The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-01-02

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education, and not less than one
third of principals of high or graded
school, who together with himself
should prepare for high school gsfdes
standard course Of study, which
should be followed by schools r7ceiv-
ing state aid. This act provided fur
Their that upon receipt of application
for aid the state board of education
should cause investigation to be made
by the state superintendent, and, II
satisfied that all the conditions had
been complied with, the aid should
be granted.
In the summer OF 1908 the state
superintendent appointed a co,nmiS-
tee which met and framed as proyid-
ed by law a standard course Of study
for the high schools or the state,
That course proving impracticable
has been gradually abandoned until
today there is probably not a school
In the state maintaining the minimum
requirements established by 1t. At
the convention of county superintend-
,ents and high school principals
which met In Tallahassee last April,
the course of sturdy which Is In gen
eral use throughout the state at
present was adopted. But unzortun-
ately this new course does not legal
ly supersede the old course, for there
has been no legislative provision
whatever for such change. We are
therefore in a rather chaotic condj-
ton as far as the course of study is
concerned.
A Crucial Point.
THE provision OF the law requir-
ing investigation OF stale-aid schools
to be made by the state superintend-
ent was unfortunate, because it is
impossible for the state superintend-
ent with his multitude of other du-
ties to look carefully into the merits
OF each high school applying for aid.
The result has been that the state
board OF education has been compelled
to grant aid to schools without having
accurate, hrst-hand information in re-
gard to them.
The value of the state-aid plan of !
encouraging high schools hinges upon !
adequate inspection By adequate in |
specuon ! mean a personal visit to /
each school applying for state aid by
some competent person, preferably
one who is a specialist in secondary
education. It ought to be within the
province OF the inspector not only
TO discover whether the schools are
measuring up to the requirements of
the state, but also to help them by
Whatever means he can to go b.
yond those requirements There is
already a sufficiently large number
Of high schools established in the
state TO warrant the employment IF
an expert inspector.
Section 38 of the Buchanan law
the state board of coi-
troll to provide systems and course
of written examinations by questions
and answers for admission to high (
schools. for promotion from gra1s 10
Grade, and for admission into the
tate institutions for higher education,
places the establishment of
/ course OF study for high schools in +
he hands of the board of control.
Without much additional legislation,
t might be provided that the nspec-
ion OF high schools also be under
he management of the BOARD OF con-
rol. This, perhaps, would be the
,est solution OF the problem, for un-
Ter such an arrangement the actual
work of Inspection could be assigned
% member Of the department OF
education Of the State University; IL
lot TO some member OF the present
aculty, then to some one whom the
BOARD OF control should secure for
MS particular work. I.
Local Control.
Il come now to the last of the
opics which shall discuss-the
iced in our largest cities Of a school
independent OF county
ontrol. Ours is the only state In
he union which does not grant to its
argest cities a greater or less de-
rec of control of their schools. City
ontrol with absolute independence
4 county is the rule In other states. (.
,ounty control with absolute indie
endenee OF the city Is the rule with
s-the rule without an exception.
q this state the county was estab-
shed as the unit of school control
efore we had cities, but now since
re have several grown 10 be consid-
rable size, we shall be compelled In |
he interest OF efficiency to divide the
uthority and responsibility for the
Management of the schools between
be city and the county.
1.-THE fact that the problems OF the
administrations and supervision of
ehools in the city are different from
be problems of administration and
supervision In the country makes
UGH a step necessary. at Is quite as
Important to have city school or
aniZatiOn separate and distinct from
ne county school organization as It |
to have municipal government in
endent OF county government. In
he city the rules governing the con- I
uct of pupils, the rules for the guild
nee of teachers, the course OF study,
ne kind OF buildings and the care OF
lem, the employment OF teachers.i
lie training Of teachers, salaries, In l.
lct, practically all school problems
all for treatment suited. to city con-
itions, and likewise the school prob
,ms of the county call for treatment
uited to rural coalitions.
Proraticn Of Funds.
If the city were set mp as an indie
endent school unit. care should be
AIKEN to make q Just division OF the
chool funds. Let me make my mean
lg clear by a concrete example.
he school board of Escambia coun-
? expended for the year 1906-'07 on
ne schools OF the county outside the
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