Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-05-26
NEW LAWS.
Measures Perfected BY ibs Twsub-ThIrd
Legislature

AtHIoiathI0
Austin, Tex, May "a Especially.
Tho most Important or the general
The most ompprtant Of the general
laws filed with the secretary OF state by
the governor on Saturday, May 20, was
the general school law which will make
a very long division out Of Chapter III
of the now general laws. The greatest
benefit 10 10 derived FROM the passage Of
this act IL the general codificalion at all
school law which u contains. Hereto,
fore the laws relating TO tue great senOOi
eystem OF Texas have been 90 widely
scattered In the statute book and so
hcedlessly enacted that contradiction was
frequent and Obscurity everywhere prey
alent. The new law Is book 10 itself
containing ninety~ix sections. IN nus
account u was generally known an Mn, w
synopsis can only give few OF the
most general changes which the new law
will bring about.
The most general change Is m add
tion Of one year 10 scholastic age, chang
log the period FROM $ TO 10 10 . 20 H.
Tue certificate law which has raised
such a stir In the teachers world. is in
corporated In the act with tho following
prominent changes; Each grade Is raised
70 a higher standard by the addition OF
subjects for examination aud fourth
or permanent grade ia created wherein u
teacher may, upon wide examination
aud high average, obtain a certificate
good during acceptable behavior. This
% very acceptable change and will pre-,
vent the necessity Of standing periodical
examinations on The part Of teachers OF
undoubted ability and proficiency. The
third grade certificate Is 90 be good Tor
one year and only Ia the county where
Issued Second and first grade certih.
Gates are good for four years II obtained
with an average on examination OF NJ
per cent and two years, with On average
of 70 per cent. II stnte certificate u
desired the examination papers are sent
10 the state board Of examiners and II
found properly graded, tho county ees
tihcate IL taken up aud state cetll-
cate. good all aver the state IL Issued.
A further change Is that when Il teacher
desires to advance from the second 10 the
first grade, Instead Of having as now to
stand the new examination on az tho
subjects required examination only on
the additional subjects embraced la the
first over the second grade Is necessary.
City certificates are divided into Two
elnssos. permanent holding during good
behavior and Temporary good for four
years Tho maximum amount TO be
paid out IN trnchers salaries is also IN
creased; for third grade teachers, from
so to $40; for second grade teachers.
from $50 90 $40; for first grade teachers
The maximum u left at $50 aud that fixed
for the new or permanent grade u so
The great bane OF the present system,
the community cOuntiea, are reduced 10
only twenty.scyen. As IL generally
known diRtricl county has board Of
at.hool commissioners or trustees who di-
vide the county into permanent districts,
each able 10 maintain school out of It's
share Of tho state school fuad 10 be fur
ther supplemented by tax levied upon
the reaidents VI the district. The com-
munity system il merely u banding to.
gether " enough residents IN any part nf
nn undlsihctiqi county for school purposes
90 have school for one year. upon
which there Is little restriction Of any
kind either as 10 the entrance Of pupils
or the residence OF their parents, II Is
further provided that inslend OF the here
tofore necessary legislative enactment
70 change county FROM the community
TO the district system, the county com
miasionors court change u.
A change il also made In relation to
tho cnlorcd schools. The old law 10,
aulrnd pro rata sharc OF the school
fluid To b. divided between the whites
aud blacks according. TO the scholastic
population, In the black distfiris this
gave a very long school term TO the black
children and very short term TO Tie
whites, despite the fact that the white
poprlaiion pays the greater share OF the
school tax. The change allows the eoung
" commissioners IN school district c'ui.
ties TO make impartial provision out Of
the joiut fund due the county, 50 ns to
Owe equal terms TO white aud black.
Under the old law the district school
tax, once liked, could not he changed
with ease or driinitcness, The amended
act provides that Il may be In
creased or decreased by two
thirla vote of the voters aud
mny be abolished by majority vote.
a. a4tNnflutaIttlguf n lumWNr
required TO make the county school cen
sus. but the district trustees and the
county assessor Ia community counties
are required 80 to do The salaries OF
supernteudrntA IN counties OF less Than
1000 scholastic population Ia liked W
$500; Ia counties with II population of
from 1000 10 1000, az NoOi ~ counties
with u population Of FROM 1910 20 5000,
$1,000; from bOtO to COCO, NllOO all
over COCO, $1,000.
Instead of forcing teachers to hold
their pay certificates until the school
fund Is received Ia the county treasury,
IL IL provided that the superintendent
may approve them Mt the cud Of each
month and TINT TINY may be negotiable
The county school trustees are per
mittcd TO spt aside for iiyc years q por
tun Of the school fund not To exceed 20
PEI cent. for building purposes
IT prohibits the trhnrfcr of pupils and
money from one county To another.
IL permits the consolidation of ALTA
cont schOol districts upon the applcas
tiun of u majority of the people thpniu,
IN order TO allow the introduction In tile
combined districts OF common graded
school.
provisions ~ the law, which Is expected
10 comhinp and greatly facilitate the or
Grafton OF the great school system of
Texas,