The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1899-04-20
PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION
From the Florida Baptist Witness:

give more than a casual examina-
ton to the third biennial report
of the state superintendent of
public instruction, Hon. w. N.
Sheats. From what we are able
to note, however, it IS admirable
in extent and matter. 1t consti-
tutes a volume of 400 pages and
processes to give one a complete
and reliable view of the work of
public education in the state.
That Mr.. Sheats is enabled to re-
port a growth in public education
is as surprising as gratifying to
those who know what difficulties
1t has had to contend with in the
law of taxable values. The show
ing OF county levies for schools,
however, is remarkable. 1t dis
closes that our people, while inn
poverished by natural visitations
are determined not to permit ed
ucation to langulsh. 1t is re-
markable thing that thirty-four
counties in 1898 levied the maxi
mum Is mllls) for public educa-
ton, and that only twelve levied
the minimum g mills). Such ac-
ton on the part of our people
needs no comment. 1t is a COM
pliment to themselves as well as
to those who have had charge of
the great work. 1t is instructive
to note that the total receipts,
from all sources, Of school funds
ten years ago was 1884, ITO; in
1898 it was S693,568 The expen-
ditnre however for 1898 as
/ against those of ten years ago
were $736,951. This tendency on
the part of the school boards to
expend more than they have is
not to be regarded as extrava-
| gance; but rather as the natural
lappings over which are the re-
suit of the great needs of the
schools and the superhuman ef-
forts to make little money go a
long way.
1t Is also observable that the
increase in the value of school
property has more than kept pace
with school receipts, in fact, has
even exceeded that of expendi-
lures. In 1888 the total value of
school property was $456, 625, and
in 1898 it was s755,924. During
the year there has been an in
crease of seventy-one schools.
| One would suppose that in a
state like ours, with an average
length of school term 104 days of
the year, there should not be
twenty. nine out of every 100 chill
dren of school age e 2D not en-
rolled in the public schools. But
Mr.. Sheats properly and wisely
says of this that the average is
not iiscouraging. In the United
States, even counting both races
and calculating upon basis of
school age that makes the COM
parison dlsadvantag eous to Flor
ida (it beng SIS in other states),
the Florida average of enr ollment
| is greater than that of the states
combined. But this does not sat-
isfy Superintendent Sheats, as in
deed it should not the rest of
progressive Floridians. They
must accordingly agree with him,
| in his recommendation to the
present legislature, that law on
compulsory legislation be enact
ed. The county superintendent
in their last state convention fav-
ored such a law, and Mr.. Sheats
says: II, myself, favor the en-
actment of some law, provided
the provisions are not made too
rigorous. The moral effect OF
such a law will very nearly &C.
complish it's purpose without any
costly machinery to enforce It,
The fact that twenty-seven states
in the ITnion have Such a law is
strong evidence in it's favOr.'
OLD PEOPLES EYES
Often become infiamed and Daln-