Fort Pierce news., 1911-06-23


professional improvement, at the ex-
pense Of the state, except in the mat.
ter OF transportation and board.
"A concurrent resolution requesting
the trustees of the Peabody fund to ap.
propriate not less than 100000 from
said fund, to be used in the establish.
ment of State normal school for
Florida. The trustees have in charge
the sum of Sl,2OO,OOO to be distributed
among the Southe States for educa.
tional purposes, and it is believed,
therefore, that Florida will not receive
less than the amount named in the res
olution.
IAN act appropriating S43l, 600 for
the maintenance and equipment of the
State institutions of higher learning.
This sum is equitably apportioned be-
tween the University of Florida, the
Florida State College for Women, the
Florida School for the Deaf and Blind
and the Florida Agricultural and Me-
chanical College for Negroes. These
institutions, as we'll as the public high
schools, academically and financially,
are now on firm basis. More than
one million dollars have been expended
during the past four years for high
school buildings alone"
The real problem Of public education
in Florida especially involves the rural
schools Looking to the proper solu-
tion of this difficult problem the office
of state inspector of elementary rural
schools has been created. This position
IS filed by Mr.. g. M. Lynch, of Gaines
vile, who began work on the 10th OF
February OF the present year. The
funds for the payment OF MIR. Lynch's
salary do not depend upon legislative
enactment, or constitute a burden upon
the State, but we're procured from the
Southern Education Board, whose head
quarters are in Washington, DC,
The constitution of 1868 designated
as one of the elements of Florida S
common school fund" ''25 per centum
of the sales Of public lands which are
now or may hereafter be owned by the
state. In identical language, the con-
stitution Of 1885 reenacted this provis-
ion. It will be observed, therefore,
that such has been the organic law OF
the state for forty-three years. OF whlch
period, or until the date OF the nrsO
nayment of such percentage into the
school fund. on the SOth of November,
lo0s no notice whatever was taken oy
the state authorities Of this imperative
constitutional provision, During tne
administration OF the present superin-
,eodens however, up to the present
date, the aggregate receipts Oh Vne
state treasury, for the school tuno' o.
the rs per cent Of sales Of public lano''
have been sl26,2l614'
The superintendent now cOntempla's'
the early commencement Of legal pro-
c,ediugs to recover for the school iuno'
t,om the board Of trustees OF the inter-
nal improyement fund, the large sum
!, money thus withheld form the school
fund. amounting, it is believed 70 more
han ! million dollars, and steps nave
-. skeu to secure the very best legal
,.lsot 20 conduct the proposed ii'iga-
,lou, the ides being rather 70 recover
for the school fund, At this time 'ns 's y,
,erest. or income, which Ine sSDSS
would have received had prompt pay. .
msus bseu made Of the % per cent g. =
IA sales. and not to imperil IN any
I amer the drainage projects now :, y
-, ,ss ., development Joy the internal
improvement board.
with the intention Of cOl0nizlOg 'ns