same board of examiners could
conduct the examinations, the state super
intenGent could issue one list of questions.
Those desiring normal certificates could
have their manuscript sent to Austin those
desiring county certificates could receive
them from the county board. This ar
rangement would greatly increase the at
tendance at the norInals and at the same
time would give training 10 a great number
of inexperienced teachers. This is only
suggestive; any change will be welcomed
that will obviate The difficulty mentioned in
the petition.
Please sign and request others to do like
wise If you get no more than half a dozen
signatures, send it in. Three hundred cop
les are circulated throughout the state, and
if teachers will manifest the interest they
should, hundreds of names will 60 TO the
governor asking this favor.
As time is pressing and the governors
call may be issued any day, send the petit
tion in incloseG envelope to Superintendent
Carlisle not later than January l., 1892 II
your teachers institute meets soon please
call the attention of that body to the sub
ject. If you get IL ready earlier than Jan
nary / send it in without delay Do not
wait several days to get one or two sigma
lures.
Hoping you will realize the great neces-
sity of this measure, and that you viii spare
no pains in securing signatures, we remain,
yours in the interest OF education,
S. NJ. n. MARRs,
Superintendent schools
Z. z ADAMS, 49,
County ind ya johnson cnupf