The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1892-01-13
EDUCATIONAL FACTS.

wcther Nindicator by Hon. j, NJ.
Terrell:
Frequently since the adjournment
Of the Legislature have teen asked
as 20 the amount o.. the school 'uud
for next year, and thinking it misht
interest sone OF your readers | viii
I'VE you 81 short sketch ofail lesis!a-
ion CD ibis subject.
lh. Constitution OF 1877 requires
the tax on shows and whiskey aGd the
poll tax to he devoted to school purs
poses To this amount the Legisa-
Ime from time to time has added by
special aci, oue-half the rental Of the
State road, net fees arising from in-
spection laws, net hire Of convic's.
dividends on Georgia railroad stock
owned by the state, and the proceeds
derived from sale OF oyster privileges.
These amounts have usually made
about $500, 600 annually, The Leg
stature Of 1SS8~S9 added to the sum
Sl65, 600 from property tax. which
made the school fund tor 1899 about
$3.50, coo. The same Legislature ap,
propriated for 1890 1880, 900 from
property tax and the amount derived
from tax on increased values for the
proceeding year, which was about
s50, 900, making for that year about
$3.50, 600.
The late Legislature appropriated
the sum of $500, 900 from property
tax and made the same provisions az
to increased taxable values, which
increase available ior this year was
100000. To these amounts add
$50, 900, the increased rental Of the
State road for the last six mouths OF
the present scholastic year, and you
will find the school fund for 1891 to
be about 81 10000. For next year
the fund vii! be as follows: From
the special taxes and State road rental
about S650,o00, this increase occa-
stoned by the rental of the State road
and by the change of the whiskey tax
from $50 to 500; from property tax
$500, 900; from increased value
| $4,000: making lhe fund aggregate
for 1892 the sum OF 81 1885. 600, over
100000 more for 1891. This
amount will enable the schools to run
five months in 1892 and pay the
teachers in full for that time. 1t the
same ratio Of increase in taxable
property prevails in 1892 and 1888 as
has for the last two years and the
Legislature allows the present appro-
priatious TO stand unaltered, we will
have in 1898 six months schools, with
teachers paid in tulI.
The only change this Legislature
made in the school law, except in>
creased appropriations, wss that OF
allowing teachers examined at other
times than the days named by the
State School Commissioner, and to
authorize the county board OF edu
cation III their discretion, to employ
teachers by paying salaries.
The senate committee on pubic
schools reported bill pre-
pared by Il Subcommittee composed
OF senators Irvine, Tutum, FIyrt and
the writer, revising and changing
the entire school system, and after
several days contest the bill was pass
ed by the senate. Amongst other
changes this bill provides that the
county board OF commissioners should
co sist OF one member from each
militia district, that the schools should
be under the supervision and control
OF three district trustees, and that a
a member OF the county board should
be one Of those district trustees, that
all questions arising should first be
decided before the district trustees,
and any party dissatisfied might ap-
peal to the county board, that the
teachers should be paid quarterly by
the county school commissioner, upob
accounts approved by the district
trustees, that the county commissions
er should apportion the school fund
for the county amongst the various
districts in the same manner as the
state school commits Toner apportlons
the state fund among the various
counties, that the public school term
should be fixed by the county board
tor such time as the money would pay
the teachers in full, and authorized
the board to divide the term and pres
scriJe what months the schooi shall
re taught. 1t also provided that the
members OF the county board might
be elected as tther county officers,
whenever the grand jury so recom~
mended. In fact, the system sought
to bring the schools and the people
nearer together.
The house committee on education
took the position that no change OF
the present system was either demand.
ed by the people or necessary, and saw
fit not to report this bill, but reported
a substitute providing that all money
tor school purposes be paid directly
into the state treasury ana that the
teachers be paid quarterly. This
substitute passed the house and the
senate refused to concur, and insisted
upon the original bill. A conference
committee was appointed to ccnide
the differences between the two
Houses. This committee consisted
OF jackson, Fleming and Bolfuellet
on the part OF tie House, and Irvine,
Flynt and the writer on the part OF
the Senate. The members Of the con.
terence committee we're about rs tar
apart as the two houses, and alter
several meetings it looked very much
like they would never agree on any
thing. At our last meeting, beins
fully satisfied that the House com
mitiee would never recede from their
position, Senator Flynt and The wrl
ter agreed to it simply because it
contain, d provision looking towards
doing an act OF loDg-deiayed justice to
the teachers-that OF paying them
III. 'tLo ,,rpy5sn tH4t This nor.