The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-01-19

AO0l
needed changes in the school laws 0
the state:
Municipal organization-The fac
that there are three methods of organ
Izing city schools now on the statutes
leads to much confusion and man,
conflicts. The efficiency of the school,
will be much improved by limiting
cities organized under special charter
and the general law to the election
method already provided. But tn,
statutes, in relation to the election o
school boards, should be so modified
as to insure continuous board, only
a minority of the members retiring a
one time. The membership should b,
limited to the elected trustees and TIT
mayor. County judges and county
superintendent have no functions II
boards of independent districts.
Fitness for position as trustee cuts nc
figure in their election, and the PEG
pie of the district cannot hold them
responsible for their actions as trus
tees.
County schools, county superintend'
ents-We recommend that the law
governing the duties of the county
superintendent be SO amended as tC
take away from the duties of said of.
flee the taking of the scholastic cen.
sus, and the taking of said census be
made the duty of tbs assessor OF
taxes, and that it be made the duty of
county superintendent to procure
lists of scholastic pupils in each dis
trict or community through the trus.
tees Thereon, and compare them with
the assessors rolls, 30 that one officers
work will act asa check on the 9TH
er's, thus assuring accuracy and fair
ness.
All counties under supervision Of
county superintendeets-We recon-
mend that in all counties of the state,
tn office of county superintendent be
created by the legislature, removing
the power OF creating and abolishing
seid office from the powers of the
commissioners court, and that In
sparsely settled sections of this state
two or more counties may be united
in order to make scholastic popula-
ton of $500, and that q superintend.
ent be elected for such district, and
that he election of county superin'
tendent take place at the June elec-
ton of trustees biennially.
Universal district system-We rec
ommend that all counties not includ
ed in the district system be at once
placed under the operation of the
said system, and that no district
shall be organized with scholastic
population less than fifty, unless the
district contains at least thirty-siz
square miles.
Certificates; longer terms While
we favor higher standard of scholar
ship for certificates, we also favol
making the certificate good for 8
longer term than at present, where
the applicant shows high scholarship
and we further favor life GER ificate'
for teachers passing satisfactory ex
animation and with five years. sue
cessful experience.
University Pedagogical DeOart
ment-We also recommend that
diploma from the pedagogical de art
ment of the State University have thu
force and effect of life certificate
Publish the Names of Holders o
Life Certificates = We recommend
that the legislature require the stat,
superintendent to publish in his bi
ennial report the names of all who re
ceive life and state certificates under
the present law.
Pay of the Teachers-We recon-
mend that the law be changed so tina
teachers shall receive the cOmpensa
ton due them promptly at the expira
ton of each months service, and w
further recommend that county gu
perintendents and ex-officio count.
superintendents be paid quarterly
but that the last quarters salary o
such officer may be held until his an
nual re port has been approved by thu
state superintendent.
Boards of Trustees-We further re
commend that the term of office of al
school trustees be so changed that tn
board will be continuous, not NOR,
than one. third of the members going
out of office at one time.
Normal schOols-We further recon-
mend that another normal school b.
05GaDllSu6u NY tHo obdto WI ohO oi"ih
ing of white teachers, said school tt
be under the control of a special boar
of regents.
Summer normals-Whereas, Their
is now no law governing summer nor
mails, ther sfore, we recommend tina
the legislature autho ize the estab
lishment of summer normals for whit
teachers in each senatorial district
and for colored teachers in each con
gressional district, and that the con
ductors thereof be appointed on sh
recommendation of the teachers of tn
districts, and that the issuance of Ger
tificates by said normals be provided
for by law.
We recommend a;thorough revision
of the law governing public education
so that it shall be simplified an
made consistent with itself.
Yesterday was another very quie
day in both branches of the legisla
ture both houses adjourning befor
noon until this morning Quite larg
number of bills were introduced an
referred to the proper committees VIII