The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-05-04
BUCHANAN ON FLORIDA SCHOOLS.
Strong Stand Taken by the Duvai
Statesman on the Famous School
Law That Is Improving the
School System of Florida.

of the Buchanan school law has the
following in answer TO the papers
which have criticised the measure:
Il notice an article cut from the Jas
per News, entitled The Buchanan Law
in a Nutshell an attack upon that
measure. which is entirely misleading
as to its statements. and is evidently
an endeavor TO prejudice the public
mind against the law which, as ii has
and the effect of its operation more
apparent, is being accepted generally
throughout the state even by most OF
the counties which opposed its pas
sage, as a most salutary measure and
one which must tend to the lasting
benefit of the states educational sys-
tenn.
This article styles the law as a
means of oppression and robbery
claiming thai it's sole object is to lay
burdens on the Industrial classes for
the benefit of the rich and a system
whereby miIionaires' sons may be edH-
Gated at the expense of the poor Such
q statement as the above must have
emanated from very warped judg-
ment, as it could hardly have been
reached from a perusaI of the law
itself or an understanding of the con-
ditions which existed before its enact
ment.
IN the first place, the act did not
abolish any high schools in the state
The article states that, but it is not
a fact. The high schools are a part
of the common school system of edu-
cation which the state established,
and which belong to each county. The
institutions which were abolished were
set of so-called colleges which did
not belong TO any county, but which
were supported by the state at an
eormous expense. If there is any op
preston in an educational system, ii
was under the old system. as there
was no equality of taxation for their
support for the reason that many o
the counties in which these colleges
happened 10 be located paid no tax
had no high schools of their own, as
they could send their children to these
institutions while the other counties
paid for their support.
object of the old Agricultural College
was 10 promote the liberal and prac-
teal education of the industrial
classes in the several pursuits of life. 8"
This language is copied verbatim
into the Buchanan law. yet the writer
probably never read that law. as ne
seeks to infer that that provision c.ld
purpose was abrogated with the abol-
ition of the Agricultural College. It i
intended to create a university and
girls college. and to prohibit the en-
trance into these institutions of chill
dren in the kindergarten departments
who had not properly fitted themselves
by previous study TO enter upon col
legiate or university course, and this.
instead Of being an injustice, is an
advantage. The state already has a
system of public schools which con-
sists of the primary department and
the high school. The high school
teaches to the twelfth grade. After
that pupils may enter the university.
and after going through the eleventh
grade, pupils may enter the girls col
lege. IL would be just as reasonable
to assert that a child who is learning
its A 3 C's was entitled to enter the
high school as it would be to claim
that a boy who was NOT prepared by
previous course of studies should en-
ter the higher branches which the uni
versity is intended TO teach. There
would be no necessity for a universe
| ty, a girls college, nor was there any
necessity for the institutions which
were abolished, if it were not intended
| To make them institutions of higher
learning. If it is the purpose of the
state TO cut off our boys and girl.
| from an education above the high
school education. then there is no use
at all in having anything aboye the
! high school. but as it was the purpose
/ as expressed in our constitution. to
Icreate system of higher education
higher than the individual count,
could give through the high school
system already established. then the
proper way to accomplish it was to
concentrate funds and efforts to that
end in one or two good institutions
where these objects could be prac
tically carried out. than it was 70 scat
ter them among eight or nine. as has
been the case heretofore. at a mucr
greater expense and with no appre-
! ciative result.
"As the funds with which these oId