The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-04
NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL CITY
An EXPLANATION CONCERNING
ELECTION OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES.
Are >sioid-Dcmocrati tic City Ticket
WINS Elected.

Austin. Texas. April SIN view of thu
fact that considerable confusion has
arisen over the election OF school trus-
tees because OF the recent passage by the
legislature of two bills changing the time
for the holding OF such elections, tho fol-
lowing has been sent out from the stat,
department of education:
TO the trustees OF all independent
school districts. embracing villages,
towns and cities where five. six or
more trustees are chosen;
Two weeks ago house bill No. 196
became a law. This measure was de-
signed to merely change the time OF
holding the election OF three trustees
in the rural districts from first Satur-
day in June TO the first Saturday In
April. Later on 1t was discovered that
towns and villages Incorporated for
school purposes only would be af-
fected by the law, since the statute
creating these village corporations
provides that Ave trustees OF such
towns and villages 'shall be elected
In the same manner and at the same
time. and whose term OF offlce shall
be the same ms that of trustees Of dis
tricts." Accordingly. Instructions
were given by this department to all
villages aud towns having five truss
tees TO also change their election day
from June to April !.
Since that time senate bill No. ISIS,
having passed both houses by q prnc-
ideally unanimous vote. with the
emergency clause attached. and epv-
ing received the governors approval,
became law Immediately.
A careful examination OF this latter
bill viii show that all villages. towns
,tt 81 nd a
ent Districts" with I'VE, six or more
trustees. will be subject to Its provis-
ions, except those named in article
40lS, Revised Statutes. or section i2T,
school laws OF 1897.
l, therefore, beg to call the atten-
ton Of the county judge OF any coun-
ty having one or more Independent
districts within it's bounds to the
duty devolving upon him under this
new law. | have also sant a COM
ruunlcatlon TO each OF the independent
school districts organized for school
purposes only. directing them not to
hold the election heretofore ordered
for Saturday, April /, but 20 postpone
said election until May, as provided In
this latest law. / inclose herewith an
exact copy OF the law, and ask all
county judges and school officials 10
prepare TO comply with Its provisions,
very respectfully
]. S. Kendall.
State Sup't Pub. Instruction.
In brief. as the matter stands no
district trustees will have TO be electe
next month May, and such district truI
tees MS were elected last Saturday und'
the terms OF house bill 1876, must be cleo
ed over again, an senate bill 1888 repea
said bill lg6. As TO the trustees for II
dependent districts, bill 1888 (Which
now the law provides that there sha
be no election for them for two year
and that trustees of this character now
office will hold over until 1901 This pr
vision has caused some disturbance
spots, notably ut Sherman Tan independe
/ district, where an election for seho
1 trustees has been ordered for tomorro
4 under the provisions OF the old law; u
\ holding OF which Superintendent Kenda
| this morning wired the mayor of th
city would be illegal. The trouble
sherman is that the adoption OF the Sta
! text books, selected under the Presl
act. is an issue 10 the campaign. Al
! those who are favoring such adoption ha
taken up the notion that the change
the date of holding elections OF seho
trustees is scheme of the enemies
the state books TO prevent their 1ntrodu
ton at this time. There Is nothing
this. however, as the purpose OF sena
bill 1888 Is simply to bring about uniform
ity In the election of trustees. and
warmest supporters were all friends OF q
Presler act