The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-05-31

To those interested in our county
schools There is much to be consid
cred In the development and mainte
nence of our rural and village schools
There are signs of educational growth
our county wealth is great; the schoo
per capita is unequaled by that of any
other county; our people are intelli
gent and our children are mentally
bright. An army of teachers in the
county are busy as bees educating the
''rising generation" All these things
are evidences of educational growth
But on the other hand, there are many
evidences of weaknesses In our schools
that demand our serious considera.
tion. While few, perhaps, through
selfish and mercenary motives, are in
juring our schools, there are many un-
Willingly doing SO. 'Tls to this latter
class that this appeal is being made
for needed corrections and reforms.
The County Superintendent shall sSsse
the conditions as he finds them, not as
he desires them Nothing in this
article is here written as criticism
on others.
ILLEGAL CENSUS.
The Public School Laws, as stated
in Sec. 81, says: I'm the month Of July
the clerk Of the school district shall
take a census of all persons residing
In the school district between the ages
of six and twenty-one years, and to
gather the statistics relative to edu-
cation, according to forms furnished
by the State Superintendent of Public
Instruction. This census and other
information should be collected and
sent to the County Superintendent
between July and July TO- 1t is
important that the census be made
and accurately, and that no
padding of reports be allowed. Rec
ords In this Office show that some dis
tricts now have from one to twenty
pupils listed that should not have
been reported in the census report
The present Grand Jury is now investi.
eating some such reports. 1t is in
sisted that the census be made prompt
y and accurately. The Superintend-
mt will canvass carefully the returns
Ind all errors, as far as possible, cor
'ected.
TRANSFERRING FUNDS, ETC.
La some parts Of the county and in
ome school districts, there has been
confusion and dissatisfaction as a re-
ult OF transferring funds and pupils
rom one school district to another.
i appears that some do not under
tand the law pertaining to transfers.
To aid in the subject, let's take the
illustrations; There are two
istricts adjoining, we will say "a"
nd "b." Pupils living In "an but
eside nearer the schoolhouse In ''bn
han they do to schoolhouse in "a, "
nay attend the school in district ''bn
nd the school funds for such pupils
hus attending shall, or may, be trans
erred from car to "b.'' The law says
hat when such pupils In IA shall
ttend in 3d." the Directors In "a"
hall certify the facts to the Trustee
the county and he shall transfer
he pro rata from '.an to OBJ to be
pplied to funds in district "b.'' Read
lg paragraph (9) under Sec. "a Of the
chool Laws, explains the course that
Mould be observed by the Directors. ,
/ Is clearly the duty of the Directors !
] district "a" to certify to the County
rustee the number of pupils thus
district tb7 aud the funds !,
. transferred. There Is another fea-
ire OF this transferring funds that .
lould be discussed. While none but
le Trustees can legally make trans !
RS, they have responsible work In
doing. In order to protect one dis
let from another, 1t is necessary to I
ansfer only such pupils as specified
Sec. p, paragraph 8. To Illustrate: =
here is one school district In the
unity in which thirty pupils were
to another district. as al :
suit, $4,000 were transferred to the
Joining district, thus shortening !
e other school three months. Such
process as this builds up one school :
the detriment Of another, and Z
ould not exist. !.
LIMIT or ATTENDANCE. I,
The directors, 10 making contracts (,
til teachers for schools, should en- sl
rec that part of the contract which d