The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-09
TRUSTEES OF SCHOOLS.
IS. N. IN. Marrs Wrltcs Of the New Law
just Passed.
ne SAYS II is 4 VERY WISE MEASURE
Divorccs the Control Of the schools
OF the state from the Iniuuities
OF Municipal Politics.

tyl Will be enacted during The present see
zop q tnt lssislsiure tnan me law p roSlaiIs
* hool districts.
ice constitution provides that tho legisla-
.rrs rlAy constituts any city OF town sepa'
rate aud ludepcnaent schooi district. tArtl-
.le III, section 10. constitutiopl The later
part OF section 3, article WI, constitution, eX-
sppts incorporated cities or towns eonst'-
Iuting separate and Independent school ais
tfirts from the restrieton OF fate OF taxa
lson Tor school purposes. aud the statutes
lialit such rate OF taSatiun 10 70 cents on the
tlSl valuation OF property, With Inc additional
rsto OF - cents on the sl00 Tor building pur-
poses, II 10 each case tSostnirds OF the prop
erN taxpayers OF the independent dlsriets
desire the tax 20 be levied lArticles 3l9S,
iNao. Revised Statutes. 1851 The State board
OF education. III making It's apportlonment OF
StLis available school FUNDS, upon per cap
ia basis, Issues q certificate OF superintendent
TO each city or town which has assumed con-
irci OF its schools. A similar certificate is
also issued to tho counties. From the consti.
tuition and the statutes an Independent school
district may be defined az city, town or VII
iage that has assumed contro. OF It's scnuuis
and thereby receives the privilege OF levylng
a higher r4te OF taxation than In the ordnary /
school district, and also receives It's apportion
pient Of State avaiiablo school fund direct |
from the STATE snd not through the county
officials
The writer was led 10 investigate this SUB
lect last year 10 the preparation OF paper
read 10 Galveston before the Superln;endonts !
and Principals ASSOCIATION, and the following |
ctssify OF come uniform method OF control Of
schools 10 such independent districts muy be
showu;
tricts In tna state Of these. lO6 are incor-
poratlons for school purposes only tact Of
1851 aud have board Of i've trustees.
either two or three of whom are elected
the hrst Saturday Of June In each year,
thirty tive were organized under the act
el 1879 and have board OF six trustees
elected by the people tern four years.
fN4 ante an fftfand "a haE
summed control under the act OF 1878 aud
lave since accepted the act OF 1888 and
appointed six trnstees term three years.;
about thirty-two are exercising the control
fact OF 1879 through the city counctli ten
are controlling theT schools according 10
she provisions OF special chartersf aud the
records cf the u;he. ten are so incomplete
ttat 10 the limited time at my disposal !
failcd 10 determine the manner Of control
To Representative }. L Thomas aud SEN
asor g. V, Terrell. both Of wise county, is Que
the credit Of securing the passage OF tue pres
eBt Law, which In great measure divorces
Tie courol Of schools from municipal onairs
and gives the people the right 10 express
t.epselyes upon school issues Tnis act
plich has been published IN the daily papers,
provides for nm elective boRrd OF trustees ~
r1ch independent district ~ tie state cAeept
the eyemptinns mentioned in section 10; u
provides tor tbeir election At time different
itom that Of ne municipal elections; ~ re-
pcpis article 1905, Revised statutes, and there
by removes the mayor aud county Judge or
county superintendent from every elective
al 81, fat ri e
stnue, pgsaI' :. " 80, b, ~ ,s,s ~
~, VI ~ al s,1 ne istb Al
- An.,ts, ~ tsrn, NJ no. NOR tihn i've
Sssrs, & also pro7ides Tor the board itself 4
nil vacancies tn It's membership prior to any
rat. "a ,ira, M ,Sc sShoois in VA
elected beard OF trustees
By pretnl reading ot this bill, onitunl
sa9.igu ~ 49, :. .AS yA'', , N.jiis J.
Ccistltutipg an independent school disnict |,
lheluosu " ~ ,tluNla.vus' npu.hsl anV
Ets E ~ ~ ~ "a IA in
NpN ~ va sNaInlu, seNtl9n ~ So aSe' ~ =,
WGa5 pS , yNs ~ "a
va. u'EtIiSt YIN or4NoNiY Iias 20 W.
sa from nolutnh Vus stltdNt st sestun ~ "''
DE, ST we IeEllef elsElWAe hp'tN'
Section u resas AZ loll9TA K,
Any lupsP5n n.y. ~ ultNt "a 1911 t tS nia
pealo vi sin " usnS's' V.fesNs $ II xii
ple o. appQuttI ~ ~ w oua,Ntat -,
not re rsqp'rSsaao 10 noig dus .i,. n,
iion " Nay, ISeN, pfoNiutu lot ~ tuls aVI,
out re sald pontI OF IN " us s 'h l ~
e,efIea uuayT q 5S'' ~, % 5u,S iss tse
mcmbefa OF sald toecd wbote term oil Of
i4re shail eApNe w ILL hnN tuoeV ",,1ee
ttFnl shall cNpIN III 49, Anu tue INeult tl
election Of trustees IN ne QUO nnipn .,, 60
YenIa as proVlteu lVl ~ WIS ~, S4"t pe
helt II ehch suVn lilt 49, u. u'n ~ w
n the cities ns pToviued lor III artlsle
40lS.
lraamueh as article WY proNuts LOT q
lectiNe hoard OF SIX uateeS TO srye lut
ears II NHe FNlANHtAS lnNNbNcA hiieN
independent ssrtcts should not be du rel
nold the speca election In MAY, but shou'
adjust thtr dates Of holding elections to IN
specified In the law, ESPECIALLY in View OF u
fact that elections To such towas are held
varloua dates, depending upon the time
aesunlinr control and the hoidng OF the NJ
election II trustees. such boards OF trustee
will either ce1t an outside man as pre-
dent Under authority of section OF the ne
law or remain board OF six " th oae
their own number prisldent. until the re
uiar election provided for IN December, ~.
when the people VIII elect a president OF I
board. Several 81 the cities having spe
charters are under this p an-IWpeo. Aust
Galveston FL Paso, sherman. and, perahr
others aud while section u repe3is al Law
both general aud specal. in conflict wi b {
PROVISIONS OF thiG act II wolld follow tn
these cities may continue their boards, o
justlng their serms OF office and date OF els
tiou accordingly, ainee article 1907 may apl
10 cities having special chsY.ers as well
these INCORPORATED under Gsaeril law aud
,bsse spes,al charters DO not roaGit vi
article to01. therefore these cities would
eYcmpted from boldiug the special elect
81 NAV.
There Is one class OF iudep sodent distrc
however which viii NOT have hoard
trustees elected by the people bur under AZ
cls s0iS. will continue 10 coltro the stho
through bosrd OF trustees sppointel by
eity council As stated above there are tw'
ty.sevea OF these towns tanothcr count gi
tnity-twel aud they are exempted from