The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1906-04-20
Duties of School Officials Explained,

Duties of School Officials Explained,
To the voters of st. Lucie County.
The political atmosphere of the county
is so filled with statements and prom
ises from candidates for public office
in our school government that one is
minded that some of these gentlemen
notably the ''outs" ARE sadly in ignor-
ance of the school laws of their State
and arrOgate to these positions powers
and scopes of influence that are in no
wise their province.
This is especially true Of the asprants
to the Office of superintendent of
schools. The voters are told by some
of them that they will bring to bear on
the duties of the office and expenditure
of the public school funds the marked
ability with which they have expended
their own money and managed their
private business. Another of them
makes the singular statement that he
Is in favor of economical adminlstra-
tion," giving to them untold benefits
from the school funds in the shape of
extended school terms, of which the
present reckless expenditures Of the
school authorities presumably the super
intendent) deprives them!! This gentle
man states that the major part of
the school fund is expended in the
erection and equipment of school
houses, which stand closed for large
part of the year for lack of money to
nav teachers. Reckless work of the
present superintendent! Horrible mis-
management! | wonder how the pa
tient and hard working ratepayers have
stood it so long. Why has this bright
illumination and Reconstruction so long
hidden his light under bushel measure
at Sebastian? 1t were almost an insult
IN the common sense of the voters OF
the county to suppose that any refuta-
ton of such vaporings was needed, ana
the object of my present article Is not
to deal with them at length What !
wish to do as member of your school
hoard. and honored with its chairman
shin. is for the information of the vot-
ers--and incidentally for the lniorma-
ton of these bombastic gentlemen Il
the "outs" who wish to magnify the
office they seek first, to define the
duties and powers Of the county board
Of public instruction, as laid down by
tbe school laws Of the State, and sec
ond 70 define the duties and very mod
est powers of these would-he recon
.,trurtors" of the public school system
Of the country, as laid down by the
same authority.
The board, being the supreme power
Is, first defined in the law, when states
that 90 be eligible to am schoo' once |"
ner.on must be "of good moral charac-
rer temperate, upright, Responsible
competent aud in full sympathy WIN
the public educational system Oh ehe
state " Their di;i9s are; tirst' the IN,
;ng Of the supe,intendent's salary
mi, is AnmUia,inr, Is it not? These
a.n,t,.nan IN a tit Of cconomy---pat
tor,aa after ear board OF county com
n,is.ion,r, IN another case--mlght hN
tho salary at 81 per month! Or course
49,, ,ro.,6 make no difference to the
nertlenan from Sebastian! He merely
,,onrs the honor Of the nomination! III
.,,A, ~ dayote his whole time TO th'
o,Hce, This economy business shoui'
always begin at home; therefore 1t \
~ NO presumed the new board VIII pea'
th,s in mind. The board, and the boaf'
only. weighs the qualifications oil am
",;,,t, the teachers and every othe
s. 81, officer down to the jan'tors!'
, ~ the matter of teachers appoint
; ,,,ts tbe law is very definite tn
: " " "cannot be delegated IN D,
ppu,horjtv and responsibility must II
',;th them. There are wise provision
: rerommending the consideration OF sue
'astions from the patrons in these mat
esrs INIT the superintendent, unless o
, ths grace of the board, is not cons'o
s ore The popular belief is that a
,h;s il done by him, but nothing can u
y sorther from the fact. The board an
; .Sa hoard alone are responsible Tor u
s eat;re school machinery OF the count!
r"arv dollar of the expenditure Tor an
y .ohoo, purpose, however remote has
- have the authorization of the board ar >,
. .%sir approval, whether it be by u
;, county conn superintendent or the remote
- continued on page 81