Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1906-05-23
Public education.

position on the subject of public ed
ucation. The constitution declares
that, "a general diffusion Of knowl-
edge being essential to the prcser-
walton of the liberty and rights of
the people, It shall be the duty of
the legislature of the state to estab-
fish, and make suitable provisions
| for the support and maintenance of
an efficient system of public free
schools Among other important
provisions it provides for the APP
'plication of the income from the
permanent school fund and Of re-
ceipts from occupation and poll
taxes for the school fund, and then
provides for the collection of an an
nual ad valorem state tax of GER
tain amount not to exceed twenty
cents on the hundred dollars as will
be sufficient to maintain and sup
port these public free schools for a
period of not less than six months
in each year. The constitutional
declaration that education Is neces-
sary to the preservation OF the lid
critics of the people is one that
hould not be questioned. The CON
stitutional requirement that pubic
tree schools should be maintained
for six months in the year should
not be disregarded. This has not
uniformly been done, and If the PEG
pie should honor me with the cleo
ton to the office of governor, |
would call the attention of the legis-
llature to this fact and recommend
to them that such legislation be had
as would result In the maintenance
of these schools for the time re
quired by the constitution. 1t Is
particularly tue that the schools In
the rural districts are not conduct
ed for the full time required, and
as these schools are the ones to
(which the great masses of the peo-
ple Of Texas must look for the ed
ucation of their children, 1t is Just
and right and Of the gravest I'M
lportance that sufficient revenue be
provided with which to carry them
on for at least six mQN2 during
the year. If the leg n1Rd,
be inspired with a z
! date ami ste5mpiish this end, J
have no doubt that the means of do
ing so may readily be found
In order to bring more easily
within the reach of all classes OF
: people the means of education, tho
state, through its legislature, has
: lproylded uniform text book law.
The primary object oil this law was
: to furnish good text books at lhe
: least possible price Under this law
the state makes contract wien
, book publishers to furnish books 60
children attending public schools at
fixed prices, awarding the contract
IL Ia fn fh
) lowest bidder. This law, however,
t excerpts from its operation cities Of
) 10000 or more inhabitants. This
: exception lessons the good effect OF
: the uniform text book law. First,
: because it leaves all the cities in
4 Texas of 10000 and over of popula-
: ton without the benefit of the law,
: and as consequence the parents OF
0 children in such cities generally, II
Y not universally, pay higher prices
a for school books used in the lower
Q grades of the public schools than the
i country people and people in the
y smaller cities pay for books for theiI
# children This should not be SO
e Second, If the large cities we're moi
l. exempt from the operation of the
II text book law, the contract to fur
l. ulSH ltAL UOOhb MOui0 10 A4AhCA
larger than under the present law
and that fact would induce the hool
A. men to make lower prices on theil
books, and thereby benefit patron
n of all schools in the state. The tex
r. book law does not apply to book
70 which are used in the higher grade
r. taught in the high schools, but onl,
Al Ito the books used in the lowe
r~odoo ov.d coo M raa con Univ fh
ss parents of children in the large
a. cities should not have the benefit O
q the low priced books as we'll as tn
d, parents Of children in the countr
IN and smaller cities and towns, and
n. believe that If the books selecte
m by the state board for the lowe
". grades in the public schools ar
n good enough for the children in th
r. country and small towns and citie
or they are good enough for the chile
I'D ren in the larger cities. Childre
"a In Texas without regard to the si2
~, of the city In which they live shout
~ have the benefit of good text bool
~ and at the lowest prices practlcabl
IL Uniformity of books and prices In u
"a lower grades of our schools shoul
sr be provided for the entire state und'
-. a. system of selection applying ALL
~ -, to the country aud all towns al
a. 49, cities. This matter is of special II
~ portance at this time and ought
~ W be considered by the people In tn
-. campaign, for the reason that Il
70 present Ave year contract for pu
nu lie school books win expire In 1870
ss, and II will. therefore, be necessa
ms In order to preserve TO the peoI
un' the benefits of the uniform "a
eso book system, for the next legislatu
tne to pass a law providing for anoth
OK contract to become effective up
the the expiration OF the one now
NY force. CheRpneas OF school 4
ul' hooks used IN our puhilc schools,
out far an may be consistent with PROV
ure quality. Ia matter OF lmportnl