Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-24
BOSS TEACHERS.
Texas School Superintendent
Meet at Austin.
So TEACHERS ASSEMBLED.
Synopsis OF Questions Discussed and who
Discussed Them-Legislators Re-
membered in the Delhi
erations.
Special to the Gazette.

AUSTIN, Tex, June 23-Representative
hall was comfortably filed at 10 a. N. to-
day, when the members of The School Su-
perintendents' association came together IN
annual conference. There were SAID to be
about five hundred teachers in the city,
most Of whom were present. The chair
was occupied by L. j. Witt of Salado, presi-
dent of the association. After the invocation
by Rev. MIR. Garrett of Austin, Professor
R. W. Lowry of Austin delivered the adj
dress of welcome which was responded to
by Professor o. II Cooper of Gal
weston. In the course OF his ad-
dress Mr.. Cooper remarked that the
time had come when the educators
of Texas might speak out and send forth
in clear, strong tones an expression of
their wants, and the needs of the schools.
They should not fear the politicians.
These live on the breath Of the people
Educate the people properly and no one
need fear the politicians. The time is
past when the politician should have
the school system of Texas, If properly
evolved, should-and would-equal that
of Massachusetts, and New York.
Before concluding he condemned in an
earnest manner the class of unprincipled
men who apply for superintendencies not
vacant. In his address to the association
President Witt Endorsed the language of
L
hand methods of those who try to GUST in
Cumbents and so make vacancies where none
exist. He congratulated the association on
the harmony and good feeling existing
among the members of the association. He
congratulated them in the scope of knowl-
edge, and speaking ironically, said that they
were considered competent to take
of the children of the state, a
great and important charge, but went far
beyond their duty when they suggested to
the legislature reforms and improvements
in school matters. The lawmakers knew
far better than the teachers what was good
for the schools, and so acted in legislating.
Professor Alexander of Corsicana dis
cussed the subject, $50 what Extent should
free Education be carriedl" In the course
of his remarks he took occasion to say that
the state should not in the public free
schools aim to give every child high
school training, neither should the state
give professional training. He opposed
both.
Professor Esten of Huntsville, who
should have discussed the matter further,
was absent.
W. D. Love of Cisco and Maj. Banks of
Bryan made some remarks on the subject
T. G. Harris of Dallas discussed the
topic-'Is Uniformity in the Graduation of
Public Schools advisable. If so how may it be
brought abouta" Mr.. Harris, though not on
the ground that it led to Capitalization,
thought the community should have con-
troll of its own school affairs, and not have
to submit to a central autocracy. He did
not. like the word uniformity, since it ap-
pcaied IN such hideous deformity in the de-
funct textbook bill.
W. H. Pool of Fort Worth agreed with
Mr. Harris on the question of uniform
graduation and wanted to know how it would
work in country schools.
Professor Sutton of Houston disagreed
in toto with the gentleman, arguing that
it was even good and sound
democracy to have the sort OF
uniformity of graduation mentioned.
Professor Cooper said that the question
had passed beyond the region of legitimate
discussion. 1t was now merely a question
of law. There is bound to be central con-
troll of the schools or there can be no CO.
herent development of our schools. 1t is
absolutely necessary to arouse local inter-
est in schools, and supervise the same.
Professor Carlisle of Fort Worth favored
uniformity for the country schools as ad
vantageouS.
Judge Adams of Preside thought that
the school system should either be made
compulsory in Texas or the schools should
be controlled by local management.
Professor Alexander and several others
adjournment was had to 2:30.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
On meeting after dinner Professor Bry-
ant of Austin read paper on Local
Taxation; to What Extent Should It be
Carried? Is Compulsory Taxation Advis-
ablel' He held that school tax should be
local, and not general. Under the present
The school census of last year showed
100000 more children than the
United States census found. In
some of the cities of the
state the school children comprise one
third instead ST one-fifth of the entire pop
ulation Of the school where there is local
taxation. The schools of Texas are poor;
it the school can make but poor progress.
If the schools were to depend on
should be raised from 20 to 40
or so cents on the 500. He favored a
change in the constitution from partial
state and local tax system to purely local
one.
must be some mistake in saying that there
was so much fraud in the taking of the
school census, as Professor Bryant stated.
He thought that the odium expressed so
freely among the teachers for the text
book bill as passed by the legislature
was not proper. The people asked
for the bill, and it was passed accordingly.
H. did not like it, but did not see how the
legislature could ignore the popular de-
mand. neither did he believe that local tax
alton was alone sufficient to maintain good
schools.
A number OF other gentlemen spoke on
the question favoring, for the most part
liberal local tax and continuing the state
tax.
The trend Of sentiment among the supeSu.
intendents was in favor of increased taxa
ton, state as well as local
Professor Chandler of Killeen was an
nounced and delivered an Grafton on the
possibilities of the public school system of
Texas, that was remarkable, chiefly, for
highly rhetorical cast that barely
escaped the imputation of grandiloquence.
Professor Latimore of Waco discussed the
subject in an of-hand manner, giving some
attention to ignorant and narrow-minded
trustees whose want of sense and knowl-
edge often kept their schools in hot water
and largely destroyed their usefulness.
Education of the people will remove or re-
place such barnacles.
This closed the discussion for the day,
and the association then proceeded to bust
ness. $50
Professor Humphreys, chairman OF The
committee on resolutions, reported in SUBJ
stance resolutions thanking the people
of Austin and the railroads for
courtesies extended, condemning lin
strongest terms the application BY
superintendent for a position that is not
vacant, and thanking the officers Of the as
duties.
Tho foIloyvino ofioore ,voro o,oc&.3.