The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-04-07
MORE exTRacTS FRoM GOVERNOR
BRoWARO'S MESSAGE.

to bear it; and it seems to me to be
important and just that this burden
should be made as equal as possible
under our system, and as means to
that and 1 recommend that a state
board of equalization of assessments
be created.
STATED TAX FOR MAINTENANCE OF
THE HIGHER SCHOOLS OF LEARNING.
therefore recommend that such a
thorough and systematic reOrganiza-
tion of these schools be provided for
as will accomplish, as nearly as pos
sible under the existing conditions,
the end outlined above, and that the
funds out of which they will be sup
ported be raised by a specific levy for
that purpose, after careful estimate
of their respective needs, and that
they be no longer dependent upon
the general revenue fund for their
support. 1t is the constant purpose
of each state administration to reduce
the levy for general revenue pur-
poses to that point where the expen-
ditures made and amount raised shall
be equal; which condition of affairs,
if attained, would leave no balance in
the treasury for the maintenance of
these higher institutions of learning
COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD
BE FOsTERED.
In my opinion the public schools
should receive the greatest possible
consideration at the hands of our ed
vocational boards and officers, as it is
here that the majority of the boys
and girls of our state receive, in the
first six or seven years of their school
life practically all their schooling.
We should strive to give, then, to
the country boy or girl, the most eff
cient and talented teachers that can
be secured, and surround these COM
paratively few years of his .Or her
school life with every opportunity for
mental or moral growth. 1t is more
essential that this efficiency be MAIN
tanned in the country teachers than
in the teacher in the city or town, as
from the nature of the surroundings
of the city teacher; the graded sys-
tenn of schools, the opportunity for
observation and contact with other
teachers in his or her grade of work;
the teacher may improve his faults
of scholarship and method. On the
other hand, the country teacher, with
no information as to methods en-
plOyed, often without experience,
and working in mixed grades, as is
the case in most country schools,
must rely on his own efficiency and
training and ability to give to these
country boys and girls the posi-
bic benefit of their too few years of
school life. The salary offered in
most of the country schools is too
small to permit fully capable and eff
cient teachers, however devoted to
the work they may be, to accept !
these positions, if they can possibly i
secure others.
In my opinion, therefore, it should !
be the policy of our educational de-
partment and the legislature, to af-
lord such state aid as may be appro-
pirate for the maintenance of longer
'erms and the securing of more eff
,ient teachers to those communities,
where, because of sparsely settled
districts and lack of funds, the
schools are below the average, thus
,aising their standard and efficiency,
ather than to require as condition
# such aid, that the school shall al
e ady have reached such a standing
q not to need it.
HE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOULD BE SAFE
GUARDED.
1t is estimated that "a person with
his disease coughs up and expector-
ties in twenty-four hours about two
hundred million tubercuIar germs"
some conception of the size of these |
'erms may be had when we realize
OF I